How to Dig Up Daffodil Bulbs

Beautiful spring daffodils.

Eager gardeners often scan their landscapes daily looking for the first signs of spring. When the daffodils poke their green shoots through the muddy soil, hope springs eternal and the gardener's soul reawakens after a long winter nap. After three to five years of growing, daffodils usually require division. When daffodils bloom with fewer, smaller blossoms, dig up the bulbs after spring blooming and divide them.

Things You'll Need

• Daffodil plants
• Garden trowel
• Plastic basket
• Garden hose
• Garden shears
• Mesh bag

Instructions

1. Examine your daffodils in the spring. If you notice that they are not blooming extensively, and the blooms are smaller, it is time to dig up the bulbs and divide them. Divide daffodils after the blossoms fade and the stems and leaves of the daffodil plants die back and wilt to the ground.

2. Loosen the soil carefully with a garden trowel and dig up the bulbs. Use the garden shears to trim the stalks from the bulbs. Place the bulbs in a plastic basket.

3. Wash the bulbs with a garden hose. Use your hands to brush the excess soil from the bulbs as you direct the water over the bulbs.

4. Place the washed bulbs into the mesh bag for storage over the summer months. Hang the bag in a location that receives air ventilation, such as a shed or garage.

5. Remove the bulbs from the bag in the autumn after the growing season is over. Remove any outer scales and debris and carefully break apart all of the bulbs into individual bulbs.

6. Replant the bulbs 6 inches apart and 6 inches deep in the soil.

References

• Daffodils