Growing daffodils in Arizona, step 2

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It's the second week of March, and the daffodils have been looking ready to open for a few days now. This is the time when it's like waiting for water to boil, you can't resist looking constantly, although you know that you shouldn't because it just makes it seem to take that much longer.

The first step was planting the bulbs, which I did in December. They started sprouting about a month later, and that's when I started step two, which where I am still am - and that's watering every day, with a little bit of Miracle-Gro and some Super Thrive. Here in the desert you really can't overwater daffodils - the air is dry and even though it's only March, the air temperatures are getting close to 90. And many of my daffodils are planted with not only a southern exposure, but with reflected heat from a block wall behind them, so I worry about them.

But they'll be fine. This year I planted a really big variety, called King Alfred, which I haven't had here for years. They will have spectacular yellow blooms, and I'm especially anxious to see how they'll look at night, with the new LED spotlights.

The heat comes on very quickly here in the Phoenix area, so in a month the show will be over, and the the flowers will be gone. Step three is enjoying the blooms, and deadheading as needed. I'll be taking a LOT of photos then.

After that is step four, which is to let the foliage die back naturally in order to put energy back into the bulb for next season. It's kinda sad to see, but it's part of the process. I won't be taking many photos then.

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