Step-by-Step: Moving Daffodils with Ease

Welcome to my first ever: From the Field Friday!

Each week, I’m out in real gardens—your gardens—digging into the questions you’ve been asking, right where the plants live and grow. Whether it’s daffodils that won’t bloom, mystery weeds taking over, or soil that just won’t cooperate, I’m here with boots on the ground (and dirt under the nails) to help you troubleshoot, learn, and grow better. Let’s get into this week’s garden adventure!

I’ll choose one gardening question, each week, submitted by a follower to feature here on From the Field Friday. Whether it’s a pruning question, a seasonal dilemma, or something you’ve just been curious about in your own yard, I’ll pick one that I think will be helpful & relatable, for the whole garden-loving community. The goal is to answer it in a way that not only helps you—but gives everyone a chance to learn something new. So keep those questions coming!

This weeks question: “Hi, I just have a quick garden question for you. If I want to move my daffodils in a certain place can I do it now after they bloom? I just don’t like where I put them last fall and want to move them when I know where they are at.”

 Spring cleaning isn’t just for closets—it’s for gardens, too. As the daffodil blooms begin to fade, now’s the perfect time to roll up your sleeves, grab a spade, and give these sunny perennials a fresh start. Whether you’re thinning out crowded clumps or relocating them to a sunnier spot, digging and moving daffodils can breathe new life into your garden—and theirs.

In Utah, the best time to dig and move daffodils is after the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, which is usually early summer—typically late May through June, depending on your local climate and elevation.

Here’s a step-by-step guideline:

1. Wait for the foliage to die back naturally: Once the flowers are done blooming in spring, leave the green leaves alone! This is crucial because the leaves feed the bulb for next year’s blooms.
2. Choose a dry day: The soil should be relatively dry to make digging easier and to prevent damage to the bulbs.
3. Dig carefully: Plan to dig them up around early to mid-June, when the foliage has turned yellow and flopped over. Use a garden fork or spade to gently lift the bulbs without damaging them.
4. Dry and store (if not replanting immediately): Let the bulbs dry for a day or two in a cool, shady place. Store in a paper bag or mesh bag in a cool, dry spot. If you’re just moving them to a new spot, you can replant right away
5. Replant in fall: If you’re not replanting right away, you can wait until fall (October) to put them back in the ground.

If you are worried about loosing where your bulbs are in the ground as the foliage dies back, use a stick, stake, or other marker to mark where your daffodils are blooming.

If You Absolutely HAVE to Move Them Early

Sometimes timing doesn’t work out, and you just need to move them—here’s how to reduce the damage:

• Move the entire clump with soil: Try to keep the root ball intact so you don’t disturb the roots too much.
• Replant immediately at the same depth they were before.
• Water them in to help reduce transplant shock.
• Don’t cut the foliage—let it die back naturally in the new location.
• Expect reduced blooms next year, but they should bounce back over time.

If it’s a design emergency or construction project forcing your hand, you’re better off moving them early than losing them altogether—but if you can wait, you’ll get a much better show next spring.

Thanks for joining me on this week’s From the Field Friday! I hope today’s question shed some light—and maybe even sparked a few new ideas for your own garden. Got something you’re stumped by or curious about? Send your questions my way, and you just might see yours featured next week. Until then, happy gardening!

From my garden to yours! See ya next time

XO, Carly