Some of the daffodils I moved
Daffodils
One spring I dug up seventy-five daffodil bulbs while they were still blooming. This is probably the worst thing you can do to one of these perennial favorites. Bought as a naturalizing mix, I had planted the bulbs in wide drifts along the side yard. When they bloomed, miniature, large trumpet, and small cup daffodils in pink, white, yellow and orange came up in a chaotic mess. I didn't like the look, preferring my large yellow trumpet daffodils together, and my miniatures grouped where I can see them up close.
The only way to separate them was to dig them up in while able to sort the flowers by color and type. Daffodils are very hardy bulbs, but moving them while in bloom disturbs the growth cycle and affects the bulbs ability to store energy for future flowers. Often they do not bloom the next year.
If you must move them before the foliage naturally dies, try to dig them up with as much soil around the bulbs' roots as possible. Replant them immediately or heel them in so the leaves can continue to store food in the bulb. Heeling in is easy, just put the bulbs in a trench and cover them with a light soil mix. Cut off all flower heads leaving the green stalk, and water them well. If only planted temporarily, let the foliage die off, lift the bulbs and keep them dry through summer until you plant them in September.
The next year I wasn't looking forward to a spring with just daffodil foliage, but my daffodils surprised me and bloomed anyway, which is why I love these flowers. Now that they have bloomed I will give them good care to ensure years of future bloom. When the bloom size diminishes it is an indication to lift the bulb mass (they will have propagated), separate the bulbs and replant them with some space between each bulbs.
As mentioned, it is best to let the foliage linger on as long as possible. Many gardeners find this the worst drawback of any bulb plant. The foliage gets gangly and unsightly and often lasts through July. The best solution is to grow a companion plant that's will camouflage they daffodil leaves. Even this isn't always a successful solution; so if you must cut the green foliage, wait as long as you can – at least six weeks – before cutting off the foliage. Deadheading or removing spent blossoms to conserve bulb strength isn't necessary on most daffodil hybrids, even if a seedpod develops, it is usually empty, but removal makes the flower bed look better.
Daffodils need plenty of water from when they first send up shoots until the foliage dies down. Water is unnecessary while the bulbs are dormant during the summer. Fall soil moisture helps the bulb set roots to anchor it through the winter.
Fertilize you daffodils with a low nitrogen slow-release formula. Some gardeners think a sprinkling of Epson salts on the daffodil beds in either early spring or late fall helps make the red and pink colors stronger.
There are two more great facts about Daffodils. First, they belong to the Amaryllis family and their bulbs contain an alkaloid poisonous to most pests, so don't succumb to the ravages of deer and mice. The second is hybridizers have created an amazing array of flower types and sizes, enough to please anyone's taste.