OK so I've got the daffodil bulbs...

[OrchidFan]

Hello all

Sorry, new to this albeit I'm sure I knew how to plant daffodils when I was about 8!

My actual borders in the garden I've inherited are full so I will be planting these in pots.

According to the internet I just plant them now in a big pot, water them, put them in the shed and wait until spring. Is that it? Presumably I keep watering them? And then will just keep coming back every year? Seems suspiciously easy!

Thanks

Yes, that’s pretty much it. Though I wouldn’t put them in a shed unless you’re likely to get really bad subzero temperatures.
Pers you can put bulbs in full beds as they usually come up well before most other plants. But otherwise pots are fine.

In an ideal world: mix compost with a bit of potting grit (frankly, I usually can't be bothered) and plant the bulbs at a depth at least three times their own length down. It doesn't need to be an enormous pot: as a minimum, you can get away with planting them with about the same depth of compost below as above; certainly, they won't need more than double the amount of compost below as above.

Have you thought about doing a bulb lasagne? You plant daffodils, but above them smaller bulbs (like crocus and iris reticulata), and you might plant bigger/later bulbs, like tulips or lilies, underneath? That way you get a nice succession of flowers - though the tulips won't want planting til after the frost.

You don't want to water planted bulbs too much, or they will rot. Nor do they want to be in the shed, ideally - outside is better, as that way you don't risk finding they've sprouted then died for lack of light.

Whether or not they come back next year has to do with the variety. Most daffodils have some persistence year on year, but not all are great.

Oh, and a nice thing to do is to over-plant bulbs. At this time of year you will find lots of violas/pansies in your local nursery - you could pop some of these into the top of the pot, and your bulbs will come up through them in the spring. That way the pots will look nice on display all winter.

Thanks all! Yes, I watched Monty Don do a bulb lasagna!

Aha so NOT in the shed then. It's so hard to get the balance of sun/water/wind/frost right for stuff isn't it!

It will be fine! Honestly, bulbs are quite forgiving and they'll make you so happy next spring.

I suppose inside the shed would stop them being dug up and eaten by rodents?!

Some people put chicken wire over the top instead.

:D Only if your shed is very unlike mine! If would be stunned if you have a situation where you have mice in the garden who don't go into the shed.