From our perspective as daffodil plants, the period after our brilliant display of blooms is not an end, but a critical beginning. The care you provide now directly fuels our ability to gather strength for next year's performance. It is a quiet, subterranean process of renewal, and here is what we need from you to ensure our vitality.
Our showy flowers have consumed a tremendous amount of our stored energy. Now, our broad, green leaves are our sole source of power. Through photosynthesis, they are absorbing sunlight and converting it into carbohydrates, which are then transported down to our bulb to be stored for next season. This process is our entire world right now. Do not remove, braid, or tie down our foliage. You must allow our leaves to remain untouched until they have turned completely yellow and withered naturally. This can take 6 to 8 weeks. Cutting them off early is like unplugging us from our power source before the battery is fully charged, severely weakening the bulb.
While our water needs are less dramatic than during our active growth and bloom phase, we still require consistent moisture in our soil to support the photosynthetic work of our leaves. Please continue to water us when the top inch of soil feels dry. However, ensure our pot has excellent drainage; we despise sitting in waterlogged soil, which will cause our bulb to rot. About once a month during this post-bloom period, provide us with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer or one specifically formulated for bulbs, but with a low nitrogen content. This gentle feeding acts as a valuable supplement to the energy our leaves are creating, giving our bulb an extra boost for the future.
Once our foliage has yellowed and died back completely, we have entered our mandatory dormancy. This is our rest period. You now have a choice. You can leave us in our pot, but you must move us to a cool, dark, and dry location, such as a garage or basement, for the summer. Do not water us during this time; we are sleeping and excess moisture will kill us. Alternatively, you may carefully remove our now-dormant bulb from the pot, gently brush off the soil, and store us in a mesh bag or paper bag in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place until autumn planting season arrives.
When the chill of autumn returns, it is time to wake us up. If we were stored as a bare bulb, plant us in a pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix, at a depth about three times our height. If we were left in our pot, bring us back into a bright, cool location and begin watering sparingly to encourage new root growth. A period of cooler temperatures is essential for us to initiate root development and flower formation inside the bulb. With the right care after our bloom, you are not just keeping us alive; you are investing in another spring filled with our vibrant, joyful color.
