By Okhoo Hanes, U. C. Master Gardener 

Daffodils

The Narcissus genus encompasses three types of bulbs: narcissus, daffodil and jonquil. They are all geophytes, or plants that flower underground. In the gardener's parlance, narcissus conjures up the image of slender-stemmed, delicate paperwhites, while daffodils have larger flowers of white, yellow or both. Some daffodils even come in shades of orange, apricot or pink. Jonquils are particularly fragrant.

The genus is further subdivided into a dozen categories, but all share similar characteristics and have the same structure of six outer petals (perianth) and a corona (or trumpet, if elongated) in the center. The categories are distinguished by flower size and color, the shape and length of the corona, and whether the petals are in single or double formation. Most garden shops and nurseries sell paperwhite narcissus and daffodils in a variety of colors and flower sizes. Planting and cultivation are the same for all types. For simplicity, let's use the word daffodil to represent all Narcissus.

Daffodils thrive in almost any kind of soil, as long as it is well drained, moist and slightly alkaline. In the Napa Valley, where the soil tends to be high in clay, a gardener would do well to dig in organic matter, such as compost, at planting. Figure a one-third to one-half ratio of organic matter to soil. Plant bulbs at a depth equal to twice their diameter (four inches deep for a two-inch bulb), or three times the diameter if the bulb is particularly large. Space them six to eight inches apart.

Daffodils naturalize and multiply well without losing flower power, so giving them space initially will postpone the future work of dividing them. In any case, daffodils don't need to be divided as often as other bulbs.

Bulb food is optional. Water thoroughly after planting, but California's winter rain should take care of them for A WHILE after that. If you plant right before impending rain, you can even omit the initial watering. Regular watering is recommended during the growing and flowering periods. They don't need water in the summer, but they don't suffer if they are watered?if, for example, they are planted as an accent in the lawn.

Since daffodils tolerate both heat and cold (down to -39ºF), a Napa Valley gardener can pretty much ignore them once planted and wait for their spring flowering. Daffodils create a brilliant landscape in full sun, but they also do fairly well in shade, adding welcome bright spots.

Daffodils don't appeal to gophers or deer?a boon in the Napa Valley where both animals abound. They may suffer basal rot, becoming soft and brown at the base due to a soilborne fungus, Fusarium oxysporum. Simply discard the afflicted ones. Since high soil temperature encourages the fungus growth, some suggest lifting the bulbs before the soil temperature rises. In the absence of such a fungus, however, they seem to do fine underground in the Napa Valley.

Daffodils may be attacked by bulb flies or the Narcissus nematode, a microscopic organism in the soil. No effective chemical control is available for these pests. The best prevention is good sanitation. Discard any affected bulbs and pack the soil tightly around the neck to prevent flies from laying eggs.

If you are diligent and so inclined, you can force daffodils to bloom indoors in winter. Except for paperwhites, they require chilling before flowering, so store them in the refrigerator, in their own bin, for three to four weeks. (Some bulbs are sold pre-chilled.) Then plant them in pots and keep them in a cool place. If you bring them into your warm house progressively, for staggered flowering, you can enjoy continuous blooming for weeks. After flowering, let the leaves turn yellow before removing them to help the bulbs restore and replenish nutrients.

Daffodils are appropriate and beautiful in any setting, be it in a container, in a cutting garden, in flower beds and borders, under a deciduous tree, in a rock garden, with waterscapes or as drifts or masses in open areas. If you catch the moment and plant them now, you'll rejoice in the spring.