With their bright flowers, daffodils and crocuses are among the first heralds of spring. The two spring flowers, which are very undemanding to care for, bloom yellow and brightly coloured. And they have another big advantage: they bloom again and again every year. To ensure that daffodils and crocuses feel right at home in your garden, simply continue to care for them after they have bloomed. Daffodils and crocuses will thank you with their full bloom next spring.
onion
nutrient storage onion
Daffodils are also called daffodils because of their flowering time. They are now available in different varieties. The classic daffodil has a yellow flower, but it is also available in white or yellow-white. Regardless of the color of the flower, it has always developed from the flower bulb in the ground. As the plant's nutrient store, it is pretty "burned out" after the flowering period and its depots are coming to an end. In order for the daffodil to bloom again next spring, the bulb must replenish its depots in the meantime. To achieve this, you can support the onion.
Dig up an onion or not
Whether you should dig up daffodil bulbs or leave them in the ground is a matter of faith. Flowering success over several years can be achieved with both variants, provided that the location, soil and variety are right. If the following conditions prevail, then it is better to dig up the bulbs.
- Locations with a lot of rain and moisture
- Locations with severe and deep ground frost
The question of digging up the bulbs does not arise with crocuses. Once installed, they stay in the ground “forever”.
withered
Cut off the faded
In order for the plant to save energy, it should be "forbidden" to form seeds for propagation. Be sure to cut off faded flowers. Once these have been removed, the daffodil can no longer form seeds. The garden also looks a lot prettier without faded flowers.
leaves
Do not cut leaves
When the flowering season of daffodils and crocuses comes to an end, the leaves do not wither immediately. They die off for months and half withered daffodil leaves are a thorn in the side of many hobby gardeners. But, even if the leaves become unsightly, do not cut them off, including crocus leaves. They are extremely important for the onion, as they give it strength and nutrients to the last. In a way, they are the onion's best food. Since the final dying of the narcissus leaves does not take place until mid-June, you can take two optical measures.
- Implement daffodils
- Tie leaves together
From the plant's point of view, both variants are not optimal, but they are definitely better than cutting off the leaves.
Tip: When transplanting the faded daffodils, you should consider that they will later have to be transplanted back to their spring location. Small plant baskets make the work easier.
If daffodils and crocuses have been planted in the lawn, you should mow around them to keep the leaves intact.
Fertilize
So that the onion can regain strength for the coming spring, you can give it a little help. You can fertilize your daffodils after they have bloomed. Apply the fertilizer around the base of the leaves so that the bulb can optimally absorb the nutrients.
Fertilization is not only done after, but also before and during the flowering period. So they spoil the onion and it forms strong flowers. You can start fertilizing daffodils when the green stalks are about four inches above the ground.
- Universal or compound fertilizer
- solid or liquid
- Work horn meal or shavings into the soil between the plants
Tip: Crocuses can already be fertilized when the leaves sprout.