Daffodils are the bright promise of spring........
{{gwi:621045}}

This isn't our field of daffodils. Beautiful though. Eh?

Trish

Trish, what an incredibly beautiful field! Mine wont look like this unfortunately. Hopefully, the investment I have made in daffs for market will pay off, tulips too. Do you grow daffs for market? How do you harvest them?
Tks Kat

Did you know.......
Daffodil is really only correct for the Trumpet species? Narcissus is actually the term of the entire genus.

We have some late blooming Narcissus. Harvesting is pretty easy. Reach down the stem near the soil and give a tug. It pops right off. So, you're right; but, don't tell your mother!!

If you plan to use these in mixed bouquets, you'll need to condition them. We've covered that here on the Cutting Garden previously; and, I don't know if the thread still exists. Maybe someone else can jump in here and explain.

I am up to my eyeballs with tulips. We had a pretty warm couple of months this winter. The tulips got pushed along in the hightunnel. One of our markets doesn't start until May. Scramble, scramble. Couple of phone calls; and, I'm off to make deliveries this afternoon. We actually don't really wholesale; but, find that is just what we're doing. One particular phone call led to what can become a potentially large account. Yikes.

Good luck with your bulbs. Have you planted for market sales this season? I was unclear about that.

Trish

Trish, I do know about the daffodil/narcissus thing but have found that people tend to think that I am talking about paperwhites and the less hardy types when I use the term narcissus, and the blanket (and incorrect) term of daffodil leaves the folks around here reassured that they know what I'm talking about. Anywho, I do also know about the special conditioning and I do not use them in mixed bouquets. I do not have them for market this year unfortunately, I really, really wish I did. Our growers market is doing a Spring extravaganza this year and I am not ready. I will be next year though, I am determined. My tulips are going to be field grown (lined beds and deer netting to boot!!) so I will have them for the Spring fling next year. Do you actually make any money on wholesaling tulips? I want to try to avoid this by selling at market and direct from the farm but I would be interested in knowing how you price yours if you dont mind giving up that information. Perfectly understandable if you do mind.. Best of luck with your potential new account. Thanks again. Kat

KAT, sorry thought I had answered your question but apparently forgot to press "send" afterwards. I think it is much easier on the flower picker to use a clipper if you are cutting many daffs. I don't know how the daff feels about it! I know with some flowers the quick jerk works better Like ALSTROEMERIA. However, I don't think the daff cares! Sometimes I use my hands to break them off and it leaves me with sore hand muscles...Maybe because I have fibromyalgia...So for me atleast using good sharp clippers on them and cutting them low works just fine. Most of my daffs come back glorously as long as I fertilize them each year. IN fact, I think they multiply well for me.

Lizalily, thanks for the info. I guess my mother and I are both right. What do you fertilize your daffs with? I really want these guys to thrive for me as the investment is enormous (for me). I am starting with 600 daffs and 500 tulips all from Colorblends and DaffodilDepot with the idea that the tulips will be pulled bulb and all and replaced the following year. With the daffs, I chose some early, and more mid and late season bloomers. Do you or anybody else out there have favorites? I'd like as much information as you are willing to part with please. Thanks very much in advance. Kat

There's no tiptoeing through the tulips here on the farm. No Tiny Tim. No Miss Vicki. Just two tired and sore people.

This is your first year at market, Kat. You'll learn quick that along with selling the pretty bouquets you will be educating the peoples about flowers. They'll be asking if they require sun, or shade, what type of soil they prefer --even though you're selling cutflowers. You'll have the opportunity next year to educate them about narcissus. I can almost guarantee that.

We're actually retail also. We sell primarily at farmers markets. We did, however, pick up a nice little account last season at an upscale shop in the metropolitan area where we do one of our farmers markets. This market is in the city where we lived for many years before moving to the country. So, anyway super nice shop/upscale market. There are loft apartments and condominiums above the shops. Many condominiums have been and continue to be built in a massive rebuilding of the downtown area.

Anyway, your question about the pricing on the tulips. They were sold for $1 per stem.

Trish

I have to say that eah of my Daffodil Depot daffs is my favorite when it opens! I planted 2000 daffs last fall and they are all wonderful. Used about 700 of them this past weekend and about that many mid week and to our subscription customers. Only ones I need next year are more solid yellows with different bloom times and some poeticas for the end of season. I kind of bought too many pinks but they were very popular. I think it is "Cool Flame" that I loved the most, very wide flat ruffled cup of intense salmon. THere was also a beautiful orange bell shaped cup on white petals, all quite large...might have been "Big Gun" but not sure. I should research so I know my favorites then post here.

Tulips are coming on now. O used up most of my parrots in Easter bouquets and then went into Alladin and Menton and a small purple one. Would have had ballerina but voles got all but one of them! I am anxiously watching my French blend and French Rose blend...nice tall stalks with buds but probably a week away from opening still. Right now Miranda is my most spectacular one. (Looks like a red orange rose when opened. Next year I am planting another 500 parrots in addition to the 200 I had this year...just love the way the colors blend and the apricot and orange ones go so well with the daffodils!