How to Care for a Narcissis Plant

The whimsical narcissus, or daffodil, is certainly the lazy gardener's dream come true. Bulbs planted in the fall emerge the following spring. The plants commence to merrily bloom their little hearts out from March to May, with few if any demands. The forgiving narcissus tolerates even poor growing conditions and takes blatant neglect well in its stride. While it's true that these long-lived beauties continue to bloom and flourish for many years unassisted, just a little bit of care will go a long way toward stellar performance from your narcissus.

5-10-10 bulb fertilizer
Organic mulch
0-10-10 bulb fertilizer
Bone meal
Scissors

Instructions

- 1
  Feed your narcissus plants a good 5-10-10 bulb fertilizer once when the foliage sprouts through the soil in the spring. The numbers indicate the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer. Follow the packaging instructions carefully.
- 2
  Water your narcissus plants well throughout the blooming season. Provide 1 inch of water weekly to keep them evenly moist, but not soggy or wet. Continue watering for about three weeks after they're done blooming. Don't water at all through the summer, when the bulbs go dormant.
- 3
  Apply about an inch of organic mulch to the narcissus bed to help the soil retain moisture and discourage weeds.
- 4
  Deadhead narcissus when the blooms fade. Snap the flower off at the neck. Take care not to damage the foliage, which should remain intact for another six to eight weeks to continue nourishing the bulb.
- 5
  Feed your narcissus plants 0-10-10 bulb fertilizer and some bone meal as soon as they finish the blooming cycle. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for both of these products carefully.
- 6
  Use scissors to cut the foliage back to ground level when it turns yellow.
- 7
  Water narcissus plants enough to evenly moisten the soil surface about once weekly during dry spells in the fall. Don't water at all through the winter.
- 8
  Dig your narcissus after three to five years to divide the bulbs, or when you notice a reduction in bloom quantity.

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