A successfully naturalized daffodil field can bloom for up to 30 or even 50
years!
First, choose an area with good drainage and sunlight. An area where grass
can be left
unmown until the foliage has matured is ideal. Hillsides are excellent
spots. The edges
of woods are also good, if you are planting an early-blooming variety which
will have a
chance to mature before the trees come into full leaf. For best impact,
plant drifts of
like kinds and colours. Many gardeners "arrange" their drifts simply by
taking handfuls
of bulbs and throwing them about for a natural-feeling
distribution—just dig where the bulbs land!
When naturalizing daffodils, you will get
the best
results and many years of blooms by taking the time to plant properly. For
most
naturalizing projects, you will be working in uncultivated soil with thick
sod, so it
is necessary to give each bulb a small custom-cultivated hole. Usually,
this means
lifting out soil with a spade. One clever way to make precise bulb holes is
to use a
battery-powered drill - a half-inch drill with a 8 cm bit usually does the
job.
Work up the soil from the hole with some peat moss, sand and about a
tablespoon of low
nitrogen fertilizer. Refill the hole to just below the planting depth with
this mix.
Next, add one handful of sand and then the bulb (you do not want the bulb
in direct
contact with the fertilizer). Then fill the hole the rest of the way with
sand and
replace some of the sod. With a sub-layer of rich, fertilized soil to send
roots into,
your daffodils will grow even stronger
and bloom for
years!