Daffodil/Tulips

Daffodils (also called Narcissus) and tulips are best planted as bulbs in fall. They will be one of the first spring flowers!
Plant your bulbs when it reaches 60oF consistently during the day, or at least 2-4 weeks before you expect the first frost (tulips can actually go in any time before the ground freezes). In the south, where this could be over a month away, put your bulbs in a brown paper bag with wood shavings (or something else that can wick moisture) and store at the back of the fridge away from any fruit. Areas that experience deep ground freezes or the very tip of Southern Florida should not plant bulbs in the ground for overwintering, and should instead store them in the fridge and try container planting the bulbs toward the end of winter. Pick an area with 6-8 hours of sun, with good drainage and deep, well-tilled soil. In the south, you may need to dig up your bulbs each year and give them an 8-16 week chilling in the fridge to ensure that they get enough chill hours to produce the following year. Daffodils and tulips can also be sensitive to heat, so an area with afternoon shade and easy access is best. Bulbs should be buried quite deep, at least 6-8”, with the pointy end facing up. Space your bulbs 4-6” apart. Adding kelp meal or another balanced fertilizer at planting can speed up root development. Once the bulbs are covered, water the area immediately to remove any air pockets. Then, you shouldn’t need to water for the rest of the fall and winter, unless there is no rain. You will need to add mulch in late fall/early winter, before the first hard freeze. In spring, once you begin to see the plants pushing through the soil, side dress the area with fertilizer, preferably one with more phosphorous and potassium to promote blooms and bulb growth. Do not move the mulch that they are pushing through! Provide consistent/even weekly watering if you have a dry spring.
Once the flowers are done, leave the foliage in place for at least 6 weeks, or until it dies back. The plant is making enough stored energy to make blooms again next year. When the foliage is dead, cut the plant at soil level. Add bone meal to the soil once they are done for the season. If you’re in the south, dig your bulbs up in early summer, divide/separate baby corms, and store in the fridge over the summer, before planting again the following fall.
Most bulbs tend to be fairly pest free, and daffodil bulbs are actually poisonous, so animals shouldn’t bother them (keep them away from pets too). Tulips can be eaten by rodents, and if you have moles, consider using a buried wire cage. Slugs and nematodes are the main pests for all bulbs. If you have nematodes, you can only remove their food source (the damaged bulb), there is no chemical treatment. Iron phosphate is the main ingredient in slug/snail bait and becomes phosphorous when not eaten, so slug bait can also be fertilizer!