[jsgreen89]

Planted some daffodils last autumn and they came up nicely. However the bed is in a prime spot in our small garden. They are quite spaced out so I'd love to plant some vegetables in the space.

Any recs for what would work? Could I risk something larger like a courgette?? Or stick with sowing a few carrots / root vegetables?

[maloneranger]

You don't say how spaced out they are.

However, why don't you lift the daffs now, in the green, and plant them closer together in one [?corner] spot.

That way you can use the rest of your bed for new planting, now.

[jsgreen89]

You don't say how spaced out they are.

However, why don't you lift the daffs now, in the green, and plant them closer together in one [?corner] spot.

That way you can use the rest of your bed for new planting, now.

Apologies. They were spaced as per planting advice, which I think is about 8-10" apart? Moving them would be tricky, as we really are fairly short of space!

[Goosegirl]

As their leaves die off they will flop all over and cover the soil. What you could do is sow some French / Runner beans and brassicas, but surround them with a plastic milk carton with the ends cut off so the leaves don't bother them as they grow - but remove when the plants grow above the top. Also sow some courgettes in pots so, when the daff leaves are looking dead (about mid-summer?) remove their leaves and plant them in the spaces. You could then sow some late carrots as well.

[jsgreen89]

As their leaves die off they will flop all over and cover the soil. What you could do is sow some French / Runner beans and brassicas, but surround them with a plastic milk carton with the ends cut off so the leaves don't bother them as they grow - but remove when the plants grow above the top. Also sow some courgettes in pots so, when the daff leaves are looking dead (about mid-summer?) remove their leaves and plant them in the spaces. You could then sow some late carrots as well.

Yeah a courgette was one idea, but would the roots be disruptive to the daffs at all?

[maloneranger]

You don't say how spaced out they are.

However, why don't you lift the daffs now, in the green, and plant them closer together in one [?corner] spot.

That way you can use the rest of your bed for new planting, now.

Apologies. They were spaced as per planting advice, which I think is about 8-10" apart? Moving them would be tricky, as we really are fairly short of space!

It may be the advice, but I plant daffs much closer than that - about 3.5 in apart.

My idea was to move them out of the way, and it looks as if you could do that.

If you leave them and plant over them or between them, then you may have problems digging the soil without disturbing or damaging the daffs. 

[Nobbie]

As their leaves die off they will flop all over and cover the soil. What you could do is sow some French / Runner beans and brassicas, but surround them with a plastic milk carton with the ends cut off so the leaves don't bother them as they grow - but remove when the plants grow above the top. Also sow some courgettes in pots so, when the daff leaves are looking dead (about mid-summer?) remove their leaves and plant them in the spaces. You could then sow some late carrots as well.

Yeah a courgette was one idea, but would the roots be disruptive to the daffs at all?

No, by the time the courgettes get going, the daffs will be dormant.