Transplanting daffodil bulbs

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Daffodils do well here in Arizona. I have many different varieties here that all bloom at different times, some as early as January, some much later. And I have long since lost track of where they all are so I am surprised and pleased when some start growing where I didn't remember planting them!

Daffodil bulbs can be left alone in the garden to naturalize and multiply. So, the two I planted in 2009 (which came from the local 99-cent store) will be eight this year. And that means that you can dig up a few and replant them elsewhere if you want to. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it's a great way to expand your garden. To transplant them, be sure to dig deep. You want to get the whole bulb, not just cut off the top leaves.

This group that I transplanted a couple of days ago had been planted at the base of a palm tree before the Cannas went in. They were not only hidden by the Cannas, but shaded as well, and had no chance to bloom in that spot. So I dug them out and moved them out into a sunny spot.

It's best to move your bulbs before they grow too much, so keep an eye out. I dug out a nice new hole for them to live in, fill with fresh potting soil, slow-release dry fertilizer, and a little bit of polymer moisture crystals. Then it is all watered in with Superthrive and Miracle Grow dissolved in a watering can. In my opinion, flowering bulbs look best planted near rocks, as if they had grown between the rocks naturally. You can see some alyssum there, too, which fills in the ground area nicely.

These daffodils are strong growers and will be blooming by next month (February).

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