Daffodil Bulb Pricing and Ordering Tips

If you've been shopping around for daffodil bulbs, you may have noticed that there is a lot of variety and competition among stores. You may be also overwhelmed by all the choices that the internet has to offer. So, here are some tips that you may want to use when searching for and ordering daffodils. First of all, you need to compare prices. You will find daffodil bulbs priced anywhere from 99 cents to $99. It all depends on the quality of the daffodil and the rarity of the species. The average price of a good daffodil bulb will usually be around $2. Anywhere around that price is a fair price to pay for a high quality daffodil flower.

So, with that said, the first tip you should use is compare the prices of a few stores. Not all vendors sell daffodils at the same prices. You'll want to make sure that you're getting a fair price compared to what other people are selling for the same flower. Also, get the refund and quality information. Ask if they will refund or replace your daffodil if the one you bought is found to be diseased or dying in anyway. Customer service is very important in the gardening world. It should be noted that ordering your daffodils early is also a huge advantage. You will usually get the cream of the crop, and you'll be assured to get what you want and what you ordered. Lastly, it may be advantageous for you to visit a daffodil show in the spring. It's here that you'll find all the varieties you could ever want, and you'll find out if they are able to grow in your area.

Daffodil Bulb Vendors

If you want to make sure you get quality daffodil bulbs, you should order from reputable stores. This will make sure you aren't getting a daffodil bulb that has been put under a lot of stress from shipping, packaging, and storage in humid and undesirable containers. Below is a list of recommended stores that are approved by daffodilusa.org. I've also included some that are faily popular and large on the internet.

• Daffodils and More- These guys offer a great variety of daffodil bulbs and are a reputable source. Though their website might seem a little unprofessional, there customer service and quality makes it a worth while opportunity. Go ahead and check it out.
• Bill the Bulb Baron- Another great source of daffodil bulbs and other flowers. However, he only accepts wholesale and bulk quantities. So, if you have a very large garden, then this is the place for you. Otherwise, you can buy a bunch and give them to your friends or resell them for some profit.
• American Meadows- These guys are by far my favorite. They offer an huge variety of daffodil bulbs and other flowers. You can buy your entire flower garden from this company. They also have a toll free number if you have any question about ordering, customer service, or just general questions about daffodil bulbs and other popular flowers.
  

Having Daffodil Bulb Blooming Problems?

Are you getting frustrated by the lack of flower blooming from your daffodil bulbs? Well, here is the last set of problems that may be the reason why the flower is looking sickly, not blooming, are just being a pain. This is part three of the daffodil bulb problems, so feel free to check out my other posts as well. So, another reason for your daffodil's incompetence is that it may of had unfavorable growing conditions the previous year. Even if the daffodil had prime weather for most of the summer and then a drought or violent weather hit your area, then the bulb seeding and reformation could have been affected, even after several weeks of flowering. If this happened than your daffodil bulbs may have more trouble blooming and flowering correctly come next year. Though there's nothing you can really do to stop the weather, you can make sure that your bulbs are watered properly until you cut off the leaves of the daffodil.

Yet another reason is that the daffodil bulbs may have been harmed or put under unnecessary stress during packaging, shipping, or storage before you bought them. Though there's nothing you can really do to stop businesses from selling bogus daffodil bulbs, you can make careful decisions when purchasing your daffodil bubls from retailers. I'll have a list of reputable daffodil sellers in my next post. Lastly, your daffodil bulbs may be not flowering as well as they should because they've been growing in the same spot for many years and need to subdivide. If you've had your daffodil flowers in the same spot, they may have become crowded and are competing for nutrients and water as they divide every year or two. If this happens, separate and replant the daffodils at least 6 inches apart and 6 inches deep. This will help them have breathing space.

Some More Daffodil Bulb Problems

There are so many common reason that your daffodils may not be blooming that it is quite unfortunate. So I'll have a few posts on some of the reasons why your daffodil bulbs may be having trouble blooming. So, another reason why you may be experiencing problems is that the leaves may have been cut and trimmed off to early the year before. Daffodils seed and prepare themselves for the next year up to six weeks after they've stopped flowering. If the leaves were cut off before then, then you're lessening your chances of getting a good bloom the next year. This means that you should keep watering your daffodils until the leaves start to turn green to a sickly yellow. Only then are you cleared to snip off the little buggers.

If you've transported your daffodil bulbs anytime, you have noticed that they may have trouble blooming. That's because many species of daffodils tend to skip a year of flowering after a transplant. This is may be because they are having trouble adapting to the new environment, or else the soil is slightly different. Either way, just tough it out and the daffodils should bloom the next year. One of the worst problems a daffodil bulb can have is that it has a virus. You'll know if you plant has a virus if it starts to lose its vigor and the leaves look weak and wilting. If this be the case, the only thing you can do is dig up and throw away the infected daffodil bulbs. If you don't, the virus may spread to the health ones.

Daffodil Bulb Problems

If you are experiencing daffodil bulb problems, meaning that your flower will not bloom or else it's looking drooping and unhealthy, you may be doing a number of things wrong. Here are some common reasons why your daffodils may not be blooming.

First, either your daffodil bulbs have not been fed in a long while, or else you've been feeding your daffodils with a high-nitrogen content fertilizer. This type of fertiziler will help the flower grow immensely, but it tends to stem the blooming of flowers.

Second, your daffodil bulbs have been planted in the shade and/or there is too much competition for food and water. Daffodils need a good amount of sun (let's say a good 5-8 hours worth a day at least) in order to bloom properly. Also, if you've planted your daffodils in a high competition area, let's say under an evergreen tree, near ivy, or other deep rooted and vigorous plants, than your flowers may be lacking in nutrients and water, because those nasty nutrient sucking plants are taking it all. You should then find a more desirable place to plant your daffodil bulbs.

Thirdly, your daffodils might be in an aread where there is poor drainage. Though the all flowers need a good healthy supply of water, standing water and puddles will only weaken the roots fo your daffodils, killing them slowly and lessening the blooming. It's best if you have them in a good drainage area and artificially water them so you can control exactly how much water they're actually getting.

Daffodil Bulb Classification

When you are puchasing daffodil bulbs, you may be surprised to find out all the different varieties and species of daffodils there are. So, it's nice to have a little background on some of the classification of daffodils. Below is a simple outline of the different divisions and classifications of daffodil bulbs. But first, you should know that the daffodil bulbs are classified by number and color, 1-13 and W- White, G- Green, Y- Yellow, P- Pink, O- Orange, R- Red. So a daffodil bulb might be classified as 7 W W, meaning that it's in divisions 7 (which is outlined below) and that it has white petals and a white cup.

• Division 1- Trumpet- Only one flower to a stem, the cup is as long or longer than the petals.
  
• Division 2- Long Cup- One flower to one stem, the cup is long but shorter than the petals.
  
• Divison 3- Short Cup- One flower to a stem, the cup is equal to or shorter than one third the petal length.
  
• Division 4- Double- Have a clustered appearance, with flowers and cups clustered. Can have one or more flowers to one stem.
  
• Division 5- Triandrus- This is characterized by a drooping head, usually will have more than one flower to a stem.
  
• Division 6- Cyclamineus- Flower stands up very straight and is narrow in shape. One flower to one stem.
  
• Division 7- Jonquilla- This daffodil bulb species has a nice fragrance or smell to it. Usually will have several flowers on one stem.
  
• Division 8- Tazetta- This also has a very nice sweet smelling fragrance. Flowers have a short cup but the daffodil may have several or ten or twenty flowers to a stem.
  
• Division 9- Poeticus- Also has a faint fragrance, usually one flower to a stem. Common color is white.
  
• Division 10- Bulbocodium Hybrids- Small flowers.
  
• Division 11- Split Corona- The corona or cup, is split as least one third its length.
  
• Division 12- Other Cultivars- Any daffodil not in any of the previous divisions.
  
• Division 13- Species- All the wild forms of daffodils out there.
  

More Tips about the Growth of Daffodil Bulbs

Choosing a place to grow your daffodils is very important. You'll want to make sure several factors are in place before considering planting your daffodil bulbs in a certain place. First all, though daffodil bulbs are very resilient, hardy, and can be grown in just about all regions of the United States, it doesn't mean that your grounds may be the optimal soil or area to maximize growth of your daffodils. You'll want to make sure that the daffodil bulbs have a nutrient rich and moist soil to thrive in. This means that you should not plant daffodils near or under deep rooted trees and plants, such as evergreens and ivy, will do great harm to the flower. Their extremely hardy and vigorous growing nature consume most of the water and nutrients in the surrounding soil.

Shallow rooted trees and plants such as many deciduous trees are okay for growing daffodils. Tap roots compared to shallow roots, however, are more favorable for planting your daffodil bulbs. You may also be wondering if daffodils will grow under shade. The answer is yes. By the time the daffodil flower has finished flowering and the foilage has begun to mature, the deciduous tree will have begun or finished losing its leaves. Though if you plant daffodil bulbs under the shade of trees, it's better if you don't have them directly under the tree.

Growth of Daffodil Bulbs

If you are a home and garden enthusiast, botanist, or just grow flowers and plants as a hobby, daffodils are a great flower for you to add to your collection. One the reasons why they are so popular is because daffodil bulbs are easy to grow and they are able to grow throughout much of the United States. Daffidils are one of the easiest, if not the easiest, flowers to grow. They are very dependable and the bulb is almost guaranteed to plant effectively and bloom flowers within the season. Another positive growth habit of daffodil bulbs is when they are planted and also when they are growing, the flower is very tolerant of cold weather (and of course naturally of warm and hot weather). This means that daffodils are grown throughout the United States, even in cold areas. They even can withstand a thin layer of snow!

Daffodils are found all the way up to the Canadian border and beyond. However, it should be cautioned that daffodil bulbs require a slight frost or cold treatment in order to initiate the budding sequence. This can be done naturally or artificially. Some species of daffodil bulbs, such as some cultivars like tazettas, are a little less resistant to cold weather and do not like to be exposed to frosts or lower temperatures. These are nice for warm regions such as Florida and other parts of the South.

Daffodil Bulbs

Daffodils are a very popular and common flower to grow in your own home garden. With over 25 species of daffodils, you are sure to have an endless supply and variety of beauty. Daffodil bulbs are widely available at many stored online and off and can be purchased for very reasonable prices. Daffodils are also very resilient to animals and most insects, as the bulbs and leaves contain poisonous crystals that render the flowers undesirable to many species. So you can be assured that your daffodils will be mostly safe from squirrels and other pesky rodents. However, these animals have been known to dig up daffodils and the bulbs. Daffodil bulbs are also an incredible investment because they naturally were meant to have a lifetime much longer than our own. Most species of daffodils will survive and reproduce every year only multiplying the flower many fold throughout its life. Daffodils will also last a long time during the flowering season. Anywhere from five weeks to five months is not uncommon among many species of daffodils. It all depends on the climate where you live and the species of daffodil bulbs you plant. Daffodils are also perennials, so they'll keep coming up year after year.