The Salman Raspberry Ranch is Now Open! Our U-Pick-It Raspberry Fields in Mora are ready for picking. Call before you come for field conditions, toll free 866-281-1515. We're closed on Mondays and occasionally other week days when weather is bad or berries need a rest. The Café is open with many new items Tuesday through Sunday, 11am to 4pm with an extra hour to 5pm on weekends. Our store is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The crop looks great and we welcome our visitors. Internet Specials Every week we have new Internet Specials—plants, seeds, soil amendments, fertilizers—just about anything for the garden. Keep checking back to see the latest. Gardening News For more information about soil, plants, garden history, botanical news, watering and much more. Sign up for Our Weekly Newsletter from Santa Fe Greenhouses, Inc. Read our Monthly Gardening Tips from the High Country Gardens Ezine. Read 100's of gardening articles in our extensive online Library. David Salman, President/ Chief Horticulturist Ava Salman, VP / Dir. of Marketing Cindy Bellinger, Editor Kerry Kirkpatrick, Web Design

Now's the time to think about planting for spring, and for many gardeners spring means daffodils / narcissus / jonquils. The names are commonly interchanged, but not botanically. The botanical name for "daffodil" is Narcissus and it belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, the same one that the Christmas time amaryllis comes from. The name "jonquil" is derived from the Spanish word jonquillo, which means rush because of the rush-like leaves.

Some History and Myth
Unlike in America, the common daffodil grows wild in most European countries and the early Romans are credited with bringing daffodils to Britain. The name "narcissus" comes from the Greek story of a beautiful young man who caught his reflection in a pool, loved his image but when trying to grab hold of it, fell in the pool, drowned and became the flower.

The foliage and bulbs of daffodils are rich in protective chemicals. In medieval times, the Arabs thought oil from the daffodil bulb cured baldness. But you don't need to worry about extra hairy animals in your yard as almost all animals won't eat daffodil leaves. This is why we recommend planting them if you have problems with deer, gophers, moles or rabbits. Even the bulbs are slightly toxic so these animals don't like them either. The early Greeks, however, used to eat the daffodil bulbs in times of famine.

Gardens of Delight
Daffodils are a springtime favorite, trailing only tulips in popularity. Liking full sun or light shade, these flowers bloom in every shade of yellow, orange, pink and white. Easy to plant and maintain in zones 3 to 8, daffodils quickly naturalize (spread) into full displays for years to come.

When to Buy
When dug from the field, the bulbs need to rest naturally in the open air to lose 20 percent of water weight. It's how they mature. But there's a push in many of the big box stores these days to have daffodil bulbs shipped early. Why? To be on sale for an extra two weeks. Trouble is rushing their natural schedule means the bulbs aren't set and the ensuing transport makes them susceptible to fungus.

Here at High Country Gardens we want the best bulbs available. Our supplier won't ship daffodil bulbs until they've reached maturity. This means our bulbs are plump and healthy and ready to go in the ground.

When to Plant
The best time to plant daffodils is mid- to late fall, after the first light frost but before the ground freezes.

• Sun: They need at least a half day of full sun or dappled shade; in bright sun, their flowers follow the sun
• Height: They range from 6 to 18 inches
• Uses: Rock gardens, forcing, borders, naturalized in lawns and meadows.
• Divide: Every 5 to 7 years
• Zones: 3 to 8

Kinds of Daffodils
We sell 23 different varieties of daffodils that bloom from white to yellow to orange with all kinds of combinations. Not sure what to get? Try our Garden Daffodil Sampler, which are the larger sizes. Or the Wildflower Daffodil Sampler, which are the miniatures.

We also have bulbs that do well in warm climates, without much winter chilling up to zone 9: Daffodil Double Campernelle, Daffodil Canaliculatus, Daffodil Jonquilla, Daffodil Obvallaris, Daffodil 'Minnow', Daffodil Quail.

In her latest book Vegetable, Animal, Miracle, author Barbara Kingsolver recounts how her young daughter couldn't say "jonquils" so called them "tranquils"--and that's just what daffodils do: bring a feeling of tranquility to any garden after the harshness of winter.

David's Helpful Hint: Planting Daffodils -- Rules and Tools 
A general rule of thumb in planting bulbs, daffodils included, is to plant them at a depth three times their diameter. Thus, plant a bulb two inches wide, six inches deep. In sandy soil and in areas with severely cold winters, the depth can be increased by several inches.

Spacing and Placing

• Spacing between bulbs generally depends on the size of the mature plant: smaller varieties should be planted 4" apart while large cultivars should be planted 8-10" apart. Leave a little more space between them when inter-planting with other perennial bulbs.

• Daffodils typically look best in clusters of at least five or seven. Most will naturalize so plant them where they can spread and make an even bigger, more dynamic display. 

Consider Layering Bulbs
Since daffodil bulbs need to be planted deep, you can plant smaller bulbs on top of them. To do this, plant the daffodils then backfill the hole part way, place small bulbs on top, and continue with more soil on top of them.

• Try very early blooming Miniature Wildflower Iris or any other small bulb that suits your fancy.

How to Plant
Planting daffodil bulbs is easy with the Bahco bulb planter or with a bulb auger. In compacted or heavy soil it may be necessary to use a garden spade. If this is the case, it's probably easiest to dig a large hole for a quantity of bulbs.

Bulbs appreciate soil that is well drained mixed with some organic matter. Blend good quality compost and Yum Yum Mix "Winterizer" organic fertilizer into the soil before planting. You can also add Planters II natural trace mineral fertilizer, especially in sandy soils.

Water the bulbs after planting and continue with regular watering until the soil freezes solid. Resume watering when the soil dries out in the spring and add a little compost or Yum Yum Mix to encourage larger blooms. 

Plant Combinations for Garden Design

These two flowering plants make splendid displays during the fall. The two set each other off, complimenting the yellow of the Goldenrod and the purple of the Aster. Both like compost-enriched loam or clay-loam soil in their planting sites.

Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' Purple Dome New England Aster is a compact cultivar notable for its symmetrical mounding habit and luscious deep lavender-purple flowers. Easy to grow in any decent soil and not bothered by mildew. Divide in spring every 3rd year to keep the plants vigorous. Zones 3-8.

Solidago sphacelata 'Golden Fleece' Dwarf Goldenrod is a sturdy, superb dwarf Goldenrod with golden-yellow flowers. The arching stems are profuse and make an eye catching display. The plant is very easy to grow. Zones 4-9.