After cold winter I really want the garden to start blooming and fragrant as soon as possible. The gentle, fragile and so beautiful narcissist can help with this. Planting and caring for it is not difficult, the main thing is to follow a few simple rules, which will be discussed below. And then daffodils will delight every spring with their fragrant beautiful flowers.
Description of the species
Narcissus belongs to the amaryllis family and, like all its representatives, is a herbaceous bulbous monocot. His root system includes bulbs of various shapes, with the help of which the daffodil reproduces. Planting and caring for it should take into account the features life cycle bulbs and roots growing on their bottoms.
Daffodils form a rosette of ribbon-shaped, thin, pointed leaves. The peduncle, depending on the type, ranges from 10 to 60 cm in length. At its top there can be one large or a whole brush of several smaller flowers. Their common feature is a kind of tube in the center, surrounded by a corolla of petals. It contains the pistil, stamens and ovary, in which the seeds develop. They can also be used to propagate daffodils. Planting and care have a number of features. The color, size, shape of the tube and petals are different for each species. Their main colors are white and yellow, but now varieties have been developed with pink, cream, orange corollas or tubes. The fruit of the narcissus looks like a three-nest box, which is divided into three parts along its edges. Each contains several spherical seeds.
Propagation by bulbs
This method is the most convenient for growing daffodils in the garden. Planting and care are quite simple. You can take bulbs purchased or dug from your own plot. Planting material from the store must be inspected to discard any dry, limp or damaged bulbs.
Daffodils are dug up in your area after flowering has ended and the leaves have turned yellow. The deadlines are different in each region, but in any case you should neither rush nor delay. Previously, the old roots of daffodils have not yet died off, but later new ones begin to form, and the flowers tolerate the transplantation operation less well. Having dug up the bush, the bulb is washed. The children are separated from the mother's side. All the resulting material is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and allowed to dry. Then you can leave the bulbs for storage until spring, or you can plant them in a flowerbed before winter, that is, in late August - early September. These daffodils will bloom earlier.
Propagation by dividing bulbs
This method is used when they want to breed a particularly rare daffodil. Planting and care in this case are practically no different from usual, but additional actions are required with the bulbs. They are selected large and only healthy, divided into 4 (less often 6) parts so that each gets the bottom and a fragment of the top. For further actions There are several ways.
Some gardeners advise treating the cuts with an antiseptic (a weak solution of potassium permanganate) and drying them. Treat the cuttings themselves with any growth stimulant and plant them in containers with a disinfected substrate. Others advise keeping the cuttings for a month and a half at room temperature, then taking them into a room where the temperature is up to +10, and planting them in open ground in the fall. In winter, cover the garden bed from frost. Still others recommend placing the cut slices in heteroauxin, holding it in it according to the instructions for the preparation, then transferring it to a container filled with agroperlite and hiding it in the refrigerator for a couple of months until autumn planting. The divisions bloom after 2 years.
Propagation by seeds
You can also propagate daffodils in the garden by seeds. Planting and caring for seedlings is as follows. Only freshly collected (wet) seeds are suitable, on which the special protein that covers them still holds. They are sown on the prepared soil very shallowly, approximately 3-4 times the diameter of the seed (1-1.5 cm). This can be done directly in the flowerbed, but it is better to do it in a container, since in this case it is easier to control the development of seedlings. It’s a good idea to use agrovermiculite for this. The seedlings are grown in a room with moderate temperatures and left in a container for the first couple of years. They are planted in the ground only when the young plants begin to set and slightly grow bulbs. Such seedlings will bloom in about the 5th year. Only simple daffodils are propagated in this way, because hybrids do not retain their varietal characteristics (for example, doubleness).
Forcing
If it is necessary for daffodils to bloom earlier than the biological deadlines, forcing is used. This can be done in a greenhouse or at home. There are two ways of forcing. With each, you get blooming daffodils in any desired month. Planting and care are carried out as follows: the bulbs are subjected to 3 temperature conditions. After digging out of the ground and washing, they are first kept in a warm room (+30 degrees) for 2 weeks, then in a cool room (+ 17-+ 16 degrees) for about a month. After this, they are transferred to a place with a temperature of + 9- + 10 and stored there until planting at high humidity. Planted a month before flowering. The top should remain on the surface. The planting density can be high, the main thing is that the bulbs do not touch each other. They keep it for a week at + 9 and very high humidity, then transfer it to a higher temperature. warm place with temperature + 17.
To get early-blooming daffodils, planting and caring for them can be done this way: the bulbs are stored at + 17 degrees before planting. Planting is done in containers with sand, after which they are placed in a dark place with a temperature of + 9 and very high humidity. There the bulbs develop for about 2 months. When the sprouts reach a length of 5 cm, they are transferred to a place where the temperature is + 17 and the humidity is half as low. Flowering is expected in 2 weeks.
Daffodils on the windowsill
You can also get blooming daffodils in your apartment. Planting and care at home require their own technology. Take a deep pot, at least 10-15 cm. Fill it with soil and plant the onion. Its top should be on the surface. The soil is compacted and watered. The pot is taken to a place where the temperature is not higher than + 5. You can place the pot in the garden, covering it with a 10-centimeter layer of peat, or in the refrigerator, covering the flower well with something dark. When the sprouts appear, the pot is moved to where it is light and the temperature is + 10. When the daffodil blooms, it is moved again, this time to where it is warm. The plant must be watered during flowering and continue to do so even when the buds wither. They are removed and wait until the green part dries. After this, the bulb is dug up, washed, dried and stored, and in the spring it is planted in open ground.
Preparing the site
Anyone can grow daffodils in their garden. Planting and care open ground do not cause any difficulties. They grow and bloom in the sun, in partial shade and even in the shade, but when good lighting flowering is more luxuriant. Daffodils are undemanding when it comes to soil, but they love the presence of humus in it and do not like the presence of manure. It is added to the flowerbed a year before the expected planting of the bulbs. Daffodils grow well on neutral loams. Can be added to acidic soils wood ash(a glass per square), and for alkaline ones - dolomite flour (200 grams per square). The flowerbed is dug up in advance, fertilizers are added to the soil: nitrophoska, humus, compost. If the soils are heavy, add sand. Daffodils grow in one place for approximately 5 years, after which they need to be replanted.
Planting in the garden
You can plant daffodils in open ground both in autumn and spring. Planting and care in the fall is as follows. A month or two before planting, dig up the flower bed, fertilize it with compost, superphosphate (2 tbsp per square) and “Agricola for flowers” (1 tbsp per square). When planting, a hole is dug for each bulb, approximately three times its diameter. Throw a handful of sand and ash at the bottom, place an onion, fill it halfway with soil, water it, compact it and add soil to the edge. Cover the top with mulch. The distance between the bulbs can be up to 10 cm (if quick transplants are planned) and up to 20 cm (if the daffodils will not be disturbed for 5 years). Spring planting produced according to the same scheme. It is advisable that the flowerbed be prepared in the fall. If not, dig it up before planting. The bulbs are planted after stratification (about 2 months in the refrigerator). It is possible without stratification, but daffodils grown from them will not produce flowers in the first year.
Care
In order for daffodils to bloom beautifully, planting and care in open ground throughout the season are as follows: when planting bulbs in the fall, the first spring feeding carried out when shoots appear. They contribute mineral complex fertilizers (30 g per square). The timing of the second feeding is the appearance of buds on the stems. Apply the same fertilizers (20 g per square). Daffodils love moisture, so they are watered regularly, and then the soil underneath is loosened. You can mulch it so as not to loosen it every time. Faded flowers are removed or stems are cut for bouquets. At the end of flowering, the plants are again fed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer(2:1) per square. Subsequently, the daffodils are either dug up for transplantation according to the above schemes, or left in the ground. In this case, in winter you may need to cover the flowerbed with spruce branches or leaves.
Daffodils are perennial garden bulbous plants of the Amaryllis family. Mostly hybrid varieties are grown, which have become more popular than species plants due to their high decorative properties.
Features and Availability
These flowers are widespread in all agricultural zones and are successfully grown in open ground. The exception is areas where there is permafrost. Purchasing planting material is not difficult - bulbs of many varieties appear on the shelves by the end of summer and autumn.
Landing in the ground
Landing method
The bulbs are planted in prepared soil to a depth of 5 - 7 diameters of the width of the bulb. The hole is pre-watered. The bulb is covered with earth, which is also moistened to compact it. The top layer of soil is left dry.
Optimal time for planting
The most best time for planting in the north and in middle lane– August – September. In the south they are planted until the end of autumn.
Soil
The soil for daffodils is prepared in advance. It must be moisture-absorbing and able to retain water. It is good if the soil contains clay additives. This is especially important in dry areas. When preparing the soil for daffodils, you can fill it with complex mineral fertilizer. To enrich the composition of the soil, add compost or well-rotted manure. On acidic soils add lime, chalk or dolomite flour. Daffodils develop well on soils to which ash is added from time to time.
Important: Daffodils cannot tolerate fresh manure!
Planting in autumn
After purchasing planting material, it is examined for diseases. Soft bulbs, as well as those with pinkish depressions on the bottom, are rejected. At the time of planting, the bulbs should be well dried and have dense scales. Industrial planting material does not require disinfection treatment. If it was purchased from private individuals, then unsprouted bulbs are pickled in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, dried and treated with an antifungal drug.
Planted on permanent place. The distance between the bulbs is at least 20 cm.
Planting in spring
Typically, bulbs that were used for forcing in winter are planted in the spring. During the planting season, they do not bloom, but gain strength and build up the depleted bulb. It is not recommended to dig them up for re-forcing.
If the bulbs were purchased in the store in the spring, then these are remnants of the autumn collection. Planted early, they may well bloom, because... warehouses V outlet most often unheated.
Caring for a narcissist does not have difficult conditions. Narcissus is a pioneer, appearing on almost every new site, and then growing for many years.
Location and lighting
These plants grow well in sun and shady areas. In very warm areas with an arid climate, it is even recommended to plant daffodils in the shade - there is less moisture loss, and flowering lasts much longer than in an open area. Daffodils growing in the shade will be slightly taller, and they will have more green mass. Therefore, when choosing a place, they are guided solely by how these flowers will fit into the different periods growing season in general plan plot.
Humidity
The leaves of daffodils are dense, belt-shaped, preventing excessive loss of moisture. Therefore, air humidity does not affect the development of the plant in any way. It is not recommended to spray it - the natural background humidity is quite enough.
Watering
In the southern regions, in the absence of rain, daffodils are watered during budding and flowering. Occasionally you have to water in the middle zone. In the north, this is practically not required - the plant begins active growing season immediately after the snow melts. At this time, the earth is still highly moistened for a long time, no matter what its surface is. In addition, daffodils have powerful roots that go deep down and extract moisture. For spring period moisture is stored in the bulb - this is its main purpose. Therefore, you should not be overzealous with watering. Excess humidity at long-term cultivation without digging and drying leads to an increase in the incidence of these hardy plants.
Top dressing
It is believed that the plant needs to be fertilized 2-3 times per season. But this is not a dogma, there are options.
- if the bulbs have just been planted in well-prepared soil, then for a year, or even two, fertilizers may not be applied - an excess of them, especially nitrogen ones, provokes rotting of the bulb;
- in areas with little snow cover, the planting site for bulbous plants is often mulched for the winter with rotted manure or compost; in this case, in the spring, the mulch is not removed from the flowerbed, but mixed with the soil, distributed over the entire surface - fertilizer is also not required;
- The best fertilizer for daffodils remains the addition of a small amount of ash before winter - a source of potassium and phosphorus. And there is a lot of nitrogen in atmospheric air, it is perfectly absorbed by the leaves and is included in the growth process.
The plant does not undergo formative pruning. Moreover, they try to preserve the green mass of the plant for as long as possible - until it completely dries out naturally. For forced plants and open ground plants, the flower stalks are trimmed to obtain bouquet material.
Trimming method
Narcissus has leafless peduncles, so the removal of a flower during growth is well tolerated - the plant does not waste energy on setting and ripening fruits, the work of the entire vegetative mass is redirected to creating reserves in the bulb.
Peduncles have long been broken off rather than cut. It is believed that this reduces the possibility of transferring viruses from plant to plant. At the base of the bulb, the peduncle is easily separated without the help of a knife.
Daffodils for a bouquet are collected in the morning or evening, in the phase of a colored bud or in half-opening. If transportation and storage are to be carried out, the flowers are immediately wrapped in paper and sent to a very cool place - the lower the positive temperature, and the less its fluctuations, the longer plant will remain in suspended animation, without loss of quality of further flowering.
Transplanting daffodils
When the area allocated for daffodils becomes densely overgrown, the plants need to be replanted. There may be other reasons, for example, a change in composition.
Transplant methods
They dig up planting material, divide nests, treat damaged areas and plant them. When digging in summer, the bulbs are dried.
Transplantation in autumn
The further fate of the plants depends on their purpose: some are planted in open ground for rooting, some, the strongest ones, are placed in a basement or a place with similar conditions for further forcing in the winter; give to friends and neighbors or sell.
Transplantation in spring
This procedure in the spring causes some difficulties. Ungrown plants are difficult to find in the ground without damaging the plantings of other perennials growing there. When the greenery comes out of the ground, daffodils can already be distinguished from most plants, but careful digging is unlikely to work - their bulbs tend to go deeper than other bulbous bulbs, and when removed from the soil, injuries and losses are inevitable. Only separately planted daffodil bulbs can be dug up in the spring with the least damage, but this does not happen without breaking off some of the roots.
If a transplant is still necessary, then it must be carried out with big lump land, by transshipment, otherwise there will be no flowering this season, and there will be losses of bulbs.
There are several methods of reproduction. The procedure is combined with autumn transplant daffodils.
Seed propagation
Without loss of characteristics, only species, natural plants are propagated by seeds. Hybrid varieties the properties of the parent plant are lost and exhibit characteristics of simple original species.
To collect seeds, the flower is left on the plant until it blooms. Very soon the ovary becomes noticeable, and soon the fruit - a triangular capsule. At the first signs of ripening, when places of cracking appear, the peduncle is removed and transferred indoors. There, the box begins to open. The seeds are collected without waiting for complete drying and are immediately sown in open ground. Shoots appear next spring or in summer. Species seedlings bloom at 3–4 years, and hybrid ones at 5–7 years.
Propagation by bulbs
The most common and easy way reproduction. When digging a nest for replanting, it is discovered that instead of one bulb once planted, there are several quite mature and large number small. The nest is carefully divided, the ripe bulbs are separated without difficulty or damage. Planting material is checked for the presence visible signs diseases, disinfected, dried in a warm place and planted, donated, sold. Ripe bulbs in the soil bloom in the next growing season.
Reproduction by children
Usually, when transplanting and dividing a nest of bulbs, small immature baby bulbs simply scatter on the ground and get lost in it. It is not surprising that after some time an adult daffodil blooms in the most unexpected place - this means that a nest was once laid here. The children can be left on the mother plant so that they grow up and reach flowering size, or they can be separated and planted in a shkolka - a growing bed, where they will grow up, awaiting transplantation to a permanent place. Children bloom in 2 - 3 years.
Reproduction by scales
Daffodils do not have scales as such; the bulb is solid and dense and does not break into separate parts without the use of special techniques. Occasionally, the method of propagation by dividing the bulb is used. If it is necessary to propagate a rare variety, this may be justified, but there is also a risk of losing a single specimen.
Divide the onion, without cutting the bottom, into 2–4 parts. It turns out that there are 4 onions on one bottom. The sections are dried, the material is placed at the bottom in a moist environment, for example, moss. After some time, numerous babies should appear around each part. They are grown to produce numerous plants. After separating the children, parts of the bulb can be planted in open ground and grown to flowering size. With this method of reproduction, the cut parts may rot or dry out, as well as the death of some children.
Fortunately, daffodils grow quite well without surgery, so this method is rarely used.
Currently, daffodils are grown solely for the beauty of the flower. Aromatic substances similar to those previously obtained from its bulbs and flowers have long been produced artificially.
Flowering time
Species daffodils are for the most part early spring plants, blooming immediately after the snow melts and for a short time. Hybrid varieties have a wide range of flowering periods - from early spring to autumn. To prevent the soil from becoming empty after flowering, bulbs are planted in one place with different periods when they become decorative.
Flower shape
Natural species are six-petaled flowers of yellow or white-yellow color, with a tubular crown.
Hybrid varieties are represented by simple, semi-double and double flowers
The colors of hybrids include white, yellow, orange-red, pink, beige, cream, and various options mixtures of colors.
Diseases and pests
Bacterial rot and viral infections can become a problem.
The first ones appear due to waterlogging, application fresh manure or excess nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The rot is clearly visible when dug up; they are cut out and the cut site is treated.
The latter are carried by leaf-eating insects or tools when cutting flowers. A diseased plant is distinguished by multi-colored strokes on the petals and leaves. The specimen is immediately dug up along with the bulb, trying not to touch other plants, and destroyed, because effective treatment does not exist.
By modern classification There are 13 groups of daffodils, only one of which contains natural views. The rest are modern hybrids. They are divided into groups according to the shape of the crown or the original appearance.
Varietal daffodils offer a whole spectrum of color and shape. Most of them are monoflowered in the traditional white and yellow color scheme.
Therefore, varieties bred with several corollas on the peduncle of the group Jonquilliaceae aroused great interest. Daffodils of the group are also in great demand Multifloral or Tacetoides– up to 20 buds are formed on one peduncle! Moreover, they have pleasant aroma, which, in general, is not typical for narcissists.
Gained popularity very quickly terry varieties. These are plants different groups and flowering dates, but having a fluffy multi-petaled flower. Large-flowered, late-flowering varieties are also in demand among gardeners. And, regardless of group membership, daffodils with a pink perianth or crown are always at the peak of popularity.
Note to the florist
- Cut daffodils have a very good price cold water. The water is changed daily, the stem is cut to half a centimeter. Other flowers react poorly to the proximity of a daffodil in the same vase - they are oppressed by the milky juice released from the peduncle.
- When damaged, all parts of the plant secrete a poisonous milky sap.
- After the daffodils have faded, it is good to plant them in their place. annual marigolds– they prevent the appearance of many diseases on the bulbs and heal the soil around the plant.
Answers to gardeners' questions
This is a perennial self-renewing plant. If the entire plantation is not destroyed by frost or virus, then they will always live in the garden, even in the absence of care.
Why doesn't the daffodil bloom?
Most likely, the bulb has not yet grown to flowering size. A decrease in the number of flower stalks on a long-planted curtain indicates that the planting is too thick; it is necessary to plant the bulbs and add fertilizer to the soil.
Why do the buds dry out?
Perhaps thrips or narcissus flies have appeared above the plantings. Diseased flower stalks are cut off, plants are treated with insecticides wide range actions.
Why are narcissists short?
These are naturally short plants. There are species that do not exceed 25 cm. In addition, plants living in an open sunny place are always lower than those planted in the shade. If the flowers become smaller and plant growth decreases, this indicates the degeneration of the flower, the need to plant the nest, check for diseases, and possibly change the planting material.
How to care for a plant in winter?
When grown outdoors, no winter care is required. If the snow cover is higher than 25 cm, then the plant is not in danger. In harsh winters with little snow, winter shelter is required.
If the bulb is dug up and left for forcing, then it should be stored in a cool place. The rest period is at least two months. A month before the desired flowering period, it is planted 2/3 in the ground and transferred to a bright room with less cool temperature. When a peduncle appears, the temperature is increased to speed up flowering, and to delay flowering, it is left cool. When the bud opens, the flower lasts longer if it is kept cool.
Daffodils are traditional garden plants; their diversity, beauty and unpretentiousness conquer the hearts of every owner. personal plot. It is not difficult to tame a plant, the range of varieties offered on the market is huge, you can always find plants to your liking.
In the conditions of our middle zone, daffodil seedlings appear approximately in mid-April; the timing varies depending on the conditions of the current growing season. Daffodils are recognized as a fairly unpretentious crop in terms of growing conditions and easy to care for, but every gardener knows that in the spring he will not only have to admire the flowers, but also work intensively on his plot. What needs to be done first, what to pay attention to when spring care for daffodils?
At the first opportunity (after the snow cover has melted and the soil has partially dried out), the planted area is inspected; if the plants have been covered since autumn, the cover is removed as soon as the threat of night frosts has passed (seedlings and buds can only be damaged by negative night temperatures, –10...–15ºС, for a long time). The cover is removed carefully, trying not to damage the emerging seedlings. Deformed plants develop from damaged or broken seedlings.
When examining, you need to pay attention to the presence or absence of seedlings. Late varieties or varieties planted later than the recommended dates, respectively, grow and bloom later than early and mid-flowering varieties or varieties planted in optimal timing. Therefore, do not panic if you notice that there are no sprouts in some places, this does not necessarily mean that the bulbs have died. If you need to make sure that the plants have not died, you can carefully dig out a layer of soil at the planting site with your hands. If there were seedlings in the ground and a dense bulb, the plant did not die. If the bulb is soft and rotten, it must be removed urgently to prevent an outbreak of the disease.
After a snowy winter with rapid snow melting, prolonged stagnation of water on the soil surface may occur. This adversely affects the condition of the bulbs; they are easily affected by fungal diseases, rot and die. In problem areas with high groundwater levels drainage systems arranged in advance (you can simply dig ditches around the perimeter of the site). If the flood is unexpected, water is drained by digging small ditches.
To prevent an outbreak of fungal diseases, it is necessary to inspect the seedlings. Plants with signs of disease (twisted, deformed seedlings of yellow-brown color, dry) are removed along with the bulb. If the lesion is very large, you can treat the plants with a solution of pesticides (following the instructions and precautions). Signs of disease must be differentiated from signs of damage from cutting tools(hoe, hoe, etc.).
Despite the fact that rodents (in particular, mice) do not damage daffodil bulbs, “mousing” dogs tear up the ground to a depth of up to half a meter, and the bulbs end up completely different from where they were planted or on the surface of the ground. The broken order can be restored: plant the bulbs in right place(there is a chance that they are not damaged by frost), bury the dug holes.
When the soil on the site dries out, you can begin to loosen it. In those places where there are no seedlings on the soil surface for some reason, loosening is postponed so as not to damage the plants. The best option– combine loosening and root dressings mineral fertilizers. The first two feedings are carried out during the regrowth period and during budding with nitrogen-containing fertilizer, the third feeding - during flowering, complex fertilizer. If possible, after applying fertilizers, water the soil, or alternate root and foliar feeding.
Watering not only helps nutrients from mineral fertilizers penetrate into the root system, but also significantly affects appearance plants (the height of the peduncle, the size and brightness of the flower) and somewhat prolong flowering. In this case, watering should not be with strong pressure, so as not to break the plants and wash away the ground. Surface watering ineffective, it is necessary that the soil is soaked evenly to the depth of the root system. A sprinkler is best suited for this purpose.
Unfortunately, in the spring, not only the plants we want and need grow and bloom, but also unplanned weeds. It is better to remove them immediately when they appear, while they have not yet gained strength. A more advantageous option is if the daffodils are planted on the lawn or the soil around the plantings is decorated with a covering (pebbles, bark, colored sawdust). In this case, weeds do not appear or appear in single quantities and are easy to control.
During the flowering period, our main task is to admire the beautiful flowers in our flower beds. But if the purpose of growing daffodils is to preserve the purity of the variety, it is necessary to remove impurities of other varieties (dig it up along with the bulb). An impurity can get into the variety both during planting and during pre-sale preparation (if you buy planting material secondhand or from unknown companies).
When growing daffodils for a bouquet, cutting is done in the budding phase (the bud has already colored, but the flower has not yet bloomed). If you purposefully grow daffodils to obtain planting material or bulbs for forcing, the blooming flowers must be removed. In flower beds, ugly dried buds are cut off (sometimes with part of the peduncle) to preserve decorative look plantings, and the leaves remain green for about a month and do not spoil the impression of the flowerbed, mixborder or edging.
It's impossible to imagine spring garden no tender daffodils blooming. The bloom of these sunny, bright yellow and dazzling white flowers heralds the arrival of spring. Their grace and subtle enchanting aroma have long won the hearts of connoisseurs and lovers of natural beauty. It was not without reason that even in ancient times people sang praises of this fragile, beautiful flower, considering it a love talisman. Different peoples of the world associate many rituals, holidays and ceremonies with narcissus.
Many varieties of daffodils have been bred - more than thirty thousand.
What kind of flower is this - narcissus?
Narcissus is a popular perennial bulbous plant from the amaryllis family.
These flowers prefer sunny and quite open spaces, but also successfully withstand partial shade, with good water and air permeability of the soil.
They bloom in April-May. A narcissus flower consists of 6 tepals. Each of them produces a growth that forms a crown, inside of which there are 6 stamens and a style. There are varieties with one-color and two-color, simple and double flowers, with various shapes crowns, smooth or corrugated edges of the petals.
Daffodils are winter hardy and are especially valued for this.
Varieties of daffodils. Classification
All decorative varieties of daffodils, of which there are currently more than 12 thousand, are divided into the following groups.
- Tubular (Trumpet). They have one flower on a peduncle, the crown is tubular, its length is approximately equal to the length of the petals. The flowers are white or yellow, single or bicolor.
- Large cupped. The flowers are arranged solitarily, one-color or two-color (white or yellow). The crown is cup-shaped, its length is from a third to equal to the length of the petal.
- Small-cap. The flowers are solitary, white and yellow, one-color or two-color. The crown is cup-shaped, the length of the crown is less than a third of the length of the petal.
- Terry (Double). Late variety, having more than six perianth segments. The flowers are yellow, white and bi-colored.
- Triandrus, triander (Triandrus). The flowers are drooping, solitary or collected in umbellate inflorescences of 2-5 pieces. Petals are bent. The crown is cup-shaped, the length is approximately half the length of the petals.
- Cyclamenoides (Cyclamrneus). The flowers are drooping, solitary, petals are strongly curved back. The crown is from a third of the length of the petal to equal to it.
- Jonquille, jonquilla (Jonquilla): the flowers have a pleasant aroma, their number in the inflorescence can be from 2 to 6, the petals are elongated, the crown is cup-shaped. The length of the crown is two-thirds the length of the petal or more.
- Tacet or multi-flowered - the most early variety, on one peduncle a whole bouquet of flowers grows (up to 20), which have very rich aroma. Beautiful flowers medium-sized flowers are located on a high peduncle (about 45 cm), the color is yellow and white, the crown is orange or white.
This variety is not very hardy and resistant to weather changes, so it prefers a mild climate.
- Poeticus (Poeticus) - distinguished by rather large single flowers, which have a sharp but rather pleasant aroma. The petals are white, and the flat small crowns are orange, yellow-orange and red, their length is much less than the length of the petals. The latest variety.
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How to grow daffodils and how to care for them? When to plant daffodils?
Planting and caring for daffodils
Boarding time
The best time for planting in the middle zone is the end of August and the first ten days of September.
Landing location
To plant daffodils, it is preferable to choose a sunny or slightly shaded place, sheltered from drafts. Daffodils must be planted in a sunny place, otherwise their flowering will not be abundant. Hybrid varieties with red, pink and orange crowns, on the contrary, are best planted in partial shade to protect them from burning.
Daffodils can be planted in rows or groups on alpine slide, lawn, in flower beds, between trees and shrubs or along paths.
Priming
In general, daffodils are undemanding to soil. However, it is desirable that the soil in the garden bed or flower bed should be sufficiently fertile and light. When planting daffodils, sand is added to clayey soils, and humus is added to poor soils. Also, when planting, they add to the soil mineral fertilizers: superphosphate and potassium salt.
How to plant daffodils
On heavy soils The bulbs are buried 5-7 cm when planting; shelter is required for the winter. On light soils, the planting depth is no more than 15 cm, otherwise the daffodils do not bloom, buds form, but wither without blooming.
The distance between the rows should be 20-30 cm, and in the row between the bulbs - 15-25 cm. The bulbs are chosen not too small - from 1 cm in diameter. It has been noticed that when planted densely, the bulbs turn out to be larger, and when planted sparsely, they form more babies.
After 10-14 days they are leveled top layer soil above the planting and sprinkled with leaf humus or peat with a layer of 3-5 cm.
Watering
Daffodils need sufficient moisture, overdrying can cause poor flowering. The soil in the garden bed needs to be loosened regularly to reduce moisture evaporation, and also weeded in a timely manner.
Top dressing
For good growth During the summer, daffodils need to be fertilized. For this it is convenient to use liquid mineral fertilizers. The first feeding is applied after the entrances appear, the second - when flower stalks appear and buds form. When choosing a fertilizer, you need to take into account that with an excess of nitrogen in the soil, the flowering of daffodils worsens: buds form, but do not bloom. In such cases, phosphorus mineral fertilizers or ash are added to the soil. Ash is added at the rate of 100 g per 1 sq. m.
Digging and replanting
Daffodils can grow in one place for 3 to 10 years. When the planted bulb has grown into children and turned into big bush, but it begins to bloom poorly or has stopped blooming altogether, a transplant is performed.
It is recommended to dig up and replant daffodil bulbs annually if the site is located on peat soils, because in such conditions, by the spring of the second year, the bulbs may be so deep that they will not produce flowers.
Also, every year some gardeners replant double and trumpet varieties of daffodils, so they better preserve varietal characteristics.
Digging up the bulbs begins as soon as the daffodils' leaves dry out (usually this happens in July). Then they are dried for three weeks, thoroughly cleaned of soil and old roots and stored until planting. Store the bulbs indoors, dry, well ventilated and not too hot.
If you have already prepared a place for daffodils, you can plant them immediately after digging them up, without drying or removing the roots. They will tolerate such a transplant perfectly even during flowering.
Daffodils after flowering
After the end of flowering, the leaves of faded daffodils are not cut off, but wait until they dry out. During this period, nutrients are stored in the bulbs. What to do with the plants next depends on whether you are going to plant them or leave them next year at the old place.
In the first case, they are dug up and prepared for transplantation, as described above. If the bulbs are left in their old place, then after flowering you need to apply fertilizing with a high content of potassium and phosphorus.
Do I need to cover daffodils for the winter?
Narcissists are considered quite unpretentious plants, not requiring shelter for the winter. However sometimes it is advisable to take care of shelter. Firstly, if the daffodils were planted after September 15 (if planted late, the plant does not have time to take root properly and dies in the event of a cold and little snowy winter. It is also recommended to cover large-flowered varieties daffodils (tacetata, triandrus, cyclamen and jonquillia), which are more vulnerable to frost. For shelter, use a layer of dry leaves about 15 cm thick.
A little about terry varieties
Terry varieties of daffodils tolerate frosts less well. When planting in the fall, the planting time must be calculated so that the plants have time to take root well before the onset of cold weather. For the winter, it is advisable to cover such daffodils with a layer of fallen leaves. Another feature of double daffodils is their high demands on soil. They grow better and bloom more luxuriantly on the lungs sandy soils than on heavy ones.
Propagation of daffodils
The easiest way to propagate daffodils is by children after digging them up. Hybrid varieties can only be propagated in this way. Wild daffodils can also be obtained from seeds. After flowering, if the flower is not removed, a fruit is formed, which, when ripe, produces seeds.
Daffodils in a bouquet
Decorative daffodils look great when cut. To keep the flowers fresh longer, cut them in the morning when the buds have burst. Their flower stalks should be broken off at the surface of the soil, and not cut off. It is necessary to immediately put them in water, and if this is not possible, then temporarily wrap them in moistened paper. It is important that juice does not leak from the slices, so they must be kept cut side up before placing them in water.
Types of daffodils in nature
- Narcissus incomparable, incomparable (Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill.)
This is a natural hybrid of the poetic narcissus and the false narcissus.
Plant height 30-45 cm. Leaves are gray-green, 3-4 pieces. The peduncle is dihedral, the flowers are arranged singly on it, the size of the flowers is 5-8 cm in diameter. Petals are light yellow. The crown is orange-yellow, cup-shaped, with wavy edges.
Resistant to frost down to -30 degrees.
Narcissus jonquilla L.
Widespread, very decorative species. Thin height cylindrical peduncle 20-30, sometimes up to 40 cm. Leaves are green, 2-4 pieces.
The flowers have a pleasant citrus aroma, usually collected in umbrellas of 2-6 pieces, but can also be single. Each flower is about 3 cm in size. The petals are bright or pale yellow. The crown is cup-shaped, bright yellow.
This winter-hardy species, can withstand temperatures of about -30 degrees.
Narcissus jonquil is often used for forcing.
Narcissus tazetta, bouquet (Narcissus tazetta L.)
Another highly decorative look. The height of the peduncle is 25-45 cm, the shape is flattened. The flowers are 3-5 cm in diameter, the number in the inflorescence is 4-8 pieces. The petals are white, with curved edges. The color of the crown is from bright yellow to yellow-orange.
This species requires cultivation in open, well-lit areas. It is heat-loving and drought-resistant, but is not highly frost-resistant; it overwinters at temperatures not lower than -12 degrees. Therefore, in areas with more harsh winters requires covering or digging up and storing the bulbs indoors.
Narcissus tazetta is one of the main species used to develop new varieties of daffodils.
Narcissus poeticus, white (Narcissus poeticus L.)
Quite a tall species, height 35-50 cm. The peduncle has a dihedral shape. Number of leaves – 2-4 pieces. The flowers are large, 4.5-7 cm in diameter, with pleasant smell, located singly. The petals are white, yellow at the base. The crown is flat, wide, yellow in color, with a red or orange corrugated border at the edges.
Frost-resistant, winter temperature is about -30 degrees.
Serves as a basis for the selection of new varieties.
The species described above are most widespread in culture; in addition to them, the following are known:
- Minimal narcissus (Narcissus asturiensis (Jordan) Pugsley.)
- Bicolor narcissus (Narcissus bicolor L.)
- Bulbous narcissus (Narcissus bulbocodium L.)
- Narcissus cyclamineus D.C.
- Small narcissus (Narcissus minor L.)
- False narcissus (Narcissus pseudonarcissus L.)
- Narcissus tristamen, angel's tears (Narcissus triandrus L.)
Beneficial properties of daffodils
Narcissus flowers contain essential oils, and the bulbs contain alkaloids, which is why they have been used in medicine and perfumery since ancient times. For example, eastern healers treated mastitis with bulbs, and eye diseases with medicine obtained from false daffodil. However, you should not try to use daffodils for medicinal and cosmetic purposes on your own, because These plants contain toxic substances.
Many people think that narcissists are only garden plant. However, such flowers can be planted and grown at home in a pot. They are unpretentious and easy to care for. This article discusses the main varieties of narcissus for planting and care at home, rules for choosing bulbs, features of planting and caring for indoor views plants.
Narcissus: suitable varieties for growing at home
Daffodils can take root well in your home in pots and delight you with beautiful flowers from December to March. However, not all plant varieties are suitable for growing at home. The most suitable varieties for planting in indoor pots are:
- Avalanche.
- Paper.
- Inbal.
- Ziva.
- Magnet.
- Grand Soleil d'Or.
- Erlichir.
All varieties, except Magnet and Grand Soleil d'Or, can have three flower colors: beige, cream, white. The first two representatives exist only in yellow colors. Avalanche flowers have a yellow center and white petals, while Erlichir flowers are different from others interesting shape flowers, which looks like velvet. Avalanche, Paper and Ziva are considered the most unpretentious and long-flowering.
How to choose bulbs for planting
Daffodil bulbs for growing at home have special requirements for size and care. If you want the plant to do well in an indoor pot, choose large, firm bulbs. There should be no damage to them (holes, black spots, scratches, areas of putrefaction). After purchasing the bulb indoor daffodils It is recommended to plant them in pots as early as possible. Before planting, planting material should be stored in a dark, dry and well-ventilated place.
Important! In a damp or very warm room, the bulbs begin to take root prematurely and may also suffer from fungal attack.
How to plant a daffodil, basic requirements
Narcissists are unpretentious. However, in order for the plant to take root well and delight you with its enchanting flowering for a long time, you must adhere to certain rules planting and care. When they are completed, you can admire the narcissus flowers from winter until mid-March. Sometimes there are complaints that the plant has no signs of disease or damage, but blooms very little or not at all. Most often, the cause of such troubles lies in the wrong approach to planting.
How to choose a pot for daffodils
The pot for planting daffodils should be low (about 15 cm), medium in width (from 10 to 13 cm). In one such pot you can plant from two to four bulbs, depending on their size and variety. It is best if it is a clay or ceramic container. 
Important!If the pot is high or too wide, the plant will not bloom.
There must be holes in the bottom of the pot. They serve to allow excess water to escape from the container when watering. Otherwise, moisture will stagnate in the soil, which will lead to rotting of the plant.
What should be the soil for planting daffodils?
In flower shops you can buy special soil for daffodils. However, this plant will take root well in normal conditions. garden soil.To make daffodils bloom better, it is recommended to add a little sawdust to the ground, river sand or clay.
The soil should be soft and crumbly. If there are breasts in the soil, and the soil particles begin to stick together, the soil will not receive enough oxygen, which will lead to fungal diseases affecting the plant. It is recommended to fertilize the soil with minerals or wood ash.
Did you know?Daffodils of the White paper variety can be placed in glass tumbler with gravel. In this case, the top of the bulb should peek out a little (about 5 mm), and the bottom (about 1.5-2 cm) is covered with water.
How to plant a daffodil correctly
We have already figured out the choice of container and soil, now we will decide how to plant daffodils correctly. At the bottom of the pot you need to place drainage (small pebbles, pebbles) in a layer of about three fingers. This will serve for better oxygen circulation and the ability to remove excess water when watering. Next, the container is filled to the brim with soil. The bulbs are placed on top and lightly pressed into the ground. Upper part planting material should protrude slightly over the edge of the pot.
The number of bulbs placed in a pot depends on its size. For example, in a container with a diameter of 9 cm you can place three onions measuring 10-11 cm. In no case should the bulbs be allowed to stick together. After planting, the soil is watered. There is no need to fill the pot, otherwise the planting material will rot or begin to hurt. In order for the bulbs to take root, the containers are placed in a cool (from +8 to +3 degrees), dark place for three months. Then they are taken to the room. Bulbs of the Ziva and Bumazhny varieties do not require a preliminary cold period; they can be placed on the windowsill immediately after planting.
The time of planting depends on the desired flowering period: if you want the plant to bloom by winter, plant it in early September, if by spring - in late November or early December. In order not to make a mistake, read the description of the variety, how much time the plant needs to take root and prepare for flowering.
Features of caring for narcissus at home
Growing daffodils in pots does not require special effort. It is enough to adhere to a few basic rules, and you will be able to grow daffodils by March 8, which will pleasantly surprise your family and guests. One of the first secrets of how to grow daffodils on a windowsill is not to place them next to other types of flowers. The plant contains some toxic substances that can harm fastidious plants with weak root systems.
Did you know?In order for daffodils to bloom by March 8, planting is carried out in the middle or end of November (this depends on the variety). Then the pots are placed in a dark, cool (from +8 to +3 degrees), well-ventilated place. Two weeks before the desired flowering period, the pots are moved into the room and placed on a bright windowsill.
Watering and fertilizing
The first watering is carried out after planting. During the rooting period, watering should be very moderate - once every two weeks. After the pots are moved into the room, you can water more often as the soil dries out. It is best to do this with water at room temperature and in a tray. When the plant blooms, it needs to be watered more often, after the flowering period - moderately. After the leaves turn yellow, stop watering.
In order for the daffodil to take root and bloom well at home, it is recommended to feed the plant. For this purpose, nitrogen-potassium fertilizers are used. The first feeding is carried out after the sprouts appear. Then - when the buds appeared, once every two weeks. During the flowering period and when watering stops, you should not apply fertilizers.
Important! When flowers appear, the plant must be placed in a cooler place to prolong the flowering period. At a temperature of +10...+ 12 degrees they will bloom for about three weeks.
Pruning and caring for daffodils after flowering
Daffodils need care after flowering. Dry flowers need to be carefully trimmed, and allow the rest of the plant to dry completely. During this period, it is moderately watered and fed (about once every 10 days). After the leaves completely wither, the above-ground part is carefully trimmed with scissors or a knife. Then place the pot with the bulbs in a cool, dark place.