[Glosterboy]

My daffs have finally finished flowering. Having only a small flower garden, I want to replace with summer bedding plants. But, what about the daffs? Do I leave them in? Or can I dig up the bulbs now and put them all together and replant until the leaves die-back? Thanks.

[mumofstig]

You can move them to somewhere where they can stay permanently.
I never think it works very well to dig them up and move them temporarily if you are then going to dry them off for next year, cos I think it stops the bulbs fattening up properly.

[Flowerpower136]

Best to leave them in place really.

If they've got to be moved, try transplanting into a big pot and then you can put them out again next year.  I've done this with some success, but think they always do better if left to their own devices.

[tosca100]

My mum had limited space in her garden, but loved a good display of daffs, so we planted them in those baskets you get for pond plants so there was little disturbance as the whole basket was moved as it was, and they lived in troughs behind the shed in summer and were put into position after the bedding plants were finished in Autumn.

[Glosterboy]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

So, nobody has waited (end of May/June) until the leaves die-back. Then lift the bulbs. Dry and then re-plant the bulbs during the autumn?

Thanks.

[Flowerpower136]

Yes, I leave mine in place usually.  Just had to rehome some one year because of landscape work.  Mine will be in place till the leaves wither and pull off.  But not everyone has the space.

[barbarella]

One of the Gardener's World team made the comment last year I think, that as it doesn't cost much to buy those big bags of daff bulbs in the autumn, compared with what a lot of people spend on summer bedding, why not just chuck the old bulbs and buy new every year - then you can be sure of a good spring show.  Obviously that wouldn't apply to expensive cultivars and tulips. 

Having said that I have lifted the bulbs in my pots and dug a hole in the garden.  If they flower next year, I will do it again - if not, I'll make a note not to bother in future. 

[JayG]

Daffs really need to be left for a minumum of 4 weeks after flowering for the bulbs to replenish their food reserves for next year.

They can then be cut down to ground level and if you planted the bulbs deep enough you can easily plant your summer bedding on top of them.

I don't think it's a good idea to dig them out before that 4 weeks is up even if replanting them; in my experience they seem to quickly die back and might come up "blind" next year.

I plant winter pansies in and around where the daffs are; some of them get almost lifted out of the soil when the daffs come up but they are dogged little chaps and are flowering away nicely now!