Instructions for Growing Narcissus

Timing

Plant out in autumn to allow the cool weeks required for healthy growth and flowering in spring.

Temperature

Narcissus require anywhere between 12 and 15 weeks of soil temperatures below 45 degrees to grow successfully. They can handle frozen ground without issue as long as they are planted in time to root out a little bit before it gets cold enough for true dormancy.

Planting Out

Plant at least 3 times as deep as the height of the bulb (usually about 6” under the soil level). Bulbs arrive with everything they need to grow, but in the case of narcissus, soil rich in organic material and nutrients will encourage the bulbs to multiply season after season. Space the bulbs at least 3” from each other at planting to allow for expansion and naturalization. Narcissus will continue to grow more bulbs and fill in space each season.

Water & Fertilizer

Water is very important as the bulb is in dormancy and as it begins to grow and flower. Water will stimulate healthy root growth in the autumn which allows the bulb to survive heavier rainfall over winter without rotting. If you’re growing in pots that will be under cover, be sure to water them regularly over the winter months. There is a lot happening under the soil during this time, and water is critical. (but don’t overwater. damp, not soggy). Fertilizer is not necessary, but an in or so of compost in the autumn as you put the garden to bed is always helpful.

Pest Management

Narcissus are one of the easiest bulbs to grow because they are seemingly pest repellant. The worst offenders - squirrels, voles, and deer - can’t be bothered, making them a perfect set it and forget it element to your garden.

Harvest

Unlike tulips, narcissus grow separate stems for their bloom than they do for their leaves. To harvest a daffodil, wait until it is in gooseneck stage (the bloom can still be closed, as long as it has tipped down to roughly a 45 degree angle), place your hand at the very base of the stem at the soil line, and give a gentle but firm tug on the stem. It will either break off at soil level, or a couple of more inches will emerge from under the soil level giving you dramatic stem length. The stems will emit a mucilage (slime) that includes compounds known to shorten the life of other flowers in a shared vase, so common practice is to keep them in their own vase, or let them sit in their own vase of water for a few hours before adding them to your mixed bouquets (without recutting the stem).