By now, you've probably either received daffodil bulbs you ordered, or purchased bulbs from your local plant store and you're getting ready to plant them. Daffodils can be planted any time until the ground freezes, but it's important to get them planted so that they can make good root growth before freezing weather arrives. If it's still hot where you live, you may want to wait until the ground cools a bit before planting.
Daffodils are among the easiest bulbs to grow. You simply dig a hole, put the bulb in, cover it, and go on to the next bulb. While that basic approach would work, the better you prepare your planting location, the better the bulbs will perform. Keep in mind that daffodils can remain in one place for years, so good soil preparation pays off in the long run.
Select a site that gets at least a half day of sun in the spring during the plant's above-ground growth. You can plant in the shade of deciduous trees, but avoid the dense shade of evergreens or the north wall of the house. Most will do better in full sun, although red cups and some pink cups will appreciate some afternoon shade to prevent the cups from burning.
Daffodils are not particular about soil type, but they do require an area that is well-drained. They like lots of water while they are growing (and they are growing from the time you plant them and root growth begins, until the foliage turns yellow next spring), but not standing water.
I'm frequently asked if the bulb offshoots can be removed from the "mother" bulb when planting. If the bulbs are only attached at the basal plate and you can "see daylight" between the bulbs, then it is safe to remove the offset. Don't try to break them apart forcibly otherwise.
What kind of display do you hope to achieve with your planting? Do you want a "host of golden daffodils" growing in your meadow, or naturalized in an old orchard? Or do you want to plant daffodils in your perennial garden for early spring bloom? If you're planning on a naturalized look, I hope you haven't bought a mixture of cultivars. A drift of fifty of one kind here, and a drift of another kind there will look much better. Toss the bulbs by handfuls onto the ground, and plant them where they fall. Some may be closer together, but this will give you a natural look. If you're planning to plant among your perennials, tuck in a group of three or five here and there. You can even plant just one bulb of a special cultivar. It will soon grow into a fine clump in your garden. If you buy just one of a number of different cultivars, as many collectors do, don't plant them in a straight line like a row of soldiers on parade. Tuck them in between your other plants. Daffodils are informal plants, and don't look well confined in geometric patterns.
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