Digging up the daffodils

This week I have been planting daffodil bulbs on Plot 8.  I dug them up from Plot10b where they were planted in a long, narrow trench in front of the greenhouse.  They did really well there even though the soil was solid clay with some compost added. I hadn't expected them to do well, because of the heavy soil.But each year for the last three years they have provided us with lots of cheerful colour in the spring along with some crocus.

Now we are giving up Plot10b and thinking about what we want to take with us and have room for on Plot8, I decided I really didn't want to leave the daffodils behind.  So earlier in the summer I dug them up.  It wasn't easy getting them out of that sticky, compacted soil, but I ended up with a big tray of bulbs. Many more than I had originally planted. I also found some of the crocus bulbs.

The next step was to find somewhere on Plot 8 to plant them. I finally found a spot under the conifer hedge, which we had cut back drastically when we first took the plot on. It gets some sun for part of the day. I added a mixture of well rotted manure and home made compost to the soil. I planted them in clumps, so that if I wanted to put any other plants in there would be room.

The last time I dug up daffodil bulbs and replanted them, they didn't flower.  I will wait until spring and hope that I will once again have some cheerful colour to brighten up the allotment.