If you want to dig any bulbs to move to another location, or because they’re crowded, get to it quickly while the foliage is there to lead you to the bulbs. Once the foliage is completely gone, it makes it harder to find the bulbs and you run a bigger risk of cutting into them.
Most serious daffodil growers will already have ordered their new bulbs, but if you haven’t done so, now’s the time to sit back with a glass of lemonade and get your orders in. You can check The American Daffodil Society website at http://www.daffodilusa.org/ for a list of specialist growers. Mitsch Daffodils is one of my favorite suppliers. They grow all their own bulbs and give excellent service. When you’re going through catalogs, and they talk of “new” daffodils, be a little cautious. If they’re priced in quantities of 5, 10, or more, it’s not likely the bulb is a new cultivar. It just means it’s new in that catalog. To get really new daffodils, you have to go directly to the hybridizer/specialist, and you’ll find that prices are given per bulb.
If you’re looking for prize-winning daffodils, try some of the Wister or Pannill Award-winning flowers. You’ll find a list of them on the ADS website, along with sources. The Wister Award is given to a flower that should do well in gardens in all areas of the United States. The 2004 winner is the miniature, ‘Segovia’, a charming small-cupped daffodil in white and yellow, bred in England by Alec Gray. The Pannill Award is for an outstanding show flower bred in the United States. This year’s winner is ‘POPS Legacy’ (pictured) bred by Dr. William Bender in Pennsylvania. It’s a lovely bi-color trumpet daffodil that blooms early in the season. It’s not too late to order either of these for fall planting.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the garden.
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