Planting sunny daffodils in open ground. Narcissus: suitable varieties for growing at home

In the conditions of our middle zone, daffodil seedlings appear approximately in mid-April; the timing varies depending on the conditions of the current growing season. Daffodils are recognized as a fairly unpretentious crop in terms of growing conditions and easy to care for, but every gardener knows that in the spring he will not only have to admire the flowers, but also work intensively on his plot. What needs to be done first, what to pay attention to when... spring care for daffodils?

At the first opportunity (after the snow cover has melted and the soil has partially dried out), the planted area is inspected; if the plants have been covered since autumn, the cover is removed as soon as the threat of night frosts has passed (seedlings and buds can only be damaged by negative night temperatures, –10...–15ºС, for a long time). The cover is removed carefully, trying not to damage the emerging seedlings. Deformed plants develop from damaged or broken seedlings.

When examining, you need to pay attention to the presence or absence of seedlings. Late varieties or varieties planted later than the recommended dates, respectively, grow and bloom later than early and mid-flowering varieties or varieties planted in optimal timing. Therefore, do not panic if you notice that there are no sprouts in some places, this does not necessarily mean that the bulbs have died. If you need to make sure that the plants have not died, you can carefully dig out a layer of soil at the planting site with your hands. If there were seedlings in the ground and a dense bulb, the plant did not die. If the bulb is soft and rotten, it must be removed urgently to prevent an outbreak of the disease.

After a snowy winter with rapid snow melting, prolonged stagnation of water on the soil surface may occur. This adversely affects the condition of the bulbs; they are easily affected by fungal diseases, rot and die. In problem areas with high groundwater levels drainage systems arranged in advance (you can simply dig ditches around the perimeter of the site). If the flood is unexpected, water is drained by digging small ditches.

To prevent an outbreak of fungal diseases, it is necessary to inspect the seedlings. Plants with signs of disease (twisted, deformed seedlings of yellow-brown color, dry) are removed along with the bulb. If the lesion is very large, you can treat the plants with a solution of pesticides (following the instructions and precautions). Signs of disease must be differentiated from signs of damage from cutting tools(hoe, hoe, etc.).

Despite the fact that rodents (in particular, mice) do not damage daffodil bulbs, “mousing” dogs tear up the ground to a depth of up to half a meter, and the bulbs end up completely different from where they were planted or on the surface of the ground. The broken order can be restored: plant the bulbs in the right place (there is a chance that they are not damaged by frost), bury the dug holes.

When the soil on the site dries out, you can begin to loosen it. In those places where there are no seedlings on the soil surface for some reason, loosening is postponed so as not to damage the plants. The best option– combine loosening and root dressings mineral fertilizers. The first two feedings are carried out during the regrowth period and during budding with nitrogen-containing fertilizer, the third feeding - during flowering, complex fertilizer. If possible, after applying fertilizers, water the soil, or alternate root and foliar feeding.

Watering not only helps nutrients from mineral fertilizers penetrate into the root system, but also significantly affects the appearance of plants (the height of the peduncle, the size and brightness of the flower) and somewhat prolongs flowering. In this case, watering should not be with strong pressure, so as not to break the plants and erode the soil. Surface watering is ineffective; it is necessary that the soil is soaked evenly to the depth of the root system. A sprinkler is best suited for this purpose.

Unfortunately, in the spring, not only the plants we want and need grow and bloom, but also unplanned weeds. It is better to remove them immediately when they appear, while they have not yet gained strength. A more advantageous option is if the daffodils are planted on the lawn or the soil around the plantings is decorated with a covering (pebbles, bark, colored sawdust). In this case, weeds do not appear or appear in single quantities and are easy to control.

During the flowering period, our main task is to admire beautiful flowers in our flower beds. But if the purpose of growing daffodils is to preserve the purity of the variety, it is necessary to remove impurities of other varieties (dig it up along with the bulb). An impurity can get into the variety both during planting and during pre-sale preparation (if you buy planting material secondhand or from unknown companies).

When growing daffodils for a bouquet, cutting is done in the budding phase (the bud has already colored, but the flower has not yet bloomed). If you purposefully grow daffodils to obtain planting material or bulbs for forcing, the blooming flowers must be removed. In flower beds, ugly dried buds are cut off (sometimes with part of the peduncle) to preserve decorative look plantings, and the leaves remain green for about a month and do not spoil the impression of the flowerbed, mixborder or edging.

“He who has two loaves of bread, let him sell one,
to buy a narcissus flower.
For bread is food for the body, and daffodil is food for the soul...”
Mahomet

Narcissus (lat. Narcissus)- a genus of monocotyledonous plants of the Amaryllis family, one of the earliest spring flowers. In nature, there are about sixty species of narcissus, growing mainly in southern Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. In culture, 25 species are used and a large number of hybrid forms, which are combined under the name “hybrid narcissus”. Since ancient times, humanity has attributed various amazing properties and quality. In the East, they often compared a flower (calling it “nargis”) with the beautiful eyes of a beloved. For the ancient Greeks, daffodil flowers were the personification of death - they were used to clean the deathbed, and in Europe during the Renaissance, daffodils, on the contrary, became a symbol of love and marriage. For Italians to this day, a bouquet of daffodils as a gift is a declaration of love.

Since time immemorial, daffodils have been used in perfumery and medicine: the name of the flower (in Greek “narkao” means “to stupefy”) there is an analogy with the heady aroma of daffodil, which causes migraines, and with the poisonous properties of its bulbs, and with the narcotic effect of daffodil oil . Narcissus bulbs containing the alkaloid narcissin make the flowers invulnerable to rodents. The last surge in fashion for the daffodil plant came at the end of the 19th century, and since then the fashion for it and its aroma has not gone away. Daffodils are still grown en masse in the East for their essential oil. In China New Year cannot do without fragrant narcissus flowers, and in England it has become more popular even than the queen of flowers - the rose... Well, and, of course, who among us has not smelled, read or watched “Black Narcissus”?..

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Planting and caring for daffodils (in brief)

• Landing: August or early September.
• Excavation: after lodging and yellowing of leaves.
• Storage: in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of 17˚C.
• Bloom: spring.
• Lighting: bright sun, partial shade, shade.
• The soil: fertile, rich in humus and well drained, with a pH ranging from slightly alkaline to slightly acidic.
• Watering: regular, moderate.
• Feeding: in the spring after shoots - complete fertilizer, in the phase of peduncle emergence - with potassium-nitrogen fertilizers, during the budding period - with a full complex, during flowering - with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Manure cannot be used.
• Reproduction: vegetative (bulbs), less often seed.
• Pests: mites, nematodes, onion hoverflies, slugs, daffodil flies.
• Diseases: fusarium, gray rot, penicillosis, yellow and white viral stripes, ring spot.
• Properties: All parts of the plant are poisonous because they contain the alkaloid narcissin.

Narcissus flower - description

Narcissus is equipped with dense bulbs and ribbon-shaped leaves of varying widths in the amount of 2-4. Narcissus leaves are basal, linear, and grow earlier than the peduncle. The stems are leafless, flattened or round, covered with film, the flower sits on the top of the stem.

Bulbs different types daffodils have different shapes: pointed, oval, round, ovoid. In some species, the bulbs form a nest: on one bottom there are several bulbs wrapped in colored scales.

Read more about growing daffodils below.

New roots of the bulbs grow every year after the old ones die; the life of the roots lasts up to ten months. Flowers, straight or drooping, can be single or in an umbellate raceme in quantities of two to eight pieces. The petal-shaped perianth has the shape of a tubular funnel, which at the top turns into a horizontal limb; the corolla is bell-shaped, tubular or cup-shaped, formed by outgrowths of the perianth lobes, which, as a rule, have a different shade. The color of the flowers is white or yellow, sometimes two-color. Diameter – from 2 cm to 10 cm. The fruit is a three-lobed capsule with seeds. Plants are usually low - 10-50 cm. Suitable for both growing in the garden and as potted plants. Daffodils bloom in April-May.

How to grow daffodils

Daffodils appear early in the garden, one of the first, along with hyacinths, crocuses and tulips. The flower itself is not capricious, but it is better for sloths not to mess with it, because only a responsible gardener can grow a daffodil the way it should be. It is very important to choose a suitable site for planting daffodils: it should be well-lit, permeable, neutral loam fertilized with compost or humus, but not manure, is considered the most favorable soil. If the soil is too alkaline, you can add dolomite flour 200 g per square meter, and high acidity is reduced with wood ash at the rate of 1 glass per 1 m².

Do not plant daffodils where tulips, lilies or other bulbs, or perennial asters, phlox and chrysanthemums have recently grown. But after cereals, legumes, nightshades, peonies and cucumbers - please.

Narcissus bulbs

When warm days arrive, daffodil bulbs are planted in the ground. In the spring, many stores sell stale goods for next to nothing, and this is a good chance to buy bulbs of rare varieties of daffodils cheaply. Just be careful: do not buy soft or weakened bulbs, which may not sprout at all, but if the plant, despite your fears, does grow, try to pay more attention to it. The best time to buy daffodil bulbs is three months after flowering.

Planting daffodils

When to plant daffodils

Narcissus planting is carried out in accordance with the weather conditions of the region. Traditionally, daffodils, like all bulbs, are planted in the fall. IN middle lane best time for planting daffodils - September, since daffodils need 3-4 weeks to take root.

You can plant daffodils in early spring, and even in winter, but there is one condition: before planting in the ground, the bulbs should be kept in the refrigerator for two months, otherwise the daffodils will not be able to take root well and will not bloom.

Bulbs stored in the refrigerator can be planted in mid- to late April if the snow has melted by then. Spring daffodils They root best at a temperature of 5-7 ºC.

In the photo: Planting daffodils

People remember the phrase of Magomed, in which he advises those who have two loaves to sell one of them and acquire a wonderful creation of nature daffodil flower. He gave this advice not in vain because bread is considered food for bodies, and this flower is considered a product for souls.

But it’s true, if you think about it, it’s impossible to compare this work of flora with anything else. Narcissus flower photo looks amazing. No wonder he Greek means intoxicating.

But in reality this is how it is, narcissus spring Flower It’s not only amazingly beautiful, but also gorgeous and smells incomparable. It was sung by poets from many countries and, of course, deservedly so, because as soon as you look at it, a person is enveloped in fantastic euphoria.

According to ancient legend, this name appeared in honor of one young man who loved no one but himself. His name was Narcissus. He liked his image reflected in the water so much that he could not tear himself away from it.

And so the handsome man died on the shore of the reservoir, without ceasing to admire his features in the reflection of the water. It was on that territory that this amazing man grew up with his head down. Since then, it has symbolized death and was used to decorate the deathbed.

In Eastern mythology, data was compared to the eyes of a beloved. IN European countries he acted as the personification of love and marriage. Italians can declare their love without words. To do this, they just need to give them a bouquet of these flowers.

Description and characteristics of narcissus

Narcissus is a bulbous, herbaceous flower. Its linear leaves extend beautifully from the root. And the flowers are located on a leafless, semicircular peduncle, its height is from 40 to 50 cm.

This representative of the flora is round, solitary, very pleasant-smelling, slightly drooping. It can be simple and terry. Small parameters. Its diameter ranges from 2 to 6 cm.

Flowers come in white, yellow, and a mixture of these two colors. As a result of long and painstaking work Breeders have bred a large number of varieties with a wide variety of colors. Delicate white-cream, lemon-yellow, pink and orange daffodils were added to the usual colors.

This unisexual plant from the Amaryllis family is one of the very first flowers symbolizing the arrival of spring. In nature, there are more than 60 species of daffodils and 25 of their hybrid forms. These 25 representatives all have the same name – “hybrid”.

For a long time, daffodils have simply been irreplaceable in the perfume and medical industries. In some cases, heady aromas of this flower may even cause migraines. At their bulbs poisonous properties, and the plant oils have a narcotic effect. The alkaloids contained in the bulbs save the plant from rodents.

Daffodils were the most fashionable at the end of the 19th century, and since then they have not lost their popularity. In eastern countries they are bred to obtain essential oils.

The people of China give each other gifts new year holidays this divine flower because in that country it is a symbol of wealth and good luck. And in England he is even more revered than the queen of flowers, the rose.

The bulbs of these flowers are flask-shaped, perennial, round or ovoid. They have a somewhat special structure because they consist of 2 renewal buds. These two buds have two different stages of development. Scales filmy, brown. Narcissus root is annual, string-shaped, unbranched.

Planting and propagating narcissus

This wonderful one is comfortable in fertile soil. Its swampiness and the predominance of limestone have a detrimental effect on it, this should be taken into account when caring for narcissus flower.

If the number of flowering shoots of a narcissus decreases, this indicates that the plant’s bulbs need to be replanted. As soon as the leaves of a flower turn yellow, its bulbs should be removed immediately.

Delay in such cases is highly undesirable; the bulbs may take root again. Also, if you dig up daffodils after the required time, their quality may gradually deteriorate.

Not all dug up bulbs of this plant are suitable for long-term storage. Those that are affected by disease and pests are best set aside. The most favorable time in order to plant daffodils - September.

If these deadlines are met, you can expect the bulbs to root before frost. As for the site for planting these, it must be prepared in advance, so the soil has time to subside. It is recommended to plant these flowers asymmetrically. If they are grown for cutting, it is advisable to plant their bulbs in a row.

Because of the size of the bulbs, climatic conditions For their planting and soil, the depth at which they need to be planted depends. This figure ranges from 10 to 20 cm, sometimes up to 25 cm.

The choice of location for these wonderful ones plays a big role. The main rule is the absence of drafts. Daffodils reproduce well in places with diffused light. But their especially increased yield is observed when good lighting.

The most favorable temperature for daffodils is +17+20 degrees. This is a fairly moisture-loving plant, which especially requires watering during flowering and for a month after it. Daffodils do not need spraying.

Like all other plants, daffodil needs constant feeding. It will bloom and smell fragrant as a sign of gratitude if it is fed once every 14 days with mineral and organic fertilizer.

In winter and autumn time These don't need feeding. It is not advisable to fertilize the soil on which you plan to grow daffodils with manure.

To reproduce these flowers it is used vegetative method. Only during breeding work The seed propagation method is used. In some cases, valuable varieties of daffodils are propagated by bulb particles.

On average, one onion can be divided into 4-6 such particles. They are treated with a stimulant, dried and placed in boxes containing a sterile substrate. As a result of such reproduction, color appears in children in the third year.

Daffodils are among those flowers that are successfully forced out. This is one of the techniques in floriculture that helps make a flower bloom at the wrong time.

This way you can make it bloom flower house daffodil , both in the flowerbed and in the pot. Early-flowering varieties of daffodils are most suitable for this role.

For forcing, it is necessary to subject the daffodil bulbs to several periods of storage. First, the bulbs must be dried for 2 weeks at a temperature of +30 degrees.

After this, they need to provide a temperature of about +17 degrees. The bulbs are kept in this environment for 21 days. Then the temperature drops further to +9 degrees and, at high humidity, the bulbs are stored until planting.

In order for the forcing to be successful, it is used garden soil, diluted with sand and sawdust. Narcissus flower at home It’s also not as difficult to grow as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to make sure that the bulbs are not only large, but also healthy.

After the daffodil has finished blooming in the pot, you should not get rid of it. You just need to cut off the flowers that begin to dry out, constantly water and fertilize the soil, then dig up the bulbs, dry them and store them.

Of course, these bulbs are not suitable for re-growing in a pot. But they will take root very well and will delight you with the arrival of spring in your garden plot.

Types and varieties of daffodils

Amateur gardeners know about a thousand varieties of daffodils and 25 species. If we look at them garden classification, then there are 12 groups of daffodils:

Tubular daffodils include daffodils with a long, tube-shaped crown, which is usually longer than the petals or the same as them.

Large-crowned daffodils include daffodils with a tube-like or funnel-shaped crown, the height of which is equal to the leaf or slightly greater than the length of the leaves.



In small-crowned daffodils, the height of the crown reaches no more than a third of the length of the petals.

Triandrussus narcissus was obtained by crossing a three-stamen flower with a garden flower. These have small sizes, each of their umbrella-shaped inflorescences contains 4-5 flowers.

The group of terry daffodils includes the most various flowers, with its own structure. They have one thing in common - the presence of double flowers.



Cyclamen-shaped daffodils have a long crown and leaves that are strongly curved back.

Jocliniaceae are distinguished by small, fragrant flowers, there are 2-3 of them on each peduncle.

Tacetaceae are medium in size, they exude a pleasant aroma and have about 12 flowers on peduncles.

Group representatives poetic daffodils can be distinguished by their white, fragrant and single flowers. They have a short crown.

There are wild forms of daffodils.

In split-crowned species, the division of the crown into lobes is clearly visible.

This group includes all other narcissists who did not enter on their own external signs to any of the previous groups.

Diseases of daffodils and pests that cause them

At proper care There are usually no problems with these gentle creatures. But sometimes things can still happen unpleasant moments and the flower becomes ill due to circumstances beyond the control of the gardener. Therefore, it is better to be prepared for this moment.

Most often, this flower can be susceptible to fungal diseases. Each disease has similar symptoms. The main and most common disease is furasiosis.

Its damaging effect begins from the bottom of the bulb. Then the fungus rises higher and higher, thus reaching the very top of the flower. Damaged bulbs become soft and a white-pink coating forms on them. And their leaf tips are noticeably turning yellow. Over time, they acquire brown colors and eventually dry out completely.

There are cases when daffodils are attacked by gray rot. Its symptoms are visible on the leaves, which are covered with plaque. gray with black dots. Light brown spots are visible on the leaves. The stems and buds of daffodils are rotting. Sometimes daffodils get penicillosis. This rot inhibits the germination of the bulbs.

Basically, all types of fungal diseases spread to these flowers due to excessive humidity. To save these bulbs, they must be long-term storage soak in Maxim's solution for 30 minutes, and it is advisable to spray the already sprouted flowers with Bordeaux mixture.

These flowers can also develop viral diseases - yellow or white stripe, mosaic virus, ring spot, etc. All these diseases have almost the same symptoms.

The flowers show the appearance of stains, spots and streaks of various sizes and shades. Bulbs and flowers noticeably lag behind in development. Often all diseases are transmitted through an infected garden tools, soil, pollen and insects.

In order to avoid these problems, it is necessary to plant only healthy bulbs in the soil that have undergone appropriate treatment beforehand. by special means for disinfection. It is also advisable to combat insects that are direct distributors of viral diseases of flowers.

If you notice this or that ailment on a narcissist in a timely manner and separate it from all the others, then you can avoid infecting everyone else. There is such an unpleasant disease as nematode.

To avoid this, it is necessary to keep the bulbs in well-heated water for a couple of hours before planting. Nemaphos and carbation help treat infection.

Buy daffodil flower you can do it without any problem. It won't hurt your pocket. Their cost, depending on the classification, starts from $0.22 per bulb. It is possible to order them in the online store.

It is impossible to imagine a spring garden without blooming tender daffodils. The bloom of these sunny, bright yellow and dazzling white flowers heralds the arrival of spring. Their grace and subtle enchanting aroma have long won the hearts of connoisseurs and lovers of natural beauty. It was not without reason that even in ancient times people sang praises of this fragile, beautiful flower, considering it a love talisman. U different nations In the world, many rituals, holidays and ceremonies are associated with the narcissus.

Many varieties of daffodils have been bred - more than thirty thousand.

What kind of flower is this - narcissus?

Narcissus is a popular perennial bulbous plant from the amaryllis family.

These flowers prefer sunny and quite open spaces, but also successfully withstand partial shade, with good water and air permeability of the soil.

They bloom in April-May. A narcissus flower consists of 6 tepals. Each of them produces a growth that forms a crown, inside of which there are 6 stamens and a style. There are varieties with one-color and two-color, simple and double flowers, with different crown shapes, smooth or corrugated edges of the petals.

Daffodils are winter hardy and are especially valued for this.

Varieties of daffodils. Classification

All decorative varieties daffodils, of which there are currently more than 12 thousand, are divided into the following groups.

1. Tubular (Trumpet). They have one flower on a peduncle, the crown is tubular, its length is approximately equal to the length of the petals. The flowers are white or yellow, single or bicolor.
2. Large cupped. The flowers are arranged solitary, one-color or two-color (white or yellow). The crown is cup-shaped, its length is from a third to equal to the length of the petal.
3. Small-cap. The flowers are solitary, white and yellow, one-color or two-color. The crown is cup-shaped, the length of the crown is less than a third of the length of the petal.
4. Terry (Double). Late variety, having more than six perianth segments. The flowers are yellow, white and bi-colored.
5. Triandrus, triander (Triandrus). The flowers are drooping, solitary or collected in umbellate inflorescences of 2-5 pieces. Petals are bent. The crown is cup-shaped, the length is approximately half the length of the petals.
6. Cyclamenoides (Cyclamrneus). The flowers are drooping, solitary, petals are strongly curved back. The crown is from a third of the length of the petal to equal to it.
7. Jonquille, jonquilla (Jonquilla): the flowers have a pleasant aroma, their number in the inflorescence can be from 2 to 6, the petals are elongated, the crown is cup-shaped. The length of the crown is two-thirds the length of the petal or more.
8. Tacet or multi-flowered - the most early variety, on one peduncle a whole bouquet of flowers grows (up to 20), which have a very rich aroma. Beautiful flowers of medium size are located on a high peduncle (about 45 cm), the color is yellow and white, the crown is orange or white.

   This variety is not very hardy and resistant to weather changes, so it prefers a mild climate.

9. Poeticus (Poeticus) - distinguished by rather large single flowers, which have a sharp but rather pleasant aroma. The petals are white, and the flat small crowns are orange, yellow-orange and red, their length is much less than the length of the petals. The latest variety.

How to grow daffodils and how to care for them? When to plant daffodils?

Planting and caring for daffodils

Boarding time

The best time for planting in the middle zone is the end of August and the first ten days of September.

Landing location

To plant daffodils, it is preferable to choose a sunny or slightly shaded place, sheltered from drafts. Tatset daffodils must be planted on sunny place, otherwise their flowering will not be abundant. Hybrid varieties with red, pink and orange crowns, on the contrary, it is better to plant them in partial shade to protect them from burning out.

Daffodils can be planted in rows or groups on alpine slide, lawn, in flower beds, between trees and shrubs or along paths.

Priming

In general, daffodils are undemanding to soil. However, it is desirable that the soil in the garden bed or flowerbed should be sufficiently fertile and light. IN clay soils When planting daffodils, sand is added, and when planting daffodils, humus is added. Also, when planting, they add to the soil mineral fertilizers: superphosphate and potassium salt.

How to plant daffodils

On heavy soils, the bulbs are buried 5-7 cm when planting; shelter is required for the winter. On light soils, the planting depth is no more than 15 cm, otherwise the daffodils do not bloom, buds form, but wither without blooming.

The distance between the rows should be 20-30 cm, and in the row between the bulbs - 15-25 cm. The bulbs are chosen not too small - from 1 cm in diameter. It has been noticed that when planted densely, the bulbs turn out to be larger, and when planted sparsely, they form more babies.

After 10-14 days, the top layer of soil above the planting is leveled and sprinkled with leaf humus or peat with a layer of 3-5 cm.

Watering

Daffodils need sufficient moisture, overdrying can cause poor flowering. The soil in the garden bed needs to be loosened regularly to reduce moisture evaporation, and also weeded in a timely manner.

Top dressing

For good growth During the summer, daffodils need to be fertilized. For this it is convenient to use liquid mineral fertilizers. The first feeding is applied after the entrances appear, the second - when flower stalks appear and buds form. When choosing a fertilizer, you need to take into account that with an excess of nitrogen in the soil, the flowering of daffodils worsens: buds form, but do not bloom. In such cases, phosphorus mineral fertilizers or ash are added to the soil. Ash is added at the rate of 100 g per 1 sq. m.

Digging and replanting

Daffodils can grow in one place for 3 to 10 years. When the planted bulb has grown overgrown with children and turned into a large bush, but it begins to bloom poorly or has stopped blooming altogether, a transplant is performed.

It is recommended to dig up and replant daffodil bulbs annually if the site is located on peat soils, because in such conditions, by the spring of the second year, the bulbs may be so deep that they will not produce flowers.

Also, every year some gardeners replant double and trumpet varieties of daffodils, so they better preserve varietal characteristics.

Digging up the bulbs begins as soon as the daffodils' leaves dry out (usually this happens in July). They are then dried for three weeks, carefully cleaned of soil and old roots and stored until planting. Store the bulbs indoors, dry, well ventilated and not too hot.

If you have already prepared a place for daffodils, you can plant them immediately after digging them up, without drying or removing the roots. They will tolerate such a transplant perfectly even during flowering.

Daffodils after flowering

After the end of flowering, the leaves of faded daffodils are not cut off, but wait until they dry out. During this period, storage occurs nutrients in bulbs. What to do with the plants next depends on whether you are going to plant them or leave them next year at the old place.

In the first case, they are dug up and prepared for transplantation, as described above. If the bulbs are left in their old place, then after flowering you need to apply fertilizing with a high content of potassium and phosphorus.

Do I need to cover daffodils for the winter?

Narcissists are considered quite unpretentious plants, not requiring shelter for the winter. However sometimes it is advisable to take care of shelter. Firstly, if the daffodils were planted after September 15 (with late boarding the plant does not have time to take root properly and dies in the event of a cold and little snowy winter. It is also recommended to cover large-flowered varieties daffodils (tacetata, triandrus, cyclamen and jonquillia), which are more vulnerable to frost. For shelter, use a layer of dry leaves about 15 cm thick.

A little about terry varieties

Terry varieties of daffodils tolerate frosts less well. When planting in the fall, the planting time must be calculated so that the plants have time to take root well before the onset of cold weather. For the winter, it is advisable to cover such daffodils with a layer of fallen leaves. Another feature of double daffodils is their high demands on soil. They grow better and bloom more luxuriantly on the lungs sandy soils than on heavy ones.

Propagation of daffodils

The easiest way to propagate daffodils is by children after digging them up. Hybrid varieties can only be propagated in this way. Wild daffodils can also be obtained from seeds. After flowering, if the flower is not removed, a fruit is formed, which, when ripe, produces seeds.

Daffodils in a bouquet

Decorative daffodils look great when cut. To keep the flowers fresh longer, cut them in the morning when the buds have burst. Their flower stalks should be broken off at the surface of the soil, and not cut off. It is necessary to immediately put them in water, and if this is not possible, then temporarily wrap them in moistened paper. It is important that juice does not leak from the slices, so they must be kept cut side up before placing them in water.

Types of daffodils in nature

Narcissus jonquilla L.

Widespread, very decorative species. The height of the thin cylindrical peduncle is 20-30, sometimes up to 40 cm. The leaves are green, in the amount of 2-4 pieces.

The flowers have a pleasant citrus aroma, usually collected in umbrellas of 2-6 pieces, but can also be single. Each flower is about 3 cm in size. The petals are bright or pale yellow. The crown is cup-shaped, bright yellow color.

This is a winter-hardy species, withstands temperatures of about -30 degrees.

Narcissus jonquil is often used for forcing.

Narcissus tazetta, bouquet (Narcissus tazetta L.)

Another highly decorative look. The height of the peduncle is 25-45 cm, the shape is flattened. The flowers are 3-5 cm in diameter, the number in the inflorescence is 4-8 pieces. The petals are white, with curved edges. The color of the crown is from bright yellow to yellow-orange.

This species requires cultivation in open, well-lit areas. It is heat-loving and drought-resistant, but is not highly frost-resistant; it overwinters at temperatures not lower than -12 degrees. Therefore, in areas with harsher winters, it requires covering or digging up and storing the bulbs indoors.

Narcissus tazetta is one of the main species used to develop new varieties of daffodils.

Narcissus poeticus, white (Narcissus poeticus L.)

Quite a tall species, height 35-50 cm. The peduncle has a dihedral shape. Number of leaves – 2-4 pieces. The flowers are large, 4.5-7 cm in diameter, with a pleasant smell, arranged solitary. The petals are white, yellow at the base. The crown is flat, wide, yellow in color, with a red or orange corrugated border at the edges.

Frost-resistant, winter temperature is about -30 degrees.

Serves as a basis for the selection of new varieties.

• Narcissus incomparable, incomparable (Narcissus x incomparabilis Mill.)

  This is a natural hybrid of the poetic narcissus and the false narcissus.

  Plant height 30-45 cm. Leaves are gray-green, 3-4 pieces. The peduncle is dihedral, the flowers are arranged singly on it, the size of the flowers is 5-8 cm in diameter. Petals are light yellow. The crown is orange-yellow, cup-shaped, with wavy edges.

  Resistant to frost down to -30 degrees.

The species described above are most widespread in culture; in addition to them, the following are known:

• Minimal narcissus (Narcissus asturiensis (Jordan) Pugsley.)
• Bicolor narcissus (Narcissus bicolor L.)
• Bulbous narcissus (Narcissus bulbocodium L.)
• Narcissus cyclamineus D.C.
• Small narcissus (Narcissus minor L.)
• False narcissus (Narcissus pseudonarcissus L.)
• Narcissus tristamen, angel's tears (Narcissus triandrus L.)

Beneficial properties of daffodils

Narcissus flowers contain essential oils, and the bulbs contain alkaloids, which is why they have been used in medicine and perfumery since ancient times. For example, eastern healers treated mastitis with bulbs, and eye diseases with medicine obtained from false daffodil. However, you should not try to use daffodils for medicinal and cosmetic purposes on your own, because These plants contain toxic substances.

After cold winter I really want the garden to start blooming and fragrant as soon as possible. The gentle, fragile and so beautiful narcissist can help with this. Planting and caring for it is not difficult, the main thing is to follow a few simple rules, which will be discussed below. And then daffodils will delight you with their fragrant, beautiful flowers every spring year after year.

Description of the species

Narcissus belongs to the amaryllis family and, like all its representatives, is a herbaceous bulbous monocot. His root system includes bulbs of various shapes, with the help of which the daffodil reproduces. Planting and caring for it should take into account the features life cycle bulbs and roots growing on their bottoms.

Daffodils form a rosette of ribbon-shaped, thin, pointed leaves. The peduncle, depending on the type, ranges from 10 to 60 cm in length. At its top there can be one large or a whole brush of several smaller flowers. General sign they have a kind of tube in the center, surrounded by a corolla of petals. It contains the pistil, stamens and ovary, in which the seeds develop. They can also be used to propagate daffodils. Planting and care have a number of features. The color, size, shape of the tube and petals are different for each species. Their main colors are white and yellow, but now varieties have been developed with pink, cream, orange corollas or tubes. The fruit of the narcissus looks like a three-nest box, which is divided into three parts along its edges. Each contains several spherical seeds.

Propagation by bulbs

This method is the most convenient for growing daffodils in the garden. Planting and care are quite simple. You can take bulbs purchased or dug from your own plot. Planting material from the store should be inspected to discard all dry, limp or damaged bulbs.

Daffodils are dug up in your area after flowering has ended and the leaves have turned yellow. The deadlines are different in each region, but in any case you should neither rush nor delay. Previously, the old roots of daffodils have not yet died off, but later new ones begin to form, and the flowers tolerate the transplantation operation less well. Having dug up the bush, the bulb is washed. The children are separated from the mother's side. All the resulting material is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and allowed to dry. Then you can leave the bulbs for storage until spring, or you can plant them in a flowerbed before winter, that is, in late August - early September. These daffodils will bloom earlier.

Propagation by dividing bulbs

This method is used when they want to breed a particularly rare daffodil. Planting and care in this case are practically no different from ordinary ones, but bulbs require additional actions. They are selected large and only healthy, divided into 4 (less often 6) parts so that each gets the bottom and a fragment of the top. There are several ways to proceed further.

Some gardeners advise treating the cuts with an antiseptic (a weak solution of potassium permanganate) and drying them. Treat the cuttings themselves with any growth stimulant and plant them in containers with a disinfected substrate. Others advise keeping the cuttings for a month and a half at room temperature, then take it into a room where the temperature is up to +10, and in the fall plant it in open ground. In winter, cover the garden bed from frost. Still others recommend placing the cut slices in heteroauxin, holding it in it according to the instructions for the preparation, then transferring it to a container filled with agroperlite and hiding it in the refrigerator for a couple of months until autumn planting. The divisions bloom after 2 years.

Propagation by seeds

You can also propagate daffodils in the garden by seeds. Planting and caring for seedlings is as follows. Only freshly collected (wet) seeds are suitable, on which the special protein that covers them still holds. They are sown on the prepared soil very shallowly, approximately 3-4 times the diameter of the seed (1-1.5 cm). This can be done directly in the flowerbed, but it is better to do it in a container, since in this case it is easier to control the development of seedlings. It’s a good idea to use agrovermiculite for this. The seedlings are grown in a room with moderate temperatures and left in a container for the first couple of years. They are planted in the ground only when the young plants begin to set and slightly grow bulbs. Such seedlings will bloom in about the 5th year. Only simple daffodils are propagated in this way, because hybrids do not retain their varietal characteristics (for example, doubleness).

Forcing

If it is necessary for daffodils to bloom earlier than the biological deadlines, forcing is used. This can be done in a greenhouse or at home. There are two ways of forcing. With each, you get blooming daffodils in any desired month. Planting and care are carried out as follows: the bulbs are subjected to 3 temperature conditions. After digging out of the ground and washing, they are first kept in a warm room (+30 degrees) for 2 weeks, then in a cool room (+ 17-+ 16 degrees) for about a month. After this, they are transferred to a place with a temperature of + 9- + 10 and stored there until planting at high humidity. Planted a month before flowering. The top should remain on the surface. The planting density can be high, the main thing is that the bulbs do not touch each other. They keep it for a week at + 9 and very high humidity, then transfer it to a warmer place with a temperature of + 17.

To get early-blooming daffodils, planting and caring for them can be done this way: the bulbs are stored at + 17 degrees before planting. Planting is done in containers with sand, after which they are placed in a dark place with a temperature of + 9 and very high humidity. There the bulbs develop for about 2 months. When the sprouts reach a length of 5 cm, they are transferred to a place where the temperature is + 17 and the humidity is half as low. Flowering is expected in 2 weeks.

Daffodils on the windowsill

You can also get blooming daffodils in your apartment. Planting and care at home require their own technology. Take a deep pot, at least 10-15 cm. Fill it with soil and plant the onion. Its top should be on the surface. The soil is compacted and watered. The pot is taken to a place where the temperature is not higher than + 5. You can place the pot in the garden, covering it with a 10-centimeter layer of peat, or in the refrigerator, covering the flower well with something dark. When the sprouts appear, the pot is moved to where it is light and the temperature is + 10. When the daffodil blooms, it is moved again, this time to where it is warm. The plant must be watered during flowering and continue to do so even when the buds wither. They are removed and wait until the green part dries. After this, the bulb is dug up, washed, dried and stored, and in the spring it is planted in open ground.

Preparing the site

Anyone can grow daffodils in their garden. Planting and care open ground do not cause any difficulties. They grow and bloom in the sun, in partial shade and even in the shade, but in good light the flowering is more magnificent. Daffodils are undemanding when it comes to soil, but they love the presence of humus in it and do not like the presence of manure. It is added to the flowerbed a year before the expected planting of the bulbs. Daffodils grow well on neutral loams. IN acidic soils can be added wood ash(a glass per square), and for alkaline ones - dolomite flour (200 grams per square). The flowerbed is dug up in advance, fertilizers are added to the soil: nitrophoska, humus, compost. If the soils are heavy, add sand. Daffodils grow in one place for approximately 5 years, after which they need to be replanted.

Planting in the garden

You can plant daffodils in open ground both in autumn and spring. Planting and care in the fall is as follows. A month or two before planting, dig up the flowerbed, fertilize it with compost, superphosphate (2 tbsp per square) and “Agricola for flowers” ​​(1 tbsp per square). When planting, a hole is dug for each bulb, approximately three times its diameter. Throw a handful of sand and ash at the bottom, place an onion, fill it halfway with soil, water it, compact it and add soil to the edge. Cover the top with mulch. The distance between the bulbs can be up to 10 cm (if quick transplants are planned) and up to 20 cm (if the daffodils will not be disturbed for 5 years). Spring planting is carried out according to the same scheme. It is advisable that the flowerbed be prepared in the fall. If not, dig it up before planting. The bulbs are planted after stratification (about 2 months in the refrigerator). It is possible without stratification, but daffodils grown from them will not produce flowers in the first year.

Care

In order for daffodils to bloom beautifully, planting and care in open ground throughout the season are as follows: when planting bulbs in the fall, the first spring feeding carried out when shoots appear. They contribute mineral complex fertilizers (30 g per square). The timing of the second feeding is the appearance of buds on the stems. Apply the same fertilizers (20 g per square). Daffodils love moisture, so they are watered regularly, and then the soil underneath is loosened. You can mulch it so as not to loosen it every time. Faded flowers are removed or stems are cut for bouquets. At the end of flowering, the plants are again fed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer(2:1) per square. Subsequently, the daffodils are either dug up for transplantation according to the above schemes, or left in the ground. In this case, in winter you may need to cover the flowerbed with spruce branches or leaves.