Question
How can I make my daffodils grow larger?  What can I put in the holes when I plant them?

Answer
Daffodils should be planted in the late summer or early fall when the temperatures are not going to be higher than 60 degrees, since they establish their roots during the fall and winter months.

Test your soil first and add the nutrients you need for a balanced soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. (see soil-building information at our website: http://www.avant-gardening.com)

They prefer a well drained, sandy, loamy soil, and like to be planted in clumps of three to six.  

Dig the area you are going to plant them in a little deeper than they will be planted, and add a generous layer of well-rotted manure or compost for easy root growth and nutrient uptake. Plant the bulbs about 6 inches deep, add a little bone meal (a teaspoon or so) and mix it into top few inches of the soil you cover the bulbs with.  This willl increase the soil's potassium level.

Existing bulbs should be fed annually with a 5-10-5 fertilizer in the early spring. Work it into the top few inches of the soil.

Mulch them with about two or three inches of bark, wood chips, or compost to help keep the soil temperatures stable, and to help retain spring and summer moisture. Don't cut the foilage off until it is yellowed, about six weeks after the bulbs have flowered.  Since the bulbs will mutiply in a few years, you can keep the bulbs growing large by digging up and separating the larger clumps in the fall and replanting them.

Their flowering period will be extended if you pick a planting spot that is shaded from afternoon heat.