How to Preserve Daffodil Bulbs
Nothing is like the bright yellow and white blossoms of newly bloomed daffodils in the early days of spring. These hardy flowers signify to many people that the long, cold days of winter are soon to pass followed by the summer sun. Drying and storing daffodil bulbs until the fall planting season is an easy way to keep the springtime blossoms coming back year after year. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden shovel
- Water
- Towel or soft cloth
- Newspaper
- Storage container or mesh bag
Instructions
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1
Dig up the daffodil bulbs using a garden shovel. Loosen the dirt around the bulbs by using a gentle rocking motion with the shovel. Once the bulbs have been exposed gently shake off the excess dirt.
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2
Rinse the dirt off the bulbs with water. Be careful not to bruise the bulbs. Towel dry the bulbs and arrange them single file on newspaper. Lightly wrap the bulbs in the newspaper and allow them to continue drying out for two weeks. During this period the bulbs will go dormant.
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3
Clean the bulbs again. Remove excess scales by gently rubbing the bulb with a soft cloth or by handpicking them off.
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4
Remove the roots from the bulb. Gently twist the roots of the bulb back and forth. Ideally, after twisting and turning the roots in a repeated fashion, the roots will come free from the bulb in one clump with a thin layer of the basal region of the bulb still attached. Discard the roots.
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5
Inspect the bulbs. Discard bulbs that show signs of infection or decay. Look closely for fly larvae as well as discolored patches on the bulbs. The fly larvae will sometimes be hidden in small holes found on the bulb, so inspect them carefully. If possible burn the affected bulbs to avoid further plant contamination.
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6
Store the bulbs until ready to plant. Place in a well-ventilated area so that the bulbs do not rot from lack of air. Place them in a ventilated container so that only one layer of bulbs is being stored within the container. Ideally the bulbs should be hung in a mesh bag or nylon stocking until planting season arrives.
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