Daffodils are a gorgeous spring flower. There are several ways to get container gardens full of daffodil flowers. The easiest way is to buy bulbs in the nursery or supermarket that are already growing in simple plastic pots. Look for plants that have lots of buds, but haven't gone into full bloom yet. You can then either take these, pot and all, and put them into a larger container - almost any basket will look great. Try using Spanish moss as a topdressing to hide the pots and give your container a finished look.
You can also take the growing bulbs out of their pots and plant them in any planter with good drainage to which you have added potting soil. Try mixing daffodils with hyacinths, grape hyacinths and using oxalis or wheat grass to fill in the spaces.
The only problem with using bulbs that have already been sprouted for you, is that the daffodils you usually find already potted, are usually pretty standard varieties. There are 25,000 registered daffodil cultivars and the range of colors, size and flower varieties is staggering. Typically, the only way to get the more unusual daffodils is to buy bulbs and plant them yourself.
If you choose to start with bulbs, you will have to cool them. In order to flower, daffodil bulbs need to be kept at a low temperature, roughly 40 to 45 °F, for a period of 13 to 16 weeks. You can achieve this by putting your bulbs in a refrigerator, or if you live in a cold climate, you can pot up your bulbs in containers and leave them either outside, or in an unheated garage or basement that doesn't get below freezing.
Once your daffodils have cooled for a sufficient amount of time, water them and put them in full sun and wait for them to bloom. Enjoy your pots of daffodil flowers, or cut some for a beautiful and fragrant bouquet. Once cut, daffodils don't last long, but they can really light up a room while they do.
