30/08/2026
Depending on where you are in the country, your daffodils may already be finishing flowering. ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ. What stage are your daffs at at the moment? We love to see pics as well! ๐
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Remove flower heads when finished flowering
โDonโt touch the leaves
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Fertilise once flowering has finished
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Spray with neem oil every few weeks
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Keep watering until the leaves die back naturally
โ Daffodils didn't produce many flowers this year and have been in the ground for four or more years? They might be overcrowded and need digging up and splitting in summer.
โDaffodils produced flower buds but instead of opening and flowering they turned brown and withered up? When the daffodil produces flower buds but they donโt open, itโs called Bud Blast. There are a few possible causes for bud blast and they will all have occurred in the previous season/year.
๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐
๐ด Removing the flower heads (just snap the flower off, not the whole stem) stops seed development and allows the bulb to concentrate on growing as much as possible for next season.
๐ If you remove any of the bulb leaves before they have died back of their own accord it will result in smaller bulbs and poorer flowering the following season. So, despite what you might have heard - it's not a good idea to tie up your daffodil leaves when they've finished flowering.
๐ก Continuing to water the bulb after flowering will keep the leaves green for longer. The longer you can keep the leaves green (end of November or later) the bigger the bulb will grow and the better it will flower next season.
๐ข Fertiliser applied after flowering is perfect timing for boosting bulb growth. Avoid fertilisers that have high nitrogen levels and make sure it has good levels of potassium. If you have potato or rose fertiliser in the garden shed, these will also work well. And we make our own fertiliser for the nursery and sell it here https://nzbulbs.co.nz/Item/Bulb-Fertiliser. You only need one teaspoon to a dessert spoon per square metre.
๐ต When you fertilise your daffodils it's also a good idea to spray some neem oil around the plants to deter narcissus fly from laying eggs at the leaf bases. If your daffodils haven't produced many flowers this season they could have been infected with narcissus fly which lays eggs at the leaf base at this time of year. The eggs hatch and the grubs burrow down into the bulbs where they munch up the centre of it - exactly where your bulb is developing the flower for next year!
๐ฃ Another reason daffodils may not have produced many flowers is they have become too crowded. Daffodils can be left in the ground for up to four years before they start to become crowded. If you think this is the case, dig them up and split in summer when they are dormant.
โซ๏ธ Possible causes for bud blast will all have occurred in the previous season/year. Extreme hot or cold weather can cause bud blast โ for example a later frost or an extra hot spring day, or too much heat from sun on a pot if you have planted in pots. Nitrogen in fertiliser will promote healthy plant and leaf growth, but too much will be at the cost of flowers so always use something with good potassium levels. If the bulbs were planted too shallow they will likely get bud blast โ always plant your daffodil bulbs around 12-15cm deep. And if you cut off the flowers or leaves too soon it can cause bud blast โ just remember to never touch your daffodil leaves and remove flower heads once theyโve finished flowering.
