Question about Tulip and Daffodil Bulbs

[Colleen]

So first spring in our new house daffodil and tulips bloomed in our front yard. However, they were kinda all over the flower bed. I would like to dig them up and keep the daffodils and possibly plant new tulips there.

When I dig them up, is there a way to tell the difference between the two types of bulbs? I've never dug up bulbs before...my mom always just left hers and they bloomed every year where she planted them.

 

[Owdboggy]

They actually look very different. Tulips generally have a light brown tunic whereas Narcissus have a more fibrous style coat. The shape is different too as is the colour of the bulb itself. Not easily confused if you look at them carefully. Now is as good a time as any to dig them up too. they should be well dormant.
Tulips often do better when dug up and dried out. They are natives of very hot dry places so they need a good baking to ripen the bulb. Narcissus are probably better put back in the ground fairly quickly,.
Store all of them in a dark, dry, vermin free place though.

 

[claudine]

I don't dig up my bulbs. It would be a waste of time. They don't need my help, they bloom every year and look really beautiful But I think it all depends on the climate you live in.

 

[Colleen]

They actually look very different. Tulips generally have a light brown tunic whereas Narcissus have a more fibrous style coat. The shape is different too as is the colour of the bulb itself. Not easily confused if you look at them carefully. Now is as good a time as any to dig them up too. they should be well dormant.
Tulips often do better when dug up and dried out. They are natives of very hot dry places so they need a good baking to ripen the bulb. Narcissus are probably better put back in the ground fairly quickly,.
Store all of them in a dark, dry, vermin free place though.

Are narcissus daffodils?

And thank you so much! I'll have to start diggin!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I have 100,000 bulbs, so no do not, never have, do not plan to, do not need to dig them up.. No one needs to do this.

 

[Owdboggy]

Yes, Daffodils are Narcissus.

 

[IcyBC]

I don't digg up the bulb flowers in my small garden. The squirrels did this for me without permission and tulip and daffodil bulbs are different looking from one another. If you are worried about the mix up, labeled two bags with their names and put them in as you dig.

 

[Sheal]

I have approximately 400 daffodils, there's no way I'd dig them up every year.

 

[claudine]

I have approximately 400 daffodils, there's no way I'd dig them up every year.

Wow, it must look amazing!!! Could you please take a picture of them when they're in bloom? Daffodils are beautiful flowers, looking at them is a great pleasure

 

[Sheal]

Thank you Claudine. These are just a few that were still coming into bloom along a 15ft stretch of lawn. The rest which I haven't got a picture of follow these to the right of the corner along the driveway for another 50ft. This picture was taken in April.

 

[claudine]

They're absolutely gorgeous!!! I like that not all of them are bright yellow. They look great together. Thank you very much for posting this beautiful picture

 

[Sheal]

You're welcome Claudine.

 

[new home owner]

I have a bucket of bulbs unearthed by the installation of a fence around my pool (required by insurance). I think they are daffodils and tulips. So my understanding is the dark purple are probably daffodils and the smaller, light brown are probably tulips?

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I once read that in Europe some people actually dig up the whole tulip plant attached to the bulb when the flower begins to dry.
It was noted the whole tulip is trashed. The reason is that some of the newer hybrid tulips do not do as well as those of yesteryear.