After weeks of pretty yellow and orange flowers, it’s likely your daffodils are starting to look a little worse for wear.
The daffodil flowering season can last anywhere from six weeks to six months, depending on where you live, however, it’s likely that after a few weeks of pretty flowers, your daffodils are starting to fade.
While it may be tempting to tidy them up and give them a quick chop, gardening experts have urged gardeners not to do this.
Horticultural adviser Michael Thurlow told SAGA Exceptional that gardeners should not be tempted to cut back the leaves of their daffodils, even if they stop blooming.
He continued: “Let the foliage die back naturally, because after exhausting themselves flowering, the bulbs need their leaves [which absorb warmth, water and sunlight] to build up their strength for next spring.”
Daffodil stalks and leaves will absorb nutrients for four to six weeks after the flowers die back.
However, while snipping leaves is out of the question, you can still deadhead your daffodils.
Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh shared the “easiest” method to deadhead daffodils in a video on his Instagram account.
He suggested simply “pinching off” the flowerheads and seed pods using your thumb and finger.
Gardeners should do this once the plant’s yellow flowers have completely faded as this will help save their energy.
He added: “Do not do what a lot of people do and tie [the leaves and stems] in a knot or put an elastic band around them.”
After removing the spent heads, allow the plant to “flop” for six weeks.
Once six weeks have passed, which is likely around the end of May, trim the remaining leaves and stems down to ground level.
The bulbs can later be fed with tomato fertiliser.
