Daffodil bulbs – Determining quality

Q: This spring I reworked a weed-choked flower bed. It had a couple hundred daffodil bulbs in it. I dug the bulbs up and laid them on a mesh trailer and forgot about them. They have been laying on this mesh (outside) for at least a month. Are the bulbs still any good? Can I replant them this fall with good results?

A: I found last week some garlic bulbs I dug and dumped into a plastic pot in April. The pot had been in partial sun and had been rained on several times. Nonetheless, ninety percent of my mistreated bulbs were still firm and ready to plant.

Squeeze each daffodil bulb between your fingers. If it is still firm, you can plant it now. If it is soft or dusty-dry, put it on your compost pile. As penance for neglecting the bulbs, I sentence you to mix a three inch layer of soil conditioner ten inches deep in the bulb bed before planting!