Mine always suffered from benign neglect and did just fine:)

I usually try to snip off the seed pods. What I must try to do this year, is dig and divide massive older clumps (+/- 20 years old) as their bloom has declined badly. I will likely never have to buy daffs again in my lifetime, if I manage to do this!

It really pays to divide crowded daffs -- a strong young man did a swathe of them for me last year along the roadside that had become crowded, and they were SO happy and bloomed very well.

But sometimes I just do as callirhoe does and leave them alone...

I usually also just leave mine. This year, I may divide the bulbs and put some along out stone walled country road along with some ditch lilies — away from the reach of the town’s brush cutter/gouger.

Forgot the name of these. They have multiplied greatly since I planted them yeaars ago.

Unknown — but I love this one

‘Salome’ and another mixed in.

I leave mine alone. They haven't been there a long time, though. I may dig some up this Fall and plant in the backyard.

It is true that if they become crowded and are not divided they will stop blooming.

Thanks, callirhoe. Those in the first photo bloomed well but are growing crowded. I will try to thin them in the fall.

No daffodils here, but this made me think I should try dividing my amaryllis, since they haven't bloomed in a long time.

Maybe try one of these for deadheading, to save your back? I have one similar I use for pruning high branches - mine is adjustable in length...

I never dead-head, just let the clumps go until around the first/mid June, then cut down to the ground (or mow off as I do). This year things seemed early, and the daffs foliage was beginning to turn yellow already so I mowed some off down front. I'll wait and mow them off in the orchard next month.

Always dead head so energy isn't wasted making sterile seeds. It strengthens the plant over the long haul.

My garden is so small I can do it but I can't believe it's really vital if you have a lot. I don't snip, I snap. They come off easily with just a finger and thumb. And they then snap at a natural point. The seeds are not sterile.

Yes, it is the leaning over.

Agree with ”snap not snip”

if my thumb joint is aching and i can find my good sissors ill snip.

I find my long loppers work great, stroll through the beds and snip the heads away. Tulips/daffodils/iris all need it. I have three acres of beds to cover so I can't be bending over to snap heads.

Love the stone wall.

I've done both. When I want to encourage the bulbs to grow larger and produce more, I deadhead right away. This year, I didn't deadhead at all, because I have enough bulbs where I want them for the most part, and I wanted to see if they would reseed.

You have a long line of them and they look new to that area. I'd deadhead them for the next couple of years and then maybe you could give up that job. It does look like a lot of work. [g]

@petalique....I grew that variety THIS year. Mine were called "Devon daffodils". I'm not clipping...too much trouble. I orderd 100 of them from Tulip World. Lots of people noticed those! A huge hit in the entryway displays I put in. I am now offically in charge of the Landscaping Committee for my HOA.

Annie...those are GORGEOUS! WOW! ❤️

thanks, everyone!

Arcy, smart idea with the loppers!

Annie, lovely stone wall with daffs.

Nicole, I love the orange and yellow. Anothef orange/yellow daffodil is ’Fortune.’ This color is fantastic at early dusk and also with Forget-Me-Nots.

My various rhododendrons are in full, glorious bloom. I started them as 12” plants and now they are huge. pink, pink-purple, white, reds and some much taller in the background — all in perfect dappled light beneath red maples and oaks and with some birches I moved when saplings. All the rain has made those plantings bloom with joy. The bees are having a hay day.

@petalique....Post some photos gurl....we don't have Rhodies or azaelas or Mtn Laurel here. 🐦‍⬛

I just read through the other comments and I should have said that I also snap off the heads by hand most of the time. I don't 'bend over' much either. I'm either on one knee or in a squat or on a kneeling pad. And my back is in very good shape. I have family members who have back issues if they are not careful, so I am more careful because of that. And I've had PT before and had good instruction for how to move safely in the garden. I hope I didn't jinx myself saying that...lol.

nicole___

Here are some shots of the rhododendrons. The gardebs are on the messy side — I need to do some trimming of some areas where I have deadwood and errant pest vines. All in all the abundant rainfall we had in April and May gave us some lovely blooms.

Doublefile viburnum in foreground needs to be tidied up. House wrens use the old nest box. I like them and they seem to eat a lot of insects.

”Lawn” is filled with Prunella vulgaris (self heal) and moss.

Rhododendron ’America’

Beauty Bush (where the catbirds nest every year. I wanted to thin this area out, but we had many rainy days. Then the shrubs leafed out, the the catbirds arrived. Bees, swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy the beauty bush which readily self sows.

This white rhodi always gets WHITEFLY 👿 and severely. I am not sure what to do, but these rhododendrons are very close together on a north-facing slope. Perhaps I should try to improve the airflow and circulation by pruning and thinning.

If I can stand to lean over for a few minutes, I could easily root, air layer propagate the Nova Zembla (red rhodi).

I put the three paper birches there when they were saplings.

Rhododendron ’Nova Zembla’

double file viburnum

Columbine in wood pile — these self sow in pink, red and purple.

bearded iris

Gardening buddy

Wowser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The white rhodi is my favorite! It's GORGEOUS! Dang!!!! Do you have dandelions? Or no? Such beauty! I need to move to a warmer climate. 💕