Last year I experimented with daffodils and I achieved over 8 weeks of color by combining only 4 varieties. All are prolific multipliers, easy-to-grow, prolific bloomers and excellent naturalizers. In a more normal season I would expect 6 weeks of color. First to bloom was February Gold (early). Last year it actually bloomed in February, instead of early March as it usually does in Maryland. Then came Mary Bohannon (early mid season) and followed by Accent (late mid season). The season closed out in late April with Actaea (late). As with all narcissi, they were untouched by either rodents or deer.

For a limited time we are offering these 4 varieties of daffodils in our 8 Weeks of Color Daffodil Combination. You receive 5 of each variety: February Gold, Mary Bohannon, Accent and Actaea for $28.85.

 

February Gold: Pure golden yellow flowers with slightly swept- back petals and long slender cups having tiny frills at the end. They are true harbingers of spring. The earliest of all narcissi. Very early. Height 12"

Mary Bohannon: Unlike most daffodils which hang their heads in a classic narcissus pose, Mary Bohannon looks right up at you. Yellow overlapping petals stand out straight and strong as a background for the nearly trumpet-shaped cups, frilled and slightly flared, with a clear, deep reddish orange color that does not fade. Early midseason. Height 16"

Accent: Pure white, star-shaped petals carry rich salmon pink cups, almost trumpet-like in their proportions, deeply fluted, slightly flared and ruffled at the edges. Just about the most fade-resistant of the pink-cupped narcissi. Exhibition quality blooms and, like all of our selections, a vigorous grower. U.S bred. Late midseason-Late. Height 14"

Actaea: Classic blooms of purest white with dogwood-shaped petals and tiny flaring yellow cups, green at the center, edged in red. A fragrant "pheasant’s eye" type. Late-Very late. Height 16"

 


8 Weeks of Color Daffodil Combination
 

Garden Club Questions and Answers

Question: I've been reading up on flower bulbs, before I order. Some sources refer to them as perennializing; others refer to them as naturalizing. What is the difference or are the two terms the same?

Answer: Perennializing refers to bulbs that come back every year. They don't increase a lot but they do return from year to year. Examples are Hyacinths and Darwin Hybrid Tulips. Bulbs which naturalize not only come back every year, but the clumps get larger either from offsets (baby bulbs) or seedlings. Examples are many varieties of Daffodils, Scillas, and Crocus tomasinianus.

Question: My neighbor has a huge compost pile but it is covered with crab grass and weeds. I am concerned that if I were to bring this compost into my yard, weeds will take over my garden. Is there any way to prevent this?

Answer: When you dig out the compost, you need to be careful to take just compost and not include any perennial weeds. Especially noxious are these that grow from broken roots like Canadian Thistle and Morning Glory (bind weed). As you dig further into the center of the pile, you will find fewer perennial weed roots, and of course, there will be fewer weed seeds in the center. I suggest you apply a weed preventer such as Amaze wherever you use the compost. This will prevent many of the weed seeds from germinating into weeds. For the same reason, I also recommend applying a couple inches of mulch over the compost or compost enriched soil.

Question: Last year some of my house plants dropped lots of leaves all over the floor and made a real mess. The other house plants did not drop a leaf. Is there any way to prevent this?

Answer: Some house plants such as Ficus, Boston Ferns, and Impatiens and to some extent Geraniums are prone to dropping leaves. It is the nature of the plant. Increasing humidity will reduce the leaf drop on the ferns and keeping the environment stable and constant will reduce leaf drop on the Ficus. Even turning the pot will cause some leaves to drop on the Ficus.


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