Daffodils in Summer?

No, there really aren't any daffodils that bloom in summer of which I'm aware. By now, if you had planned to dig any bulbs, they are probably dug and carefully stored for fall planting. Or you could have replanted immediately. Any remaining foliage can now be pulled away, as surely it's been six weeks since the bulbs finished blooming. Try to fill in the holes left by the foliage a bit - use a hoe, or even your foot. This will eliminate a direct path to your bulbs that any bugs might want to follow. So now maybe it's time to sit in the shade and sip some lemonade and "surf" some catalogs.

If you've never ordered bulbs by mail before, this might be a good time to try. Check out the list of SPECIALIST growers on The American Daffodil Society home page (see links) and write away for a few catalogs. (The Mitsch and Duncan catalogs have beautiful colored photos, with true color as the flowers grow in Oregon and Ireland. There may be a small catalog charge.) You'll find a much larger selection than you will at your local garden store in the fall. But do it soon, as you should get your order in by the end of July. I emphasize specialist growers as these people grow their own bulbs, and are very customer friendly. You might be in for a little "sticker shock," as new introductions can be quite expensive. But a lot of years of work have gone into those new introductions.

In most catalogs, you'll find the cultivar name followed by a series of numbers and letters. For instance, you might see 'Tonga' 4 Y-R. The 4 Y-R is the classification, and is a shorthand way of describing the flower. The 4 refers to the division, in this case doubles, to which the flower belongs; the letter(s) before the hyphen describe the perianth or petals, in this case yellow; and the letter(s) following the hyphen describe the cup or corona. Most doubles don't have cups, so the red corona segments are interspersed among the perianth segments. (For a more-complete, illustrated definition of the classification system, email me privately at the above address. If you don't have Word, ask for the text-only version.) Most catalogs will also give an indication of the season of bloom. Some catalogs use letters, like E for early, M for midseason, L for late, etc., and some use numbers 1 to 6, with one being early and six late. By choosing cultivars in a variety of blooming times, you can extend the flowering season in your garden.

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