Daffodils have served us well, happily brightening our gardens for a long period, but as the flowers fade, there’s a few things you can do to thank them for their display and get them ready for next year.

Pinch off flowers as they fade, as leaving the seed heads to form means the energy is diverted from the process of bulb rebuilding.

It used to be thought that tying up the foliage was the thing to do but it is better to leave them to die down naturally, knotting reduces their ability to function.

Leave leaves for at least six weeks before removing, if you remove them soon, by mowing, for example, you are increasing the likeliness of non-flowering as it prevents the bulb building up food reserves for the future.

Mulch around bulbs with organic matter to help retain moisture if conditions have been dry.

If flowering was less than usual they may have become overcrowded, try lifting them when the foliage dies back, improving the soil by adding in organic matter and a general purpose fertiliser and then replanting the bulbs with a 7.5cm gap between each.

Or if you don’t think they are overcrowded, but flowering has declined, just try adding high potassium feed, such as tomato feed once or twice a week until the first signs of foliage yellowing.

Give garlic a go

It’s time to plant your garlic cloves, which are split into two main groups; hardneck and softneck.

Hardneck garlic originates from colder climates and produce flower stalks readily making fewer, larger cloves. It has a stronger flavour and stores until mid-winter and can be planted autumn or spring.

For varieties try Lautrec Wight, for great flavour, suitable for both autumn and early spring planting or Chesnok Wight, early summer maturing and a good cropper with strong flavour.

Softneck garlic produces smaller, more tightly packed cloves. It does not produce flower stalks, unless stressed, it stores longer than hardneck varieties.

For varieties try: Solent Wight, good for storage with late summer maturing or Germidour purple skinned and late maturing.