How to Plant Daffodils

Prepare the soil and the beds for planting in a definable scheme.

Daffodils should be planted in a method designed for future digging or lifting of the bulbs. Unless one is planting bulbs in pots, the bulbs will be in the ground with nothing except labels to indicate the names and bulbs locations. A systematic method is recommended to maintain control of the bulbs and their names.

All bulbs look alike under the ground, so the question becomes, starting with the labels, how are the bulbs planted? In a clump, a straight line, in a square pattern, or in a triangle. A solution to the problem is the planting of all daffodils the same way, in a consistent method, reduces the confusion at digging time. To really understand the necessity of a single method, one only has to help someone else dig bulbs, and find themselves not being sure what is being dug.

Putting Bulbs into the Ground

The bulb planting methods that have been successfully used include the "clump," straight line "row," the "square," the "triangle," and others methods. The clump is used for naturalizing, or for those who want their daffodils to provide colors for the yards. The row is generally used when planting five to seven daffodils or more of the same variety. The square or triangle can be used to plant two to five daffodils. I will now explain how to use these methods using the principle that daffodils need to be about six inches apart, and 10 to 12 inches between varieties.

Starting Point

Start from an identifiable point, such as a permanent plant, or landmark, such as a permanent marker. I use a piece of water pipe as a permanent marker, cut to length and pounded into the ground.

Clumps The clump method is the simple process of planting bulbs together in small groupings. When I use this pattern, I usually imagine the five on a block of dominos, and make my pattern resemble that. However, I don't try to be that exact in measurements, but use the domino five as a guide. The clump produces a small "bouquet" of flowers.

Rows The row or straight line is a time tested method. It doesn't matter the physical shape of the bed, square, rectangle or oblong. Plant the bulbs in a row six inches apart, in a straight line across the width of the bed, regardless of how many bulbs it takes to fill in the row from start to the end. The rows should be a minimum of ten inches apart, and would be best at twelve inches apart.

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