Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Moving Daffodil Bulb?

Last fall I built myself a raised flower bed, bought high quality soil, etc. and planted 40 bulbs in it - 5 varieties, 8 bulbs per variety, planted in two clusters of 4 bulbs per variety.



Shortly after planting them the neighbors dog decided fresh dirt was fun to dig in and spread the bulbs. I put them back - and got them mostly right, but come spring and they came up - one bulb was planted in the wrong spot in a cluster with a different variety. I left it alone, it bloomed and the bloom is now finished - and I've marked it, but for aesthetic reasons I want to move it to the cluster where it belongs for next year.



When is it safest to dig it up and move it?

Moving Daffodil Bulb?
Leave it there till the leaves (foliage) dies down and then move it. If you move it now, it wont gather energy from the sun and soil and possibly wont bloom next year. If you wait till fall you might not remember where it was.
Reply:If you are gentle and the soil is moist, you can use a fork or large spade to heave the soil under the daffodils, then just reach in and gently shake that daffoldil right out of there - I have some that are mixed up too and will be doing that any minute now. I am a pretty "rough" gardener - I rarely obey the rules and I almost never have any problems. Daffoldils are very tough plants - I left two dozen on my patio for three months in the summer with a handful of leaves on them - then I finally put them in the ground and they were fine. So be gentle because they have roots on them, but move them before those leaves and that marking come off in your hand, dude (been there, done that!) so I would walk out there the next time it comes to mind, loosen the soil with the fork or shovel and tease that odd-ball out of there - try to get it right into the new location and push the "disturbed" daffs back down - water both areas well and never worry about it again. I have moved whole shovel-fulls of them in full bloom and only had them sulk for a day before straightening up and finishing normally. They grow in really harsh climates where they originated - so they are very forgiving. Maybe the greens will fade faster than usual - you can add some potash to the holes if you want to be careful - but careful has never done much for my schedule or my garden. ;)


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