on the same note.. sorry if this is a silly question! i was confused when i read an article that said pull the daffodil for longer stems. How do you pull the flower without removing the bulb from the ground?

I raised tulips for the first time this spring. I had a florist tell me they like getting some open tulips for using in arrangements quickly and some tightly closed for later use. I wouldn't take tightly closed tulips to a farmer market though. People like to see more open flowers. Just my opinion.
Also, if the ground is moist when you are pulling tulips and daffodils the bulbs can come up too. So, try to pull when the ground is dry. The flowers come out of the bulb easier.

gardnerzone4 - you asked how people could envision the more open flower. If you have the ability to download & print images, can sometimes get them from websites where you order. Or, if order from a print catalog, display some clipped photos of the variety you're selling.

It probably is tricky deciding the stage to take to a market, but I'd err on a little more tight than "too" open. Tulips don't really last all that long sometimes. The petals expand so quickly, the customer doesn't have them long if sold fully open. I'm trying a few myself this year so hope my timing works to fit a once-a-week market!

Hi all, with regard to the question of the daffodils, if you reach down the flower stem as far as you can into the leaves and give it a sharp upward tug, the stem should snap down in the bulb without pulling the bulb up. Agreed to do this when the ground is a little drier.

Kat