Influence of different bulb size and planting time on growth, morphology, and flower quality of Narcissus tazetta under greenhouse conditions.
Çolak Z, Uzunoğlu F
Propagation
If you've ever planted paperwhite narcissus bulbs and gotten disappointing blooms or no flowers at all, the culprit was likely bulb size — the small ones simply don't have enough stored energy to flower, no matter how well you tend them.
Scientists tested different sizes of narcissus (paperwhite daffodil) bulbs planted at different times of year in a greenhouse. They found that only bulbs above a certain size would actually produce flowers — smaller bulbs grew leaves but never bloomed. Planting a bit later in the fall also led to better-quality flowers and a longer harvest window.
Key Findings
Bulbs with a circumference of 10 cm or less produced no flowers at any planting date, only vegetative growth.
Bulbs 12–14 cm and larger were suitable for commercial cut flower production, while 10–12 cm bulbs were only useful for growing new bulbs.
Planting on September 30 or October 15 (vs. September 15) improved flower quality and extended the overall harvest period.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers found that daffodil bulb size and planting date both matter for getting quality flowers in a greenhouse. Larger bulbs (12 cm+ circumference) are needed for commercial cut flower production, while planting in late September or mid-October produces better blooms than planting earlier.
Abstract Preview
Narcissus tazetta L. is an important ornamental geophyte widely cultivated for cut flower and bulb production; however, optimizing bulb size and planting time is essential to improve flower quality...
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Species Mentioned
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