Daffodils are easy to grow and need very little attention. They can be grown throughout New Zealand and while they come in a wide range traditional yellow is still the crowd favorite. There are daffodil types suited to all of the varying New Zealand climates so remember to purchase bulbs based on suitability as well as the look of the flower.

Autumn is the best time for planting bulbs, as the soil temperature has dropped and the bulbs will be dormant and ready to be planted (or divided and transplanted for existing crops). Daylight saving changeover is a good seasonal marker for this. The best selection of bulbs are usually available to buy from mid-February through to the end of March/early April, these bulbs should be stored in a refrigerator until autumn planting.

Choose firm, large bulbs -  generally the larger they are the better the flowers they will produce.  There are some differences in size between varieties, most noticeably with the miniature daffodils which usually have small bulbs.

When choosing the planting site, look for good free draining soil and plenty of sun. Check the specific needs of the variety you have chosen as some prefer semi-shade.

Daffodils also grow well in pots.  The shorter growing, and miniature flowered varieties are ideal.

Choose a container that has good drainage.

Fill your container with a bulb specific potting mixture that contains a slow release fertiliser and place bulbs evenly throughout the container, making sure that that the bulbs do not touch each other, or the walls of the container.

Place them in a cool shady place and water them regularly until shoots appear, then move the pot into full sun.  It is important to give them a cool period after planting because the bulbs need this to complete the flower bud development before spring.

To make the pot more attractive and suppress weeds while you are waiting for the bulbs to flower, plant winter flowering perennials on top of the bulbs.

Give the plant some liquid fertiliser when the foliage appears, and then again several times throughout the season (this will help flowering).

If you want to reuse the pot and bulbs again the following year, after flowering when the leaves begin to yellow, dry the pot soil out completely. Move the pot with the bulbs undisturbed to a dry place for summer. In the following autumn, knock off the old potting mix and replant the bulbs into fresh mix or plant them in the garden.

Daffodil bulbs can be left undisturbed for several years and only need lifting and dividing when they become overcrowded, or if the soil is wet enough to rot the bulbs over summer.

As the bulbs finish flowering, fertilise them with bulb food. The bulb will use this food to feed the bulb for next season's growth.

The daffodil leaves hold the bulbs food supply for the following year, so they need to be kept intact. Tie the foliage in a knot or fold the foliage over and secure with a rubber band to tidy them up once they start to look messy. Resist the temptation to remove the leaves before they have died right back as this cuts off the bulbs’ energy supply and results in poor flowering the following year. One way to camouflage this messy stage is to plant annuals and perennials around your bulbs.

Bulbs can be lifted out of the soil when the foliage starts to die down.

Leave the foliage attached until it dries off naturally and then remove it. Store your bulbs in a net bag or seed tray in a cool, dry, airy place.

Separating

To separate crowded bulbs, ease a fork under the group, wriggle the bulbs out of the soil and separate the clumps apart like you would a clove of garlic. Now you can re-pot them in the appropriate potting mix.

Naturalising

Daffodils are the easiest bulbs to `naturalise`. Naturalising is where bulbs are left in the soil for several years (or indefinitely), to multiply and flower year after year. This is a good option for parts of the garden that don’t get disturbed (under deciduous trees or grassy areas).

If you are naturalising bulbs in an area that you mow, allow at least six weeks after flowering before mowing the area. This means the bulb has been able to store its food for next year.