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Daffnet

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Daffnet is so quiet these days.  Back when it first started and there was only about 15 of us on it, we kept up a nice continuous conversation about everything related to Daffodils. Not now.

I dug some of my daffodil that were early bloomers, and I discovered that the bulbs were all wet. That surprised me and made me turn off all my watering.  When I was In North Carolina the soil was all sand, and I could leave the watering on until July 4th with no problem as the soil was always dry.

I have remember to go back to the days when I was in Maryland and turn off the watering about a month after the bloom season.  Daffodils have to go dormant in the summer, so I hope I have not damaged by bulbs by keeping the water on too long.

Clay

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7 comments for “Daffnet”

  1. The last flower of the season folded on Tuesday. There were blooms of proliferation and artists life blooming in Ellsworth. Digging begins today

    Sent from my iPhone

  2. Mike,

    I generally wait until the seed pods are ripe and ready to pick before I start digging. 6 or 8 weeks after bloom. I was talking to a website owner that said he didn’t dig until August.

    I find that in late August some daffodils have roots that are white and showing growth. Not sure I would want to wait that long for digging.

    I’m going to have to cut back on the amount of daffodils I grow.  I’ve been considered handicapped for the last 15-20 years, however, I’m becoming more physically handicapped. Those at the convention saw me using my new cane.  I may be giving a lot of daffodils away this fall.

    Clay

  3. I have so many to dig this year I started digging a month ago.  My seed pods are picked generally 8-10 weeks after pollination.  I should pick my last pods this next weekend.  It’s been so wet this year.  You mentioned watering daffodils.  We don’t water in the PNW.  Never even crossed my mind.

    Clay – I’d be happy to grow out some of your extras.

     

  4. Clay,

    I wait until the leaves are mostly, but not entirely dead before digging. Last year we dug everything up in mid July. We’re starting earlier this year, beginning on Wednesday. The harvest is easier with leaves still attached, even if dying.

    Hot water treatment must be completed by the first week in August, or we risk root or bud damage. I managed to thread that needle for the first time last year, and discovered it’s not so hard. In fact, I think HWT improves the first-year blooms in most cases.

    -Matt

  5. I usually know where I will be digging and avoid pollinating the flowers. That way I am free to dig when the weather is right and I can find the foliage. If I waited until seeds are ripe, I would never find any of the early stuff. My wife is always after me about what is kept back. We dig our bulbs ourselves and fewer get dug now than even a few years ago. This weekend was 6 crates of bulbs. We also do the planting back that also self-limits what gets dug a few years later.

  6. Some years ago the RHS yearbook reported trials at Wisley. They found that the bulbs needed at least six weeks growth after flowering for 100% flowering the following season. Therefore lifting time will differ according to your climate zone. Fact remains six weeks is the minimum for peak flowering next year.

  7. Bill,
    You said that you would be happy to grow out some of my daffodils. I hope
    that includes seedlings. I have more seedlings than I do named daffodils.

    Email me at title= so we can discuss this situation.

    clay

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