How Long Do Daffodils Last?

How long will your gorgeous daffodil blooms hang about for? And what about the plants themselves, how many years can you expect out of a daffodil bulb? Let’s have a look and find out.

How long do daffodils flower for?

Daffodils have quite a long-lasting flower, it can vary depending on the exact variety planted but expect most to flower for between 4 and 6 weeks.

How Long Do Daffodil Bulbs Last?

As gardeners, we know that some bulbs can begin to lose their lustre over the years and at a certain point they will need to be replaced.

This isn’t the case with daffodils, the bulbs will keep on going and going, usually getting stronger over the years.

If properly looked after you can expect them to last longer than you will!

Daffodils will create new bulbs over the years, which is how they can just keep on going. These bulbs will appear next to the old ones and is one of the two ways daffodils can reproduce.

Over the years these bulbs will form into clumps and this is where a little care and attention is needed from the gardener to make sure your daffodils keep looking their best.

It is advisable to dig older clumps of daffodils up every few years and split them and replant them. This just stops the bulbs from becoming too congested which will happen and will hamper your daffodils growth.

The new clusters will keep on growing and keep forming new bulbs of their own.

How Long Do Container Grown Daffodils Last?

They can last just as long as those grown in the ground but they do need a little more care and attention.

Container-grown daffodils are more susceptible to rost damage and bulb rot due to them being in containers.

The soil in containers can completely freeze, something that doesn’t happen usually at the depth daffodils are grown in the ground. This can harm or sometimes even kill the bulb and is something you need to keep an eye out for.

Containers with poor drainage can also become waterlogged which in turn can lead to daffodil bulbs rotting and dying.

How Long Do Daffodils Last In A Vase?

Growing daffodils to use as a wonderful cut flower? Then you will want to know how long they can last in a vase once cut. Let’s have a look and find out!

I have found that daffodils from my cut flower bed tend to last around one to two weeks once cut and placed in a vase.

There are many things you can do to try and prolong this period so let’s have a look at some of the best methods below.

Some of the double-headed daffodils I grew last year

How To Make Your Cut Daffodils Last Longer

Here are some of the best ways I have found to keep my cut daffodils looking their best, these methods have been tried and tested and these are the ones I like best.

Cut When Budding

This is the single best way of prolonging your daffodil display, don’t cut the flowers when they are already fully open.

Instead, they should be cut when they are still in the budding stage. The reason for this is simple, if you cut a flower when it is already open then you have already lost time.

If instead, you cut it before it has opened you will be maximising the amount of time it spends in flower in your vase.

Don’t Overfill With Water

Daffodils tend to turn the water they are in very murky very quickly, this is because of the sap realised from the cut stem.

This water goes pretty nasty in a short space of time and can actually damage the stem of the plant if it is submerged in it.

That is why it is best to work with the little and often principle when dealing with water and cut daffodils. Just add a little water to their vase and replace it often.

Add Cut Flower Food

Adding a specialist cut flower feed to your vase will really help your flowers to last longer. There are lots of homemade recipes out there for cut plant food but from my testing, nothing works as well as the commercial stuff.

Homemade Concoctions

Speaking of homemade recipes lets have a look at some of the things you can do to make your daffodils last longer without buying in feed.

I have tried lots of different options and these are the ones I have found work best.

Baking Soda
Bleach
Copper Coin

Don’t ask me how the baking soda works, I’m sure there is some science behind it but I don’t know it. I was advised to try it and did so and it really seems to work. Just mix a teaspoon full into a large vase.

Bleach works by killing any bacteria that would otherwise grow in the water. This helps keep the water clear and your flowers in better shape. You only want to dilute a tiny amount into the vase so you don’t inadvertently harm your cut flowers.

A copper coin is another much-touted method that from my testing actually seems to work. Simply add one or two copper coins to the bottom of a vase and it seems to prevent the flowers from wilting early.

Looking for more daffodil goodness? Don’t worry, I have you covered!