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| Dear Nick I'm a keen botanist and I have been trying, unsuccesfully, to grow daffodils for some time now. My friends now think I'm stupid and I am getting no action with my girlfriend Yolanda because I can't show her a healthy 'daf' Willy (24) Exeter Nick writes: This is a very common problem. There is a very good site at the american daffodil society, but here are a few key points: Choose a well-drained, sunny place - hillsides and raised beds are best. DRAINAGE is the key. Spade at least twelve inches deep. Improve your clay with well-rotted compost, soil amendment, or planting mix and raise the bed. Slightly acidic soil is best, so you might add soil sulfur if you have alkaline soil. Plant your daffodils so that their top (pointed end) is at least two times as deep as the bulb is high (top of a 2" bulb is 4" deep). Exactness isn't crucial; they'll adjust. Plant bulbs deeper in sandy soil than in clay. You may leave daffodils down if your area is DRY during the Summer. Mulch the bed. If you water, or grow other things there, then you must dig them. WARMTH + MOISTURE = BULB ROT. (Note: many tazettas will survive Summer water.) Join the ADS and a local daffodil society near you and have a good time socializing with another group of garden folks. The following spring, bring your prize blooms to one of their events and show your growing skills. Stick to these tried and tested methods, and Yolanda won't be able to keep her hands off your daf. |