Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Narcissus 'Ice Follies' (Narcissus 'Ice Follies')— schedule & NPK
Also called Ice Follies daffodil, large-cupped daffodil, white cream daffodil.
More about narcissus 'ice follies'
About Narcissus 'Ice Follies'
Narcissus 'Ice Follies' · also called Ice Follies daffodil, large-cupped daffodil · flowering
Narcissus 'Ice Follies' is a vigorous large-cupped daffodil whose flat, frilled cup opens pale lemon then fades to creamy white against white petals. Plant bulbs in autumn in sun or light shade and well-drained soil for robust 40 cm blooms in mid-spring. One of the best naturalisers, it bulks up quickly into reliable, weather-resistant drifts in borders and grass.
Growth habit: Vigorous clump-forming daffodil from a bulb, with strappy grey-green leaves and sturdy stems each bearing one large flat-cupped flower. Mid-spring-flowering, dying back by early summer; multiplies rapidly into broad drifts.
What fertiliser narcissus 'ice follies' actually wants — and why
Narcissus 'Ice Follies' feeds for next year, not this one — the critical window is after flowering, while the leaves are still green and recharging the bulb.
A low-nitrogen, potassium- and phosphorus-leaning bulb fertiliser (something like 5-10-10) or bonemeal at planting. High nitrogen grows floppy leaves and rots stored bulbs.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for narcissus 'ice follies': match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed narcissus 'ice follies', and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For narcissus 'ice follies':
Apply bonemeal or balanced bulb fertiliser at autumn planting. Feed with high-potash fertiliser as shoots emerge and after flowering to support the bulb. Avoid high nitrogen, and let foliage die back fully before tidying to rebuild next year's flowers. The rhythm: a bulb feed at planting, a light feed as leaves emerge, and — most important — a potassium feed straight after flowering while the foliage is still green and feeding the bulb. Never cut the leaves off early.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when narcissus 'ice follies' is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for narcissus 'ice follies'
Use the bulb-feed label rate for narcissus 'ice follies'; the timing (post-bloom, leaves still green) does far more for next year's display than the concentration.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water narcissus 'ice follies' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the narcissus 'ice follies' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding narcissus 'ice follies'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for narcissus 'ice follies':
- Tall, floppy, soft leaves that flop over (too much nitrogen).
- Soft or rotting bulbs lifted at the end of the season.
- Lush foliage but few or poor flowers.
Signs you are under-feeding narcissus 'ice follies'
- Progressively fewer or smaller flowers year on year ("going blind").
- Small, weak bulbs and thin foliage.
- Bulbs that fail to come back at all after a few seasons.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full narcissus 'ice follies' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Bulbs are not container-flushed like houseplants; the equivalent is not over-feeding and lifting/dividing congested clumps of narcissus 'ice follies' every few years so they are not competing for nutrients.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for narcissus 'ice follies'
Organic options
Bonemeal worked in at planting plus a mulch of garden compost or well-rotted leaf-mould is the traditional, reliable approach for narcissus 'ice follies'. UK: blood, fish & bone or Westland Bulb Food; US: Espoma Bulb-tone or bonemeal.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A proprietary bulb fertiliser at planting and a high-potash liquid (tomato feed) after flowering — UK: Westland Bulb Food then Tomorite; US: Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed Bulb or a bloom booster post-flower.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising narcissus 'ice follies' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does narcissus 'ice follies' need?
A low-nitrogen, potassium- and phosphorus-leaning bulb fertiliser (something like 5-10-10) or bonemeal at planting. High nitrogen grows floppy leaves and rots stored bulbs. Narcissus 'Ice Follies' feeds for next year, not this one — the critical window is after flowering, while the leaves are still green and recharging the bulb.
How often should I feed narcissus 'ice follies'?
Apply bonemeal or balanced bulb fertiliser at autumn planting. Feed with high-potash fertiliser as shoots emerge and after flowering to support the bulb. Avoid high nitrogen, and let foliage die back fully before tidying to rebuild next year's flowers. Apply bonemeal or balanced bulb fertiliser at autumn planting. Feed with high-potash fertiliser as shoots emerge and after flowering to support the bulb. Avoid high nitrogen, and let foliage die back fully before tidying to rebuild next year's flowers. The rhythm: a bulb feed at planting, a light feed as leaves emerge, and — most important — a potassium feed straight after flowering while the foliage is still green and feeding the bulb. Never cut the leaves off early.
What strength of feed for narcissus 'ice follies'?
Use the bulb-feed label rate for narcissus 'ice follies'; the timing (post-bloom, leaves still green) does far more for next year's display than the concentration.
What does over-feeding narcissus 'ice follies' look like?
Tall, floppy, soft leaves that flop over (too much nitrogen). Soft or rotting bulbs lifted at the end of the season. Lush foliage but few or poor flowers. Cutting or tying off the leaves of narcissus 'ice follies' as soon as the flowers fade is the great bulb mistake — the bulb recharges through those leaves for weeks afterward, and removing them early means a weak or blind display next year.
Should I flush the soil of narcissus 'ice follies'?
Bulbs are not container-flushed like houseplants; the equivalent is not over-feeding and lifting/dividing congested clumps of narcissus 'ice follies' every few years so they are not competing for nutrients.
Keep reading
- Narcissus 'Ice Follies' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water narcissus 'ice follies' — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise peace lily
- How to fertilise bird of paradise
- How to fertilise hoya
- All 3899 fertilising guides in the Growli library