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Growing Daffodils in Pots

© Mary Lou Gripshover

Have you ever thought it might be nice to have a pot of daffodils to put on your front porch or patio next spring? Or do you want to force some bulbs to bloom early, so that you have them BEFORE spring? Or maybe you want to enter a pot of blooms in a show like the Philadelphia Flower Show. Planting bulbs in pots can solve all those problems.

You can buy bulbs especially for planting in pots, or if you've dug some from your garden and have too many to replant, why not try some in pots? But if you do this, remember to choose the fattest rounds to put in pots. Don't put your tiniest offshoots in pots--you may not get any blooms!

What kind of pots should you use? Plastic pots have the advantage of not drying out as rapidly as clay pots. They are easier to clean and lighter in weight as well as less expensive. However, many prefer clay bulb pans or pots. Bulbs grow equally well in either. Six- to eight-inch pots are recommended for daffodils, although you can use any suitable size to accommodate the number of bulbs you have. But remember, big pots of soil can be very heavy. The pots should be scrubbed clean before use, and clay pots soaked for several hours to fill pores. A good potting mixture consists of one part good garden soil, one part sand, and one part peat moss. If youre only planting a few in pots, you can buy potting soil from the garden center. It's not necessary to add fertilizer to the soil mix, as the bulbs will probably not be suitable for potting again. Plant them in your garden and let them recover.

Planting can take place any time from mid-September to December, depending on the desired date of flowering, and the type of storage used. As a general rule, for late flowering, plant late; and for early flowering, plant early. Daffodil bulbs need at least 13 weeks of cold treatment to bloom, and 15 weeks are preferred. After this cold period, the pots can be brought into a warmer area, approximately 60 degrees, in direct sunlight, where they should bloom in about 3-4 weeks. If you want bloom for a specific time, count backwards from the required date to determine your planting time. If you want bloom for March 1, you need to plant by November 1 AT THE LATEST.

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