A gardener shared what do do when your daffodils have died (stock image) (Image: Getty)
Spring is truly a gorgeous and exciting times, as it means daffodils will start sprouting from the ground and add more colour to our parks and gardens with minimal effort. However, these flowers only last for a few weeks until they start to wilt. And once they do, it’s important to know what to do.
To help, gardening expert and author Simon Akeroyd has shared his top tips on what to do with daffodils once they start to wilt, as treating them right is important in order to guarantee another bloom next year.
“What to do with daffodils after flowering,” he wrote at the start of his TikTok video, as he showed off bright and blooming daffodils growing in a park.
Simon went on to say that he’s sure that most people enjoy the blooming time in spring, when daffodils are one of the first plants to bloom and add colour to parks and our gardens.
“But one of the sad facts of life is that all beauty is fleeting,” Simon said. “And soon, the plants will start to fade and look messy.”
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While it might be tempting to simply remove the wiltering flowers from your garden as they start to die, Simon urged people to be careful with how they handle them, as not doing it right could prevent them from coming back the next year.
Firstly, the gardnerer urged people to not tidy up the dying foliage by tying them up, which he demonstrated by collecting the bunch of daffodils and tying them so that the wiltering petals are turned down towards the grass.
While this might make your garden look neater, Simon argued that this will prevent the flower from photosynthesising, which helps it take nutrients down to the bulb, which is needed for it to return the next spring.
“Also, don’t mow over the daffodils after they’ve finished flowering,” Simon added, saying this can also prevent the flowers from returning the following spring. So, what can do you do when the daffodils start to wilter?
What do do when daffodils start dying
Simon recommends to dead head the flowers. This simply means to pick off the heads of the flowers, which is where the yellow petals are hanging from.
This will not only make your outdoor space look neater, but also encourages the daffodils to store more nutrients for the next spring time bloom, which can lead to a better flowering.
“Leave the foliage to die back naturally for six weeks after flowering to ensure another stunning spring display next year,” Simon said.
If you’re looking to add more daffodils to your garden, it’s best to plant them in autumn, in a sunny area with partial shade. Once blooming, you should water them regularly during dry spring weather. Reduce watering once the flowers have finished blooming and they enter dormancy.
If you already have a healthy growth, you can dig them up and divide the clumps of the flower after three to five years to help it maintain its vigour.
