Picking Daffodils

My first daffodils starting to bloom in a coffee table vase. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Picking Daffodils

It’s the start of the daffodil season in my Missouri limestone hillside garden, something I look forward to every year.

I have a nice variety of daffodils rescued over the years. There are daffodils that bloom throughout the season. And one of my favorites may be these tiny, old-fashioned daffodils that cower in the shadow of some of the other varieties.

These first bloomers have a special place in my heart. They are the first ever daffodils I was given, and have since rescued. They tend to naturalize around abandoned home sites so I planted them where they can naturalize on my Missouri hillside.

More importantly, most daffodils can be cut still in bud form so they will bloom later inside.

My first daffodil bouquet picked the day before. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I usually wait until I see a flower tip showing through the bud before I cut the daffodils. I also cut the stem as opposed to pulling at it or breaking it with my fingers. The gentle, clean cut is less traumatic to the bulb and allows for easy water uptake through the hollow daffodil stems.

This mixed daffodil bouquet was picked in the bud stage and is now keeping my kitchen cheery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One more important note: don’t mix daffodils with other flowers until you let them sit in water for 24 hours. Daffodils have a toxic  chemical, lycorine. It will leave through the stems once cut.

If you want to add other flowers, place the daffodils that have sat in water for a day in fresh water; then add the other flowers.

I  will have to check my garden diary but this is the earliest I can remember ever having the tiny yellow daffodils in bloom. Yet another sign spring may indeed be early this year!

Charlotte