Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Narcissus 'February Gold' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called February Gold daffodil, cyclamineus hybrid, early daffodil (Narcissus 'February Gold').

More about narcissus 'february gold'

About Narcissus 'February Gold'

Narcissus 'February Gold' · also called February Gold daffodil, cyclamineus hybrid · flowering

Narcissus 'February Gold' is a vigorous Cyclamineus daffodil flowering very early, often late winter to early spring. Each 25-30 cm stem bears one golden-yellow bloom with a long trumpet and slightly swept-back petals. Excellent for naturalising in grass, borders and pots. Plant bulbs in autumn. All parts are toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Frost-damaged early blooms: Its very early flowers can be browned by hard late frosts. Site in a sheltered spot; damage is cosmetic and bulbs recover for next year.

The reasons narcissus 'february gold' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming narcissus 'february gold' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding narcissus 'february gold' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get narcissus 'february gold' to flower

Maximise sun. Give narcissus 'february gold' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for narcissus 'february gold' and get the feeding right with the narcissus 'february gold' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Narcissus 'February Gold' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full narcissus 'february gold' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Narcissus 'February Gold' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my narcissus 'february gold' flower?

Narcissus 'February Gold' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make narcissus 'february gold' bloom?

Give narcissus 'february gold' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does narcissus 'february gold' normally bloom?