In most gardens, daffodils reproduce from bulbs, coming up year after year. Some might find the idea of growing them from seeds strange, but it is possible if you have the time and patience. It’s easy to grow daffodil seeds, but it can take five years or more for the seed to grow into a flowering plant. Learn how to propagate daffodil from seed after collecting the seeds from your garden.
Daffodil seed cultivation is a simple process, mostly requiring patience. Once the bees have pollinated your daffodil flowers, a seedpod will grow at the base of the bloom. Instead of cutting off the ends of your most beautiful flowers, tie a string around each one to remember it for later in the season.
Daffy seed pods at the ends of the stems hold the seeds. The plants are brown and brittle in the fall. Shake the stems, and if you hear dried seeds rattling around inside, theyre ready for harvest.
Snap off the pods and hold them over an envelope. To get the seeds out of the pods and into the envelope, lightly squeeze and shake the pods.
Daffodils are one of the most popular spring flowering bulbs, brightening up gardens with their cheerful yellow and white blooms. While daffodils are typically planted from bulbs, did you know you can also grow these beauties from seeds?
Growing daffodils from seeds is an exciting endeavor for patient gardeners Though it takes several years for seed-grown plants to flower, nurturing your own flowers from seed is incredibly rewarding
In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about growing daffodils from seeds, from harvesting and planting to finally seeing those first flowers.
Harvesting Daffodil Seeds
The first step is collecting ripe seeds from existing daffodil plants. Here’s a quick overview of the seed harvesting process:
-
Allow several daffodil blooms to fade without deadheading. The seed pod will form behind the flower.
-
Monitor the seed pod daily as it swells and ripens over 6-10 weeks.
-
Harvest seeds when the pod turns brown and starts to split open. Seeds will spill if you wait too long.
-
Carefully collect the tiny black daffodil seeds and spread out to dry for 1-2 days.
Pro Tip: Place a paper bag or mesh bag over fading blooms to catch seeds as the pod splits open. Check it daily for ripe seeds.
Ideal Conditions for Growing Daffodil Seeds
Daffodil seeds need consistently moist yet well-draining soil to germinate and become established. Here are a few tips for creating ideal conditions:
-
Choose a pot or tray with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging
-
Use a high quality potting mix, not garden soil which may contain diseases
-
Water regularly to keep seeds moist, but not soaked
-
Place in partial sun; full sun can dry out pots too quickly
-
Shelter pots from heavy rain to avoid soils getting waterlogged
-
Maintain temperatures between 60-70°F for best germination
Planting and Caring for Daffodil Seeds
Once you have ripe daffodil seeds, it’s time to plant them:
-
Fill pots or seed trays with moistened potting mix.
-
Plant seeds just 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch deep. Daffodil seeds need light to germinate.
-
Space seeds 2 inches apart to allow for growth.
-
Cover trays with plastic to maintain humidity, removing once sprouts emerge.
-
Keep soil moist but not soaked; allow pots to partially dry between waterings.
-
Watch for sprouts in 1-2 months. Young daffodil leaves will resemble blades of grass.
-
Fertilize sparingly with a balanced fertilizer during the first year of growth.
-
Repot seedlings each fall as bulbs enlarge, burying them 4-5 inches deep.
When Daffodil Seedlings Flower
This is the hardest part of growing daffodils from seeds – the waiting! It will take 4-6 years before your seedlings bloom.
The first year, you’ll just see leaf growth from the tiny new bulbs. Bulbs will gradually enlarge over subsequent seasons. Blooms will emerge when bulbs reach maturity, usually their 5th or 6th season of growth.
The wait is worth it to finally see the results of your care and patience! You may find completely new flower forms and color variations that are unique to your homegrown seedlings.
Saving Seeds from Daffodil Seedlings
Once your homegrown daffodils reach blooming size, you can harvest their seeds and continue the cycle!
Save seeds from any seedling flowers that you find particularly impressive. Over several generations of selective seed saving, you can develop new daffodil varieties adapted to your garden.
Cross-pollinating your best seedlings creates new genetic combinations and more diversity. Register brand new daffodil hybrids you develop with the Royal Horticultural Society.
Tips for Success Growing Daffodils from Seeds
Here are a few final tips to help you successfully grow daffodils from seeds:
-
Start more seeds than you need as germination rates vary.
-
Discard any weak, diseased, or off-type seedlings. Only pot up the most vigorous bulbs each fall.
-
Prevent inbreeding depression by starting new seeds every 2-3 years.
-
If bulbs get crowded, divide and replant in fall. Don’t let pots get overpacked.
-
Record data like planting date, seed parentage, and year flowered to track generations.
-
Be diligent about watering, fertilizing, and repotting to keep plants healthy.
-
Mulch around outdoor planted bulbs to regulate soil moisture and temperature.
Though it requires diligence and patience, nurturing daffodils from seed to flower is incredibly rewarding. Starting just a few pots will provide you with years of enjoyment watching your homegrown flowers emerge each spring!
How to Propagate Daffodil from Seed
Since young daffodil plants need to be kept inside for at least the first year, it’s more a matter of when you have time to plant them. Begin with a large tray or pot filled with fresh potting soil. Plant the seeds about 2 inches apart (5 cm. ), and cover them with ½ inch (1. 25 cm. ) of soil.
Put the pot somewhere warm that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Keep the potting soil moist by misting it each day. It could take weeks for the seeds to sprout. When they do, they’ll look like tiny grass blades or onion sprouts.
Grow the daffodil plants until the bulblets grow underground to the point where they can almost touch. Then, dig them up and plant them in bigger pots. Dig up and replant the bulbs each time they grow large enough. It will take two to five years before you see the first bloom from your seed-grown daffodils.
★ How to: Collect Free Daffodil Seeds (Step by Step Guide)
FAQ
How long does it take daffodils to grow from seed?
Do daffodil seeds turn into bulbs?
How do you propagate daffodils?
Do daffodils spread by seed?
When to plant Daffodil seeds?
Young daffodil plants must grow indoors for at least the first year, so knowing when to plant daffodil seeds is more a matter of when you have the time. Begin with a large tray or pot filled with fresh potting soil. Plant the seeds about 2 inches apart (5 cm.), and cover them with ½ inch (1.25 cm.) of soil.
Can you grow daffodils from seed?
Here’s how it works. In most gardens, daffodils reproduce from bulbs, coming up year after year. The thought of growing them from seed may seem a bit unusual, but you can do it if you’ve got the time and patience. Growing daffodil seeds is a very simple proposition, but turning the seed into a blooming plant can take five years or more.
How do you plant Daffodil seeds?
Here’s how to effectively sow your daffodil seeds: Use a well-draining seed starting mix in pots or trays to avoid waterlogging, which could cause the seeds to rot. Ensure the containers have adequate drainage holes. Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep, allowing a few inches between each seed to give each seedling enough space to grow without crowding.
How to propagate Daffodil from seed?
Learn how to propagate daffodil from seed after collecting the seeds from your garden. Daffodil seed cultivation is a simple process, mostly requiring patience. Once the bees have pollinated your daffodil flowers, a seedpod will grow at the base of the bloom.