Are you looking to spruce up your home and garden this spring with some colourful arrangements of plants and flowers, but fear you just don’t have a green thumb?

Brighten up your garden with daffodils this spring with these easy tips.

The daffodil, sunny and yellow in looks and disposition, is a perfect first flower for the novice gardener to plant. This hardy perennial is easy to grow and looks great in gardens or groves, or even in a pot. With yellow or white flowers and a trumpet-shaped central corona, the daffodil is definitely a crowd-pleaser and popular in bouquets as well.

Here are some easy tips for the planting and care of your daffodils:

Planting basics

The best time to plant daffodils bulbs is in the autumn between October and December, a few weeks before the first frost. For the highest-quality, you will want to make sure the bulbs are not dried out by the time you plant them. Do not plant any that look damaged or shrivelled up. Plump and firm bulbs are the best to choose. Also, make sure to ask your nursey what type of soil your species of daffodils prefers because some grow better in neutral to acidic soils while others have an affinity for a more alkaline soil.

Daffodils bulbs need to be planted in at least 3 inches of soil, especially if you have cold and snowy winters where you live. Try to also leave 3 to 6 inches of space between each bulb to give them room to grow.

Give a little TLC

Daffodils need ample sunshine and good drainage to grow properly so the location of your flowerbeds is crucial. If you have some late bloomers come spring time, a little extra TLC consisting of extra water, if it is a particularly dry spring, and low-nitrogen fertiliser can help them perk up.

Another essential aspect of proper care is how you prep for the next growing season after all the flowers have died off. Instead of just letting nature take its course, remove the dead plants and add bonemeal to the soil. This will help ensure the richness of the soil for the next planting season.

Gardening in a pot

If you don’t have a lot of land for a garden or you’d just like a pop of colour at the entry way of your house, planting your daffodils in a pot might be the most ideal solution. For the best success though, talk to your nursery about what size pot is the best fit for what you are planting. You don’t want crowding to be an issue as they grow. Drainage in a pot is just as important so if you are using a pot with a large draining hole make sure you cover it and or mix in some crushed granite or limestone.

It is important to note that bulbs in pots do need extra attention including keeping the soil moist and protecting them from frost or predators. So this might not be your best option if you are not at home a lot. Happy Growing!