Daffodils are an excellent addition to any yard, garden, or naturalized landscape. One of the best things about having daffodils is that they multiply readily.
But this means that you have to pay attention to your daffodils every five years or so by digging them up, dividing them, and relocating them.

Daffodils will gradually dwindle and eventually die back altogether if you don’t.
This article answers a dozen frequently asked questions to help you divide and transplant your daffodils successfully. Learn about the growing and care of Daffodil bulbs here.
Daffodil Q&A
1. When Should You Transplant Daffodils?
The best time to divide and transplant daffodils are when they are dormant.
Wait until their foliage has turned entirely yellow before digging them up.
If you move them while the foliage is still green, they will probably survive, but they will not as easily thrive.
2. How Do You Dig Up Daffodil Bulbs?
Using a pick or a shovel, dig around the bulbs several inches away from the edges of the clump.
Be careful not to pierce the bulbs as you dig. Once you’ve lifted the bulbs from the ground, shake off excess soil.
3. How Do You Divide Daffodil Bulbs Without Hurting Them?
Daffodil bulbs are remarkably resilient, and dividing them is very easy. Just pull them apart by hand.
As you separate them, look for injured, diseased, or mushy bulbs. Throw these out.
4. When Should You Replant Daffodil Bulbs?
You can replant the bulbs immediately after digging them up and dividing them. Or dry them and save them for planting in the coming autumn.
You can gift your bulbs to fellow gardeners, move them to a new location, or save them for forced indoor blooming for the coming winter.
5. How Do You Prepare The Soil For Replanting Daffodils?
For best results, each bulb should have a hole three times as deep as the bulb’s width.
In addition, the soil should be light, airy, and loamy.
Follow these steps:
- Add a layer of loose earth and compost to the bottom of the hole.
- Drop in the bulb (pointy end up).
- Cover it with more loose soil.
Note that if you have chosen to replant bulbs that still have some green growth, you should plant them at the original depth with the green growth exposed.
6. How Soon Should You Water Transplanted Daffodil Bulbs?
Water right away. If you transplant during the growing season, keep the soil slightly moist but never soggy until the bulbs have established themselves.
If you are planting dried bulbs during the late autumn months, water well and then cover the area with a thick layer of mulch to hold in moisture and protect the bulbs from freezing.
7. What Is The Best Location For Transplanted Daffodil Bulbs?
Always choose an area with a bit of a rise so that excess water can drain away quickly.
Also, look for a setting that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily.
8. When Should You Fertilize Transplanted Daffodil Bulbs?
When you transplant the bulbs, mix a bit of fertilizer into the soil you put in the bottom of the hole. Take care not to allow pure, unmixed fertilizer to touch the bulbs because this will cause chemical burns.
9. How Do You Dry And Store Daffodil Bulbs To Plant Later?
Here are the following steps:
- Lay the bulbs out on newspaper in a cool, dry, indoor area out of direct sunlight.
- Leave them alone for a week to ten days.
- When they are entirely dry, remove any remnants of leaves and gently brush off any bits of dirt.
It doesn’t hurt for a small amount of dirt to remain, so don’t wash them off. That will undo the investment you’ve made in drying the bulbs.
10. What Sort Of Container Should You Use To Store Dried Daffodil Bulbs?
Place the dried bulbs loosely into net bags (like those used to sell onions and citrus fruit) or put them in old nylon stockings.
Hang them up in a cool, dry place (e.g., a basement) where they will get good airflow and very little light.
11. When Should You Plant Dried Daffodil Bulbs?
Late in the autumn, take your bulbs out of storage and inspect them.
Toss any that have gone soft.
Plant them as described above, water them, and cover them with mulch.
You’ll be rewarded with bright, lovely flowers and foliage in the springtime.
12. How Do You Force Dried Daffodil Bulbs To Bloom Indoors In Winter?
You’ll need a container with good drainage and a high-quality potting mix to force bulbs for indoor winter bloom.
Follow these steps:
- Fill your container with potting mix.
- Plant your bulbs with the tops poking out through the soil’s surface. They should be somewhat crowded.
- Keep them in a cool, dark place (e.g., your refrigerator or your basement) for 3-4 months. When you remove them, you’ll see that yellow shoots have started.
- Place them in a cool, low-light setting until you see that the shoots have started to turn green.
- Then you can move them to a warm location with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.
- Keep them well-watered but not soggy, and you should see blooms within a month.