Expert: Long Island Gardener - 6/13/2007

Question
Hi,
LOCATION:  Central Indiana - 46123
Just yesterday, I had to dig up some daf's while removing thick stumped weeds...  The one's I dug up were not blooming at all, but all my others in the beds are just beginning to open.  Can I plant these back in the same bed right now (now that the weed roots are gone) or what should I do with them?  I hate to throw them away.  Thanks in advance!

Answer
If they're not dormant -- doesn't sound like any of them are even close to that -- get those back in the ground Yesterday!

A dose of sprayed Messenger Harpin Protein will accelerate recovery.  Daffodils, unlike Tulips, have a high rate of perennialization.  Unless they're attacked by the Narcissus Bulb Fly or some virus or other pathogen, Daffodils usually return, and if they're very happy they naturalize and multiply.  Tulips do that rarely, and less and less.

By disturbing them at this point in their growth cycle, you stress them and interrupt next year's bulb production.  It would be good if you can minimize the impact of this bad timing.  You do what you gotta do, but you have choices to ease their recovery.

Harpin Protein was developed at Cornell University and is licensed to Eden Bioscience.  You can find more about it on their website:

http://www.edenbio.com/garden/

The closest retailer unfortunately is more than 50 miles away.  Your best bet would be to order it on their website or from an organic online company that cn ship it to you asap.  Make sure you spray it on the leaves, and select a day when it is not going to rain to get maximum absorption.

This is an exciting time to be a Gardener.  Botanists are heavily funded to develop new products based on discoveries about plant growth and biology all the time.  There's lots of competition -- like the Space Race, taking place in our backyards.  The world is changing.  This is one new option you have that was not available 5 years ago -- and not yet easy to find, as you can see.  Harpin Protein is patent protected.  Eventually the patent will wear off and it will be easier to find.  By then, many new treatments -- probably better than this! -- will be rolling out of the labs.

If you are simply careful with your Daffodils, I do believe they will recover, but it will take time.  At least one full season of spring flowers will be affected.  It's something to consider when doing your cost/benefit analysis.  Absolutely positively don't throw them away!

Let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks for writing.