Fertilizing, Growing Daffodils

deadhead now and what kind of fertilizer?

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Hello,
This is my first entry as a new member, and I have two questions.  1)  I’ve read pros and cons regarding removing spent daffodil blooms, and I need a definitive direction–yes or no.  If I remove the blooms, do I also remove the ovary (seeds) and stems?  2) Please let me know what type of fertilizer to use at the end of the season and when to apply (northwest Indiana).  I have Mt. Hood, Dutch Master, Fortune, Fortissimo, Ice Follies, Flower Record, and my Salomes are nearly bloomed-out.  Thanks!

 

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2 comments for “deadhead now and what kind of fertilizer?”

  1. Hi Jeannie,
    Glad you jumped in with your questions!  I’m not sure there’s a definitive answer to deadheading.  I think it’s only a matter of how neat you want your garden to look.  If you do want to deadhead, break off the bloom just below the ovary.  Let the stem there, as it acts just like a leaf in gathering nutrients for next year’s flower.  If you don’t deadhead, you might get some open pollinated seed, but not a lot.  For fertilizer, it’s best to get a soil test first to see what your soil needs.  But in general, choose something low in nitrogen, like 5-10-10 or 5-20-10. 
     
    Mary Lou
    outside Cincinnati, Ohio


  2. Jeannie,
    I’d like to add to what Mary Lou said.  I wouldn’t bother to fertilize after bloom.  Daffodils are dormant during the summer so you would be wasting the fertilizer.  Wait until the fall when they are growing again.  I usually broadcast some fertilizer in October.
    Kathy


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