Of course you are nor alone. My name is kay and I am an addict too! I am also planning the fall order. After all, it's almost May!
kay

Hi Kay,

Glad to meet a fellow addict. Am I correct in assuming that you too would like to have them all? I hear there are about 25,000 different cultivars worldwide.

If you order some in quantities greater than just one 'specialty' bulb, might you like to consider trading later in the year? I should have a list together here before too long of what all has multiplied enough to dig and divide, or ones that I simply want to move, for one reason or another. Will you be digging and dividing or moving any this year? Wanna trade? Huh, huh, huh? Whatcha got?

Though I have just acquired, (last year probably,) this full blown addiction,(last year probably,) I have probably acquired a collection of 300-400 different named cultivars though most are very new and I just have 1,2,or 3 bulbs of them now. I just couldn't stop ordering or buying last year. I also bought 1000 new metal markers so I for sure wouldn't run out of them and have been buying up the Brother p-touch tapes for labels.
It was suggested to me that I totally bury a mini blind marker in the planting hole, in case the above ground marker gets destroyed or pulled up (furbabies), so the name will never be lost. Have you been doing that also?

Sue

Just had to share a pic of one of the last blooming 'clumps'....Sun Disc
{{gwi:10745}}

Well, Sue, I can't say that I ever think about Bulbs until September. I'm always so immersed in trying to tweak my perennial beds or keeping up with the watering or pulling apart a rock edging and redoing it, etc. etc. Plus, I have a 1/4 acre with probably 1/2 as part shade and 1/4 full shade and only a 1/4 has 6hrs or more of sun. I am already looking around trying to find new places to move extra bulbs to. I have Ice Follies that really multiply, so I started giving some away to my neighbor last fall. This year is unusual for me to be thinking about Daffodils and it was because I was so disappointed after planting new daffs last fall that nothing was blooming with the phlox subulata. lol

I ordered from David Burdock at Daffodils or More in Massachusetts last fall. They were more expensive then I am used to and I had not ordered from him before, so I just ordered one each of ten varieties. I can't tell yet if I am going to like them or not. They have had a long bloom period, except Bantam that only lasted 2 weeks. I think next year will be better for evaluating them. David Burdick was recommended to me by someone over at the NE Daffodil Society who thought he is 'the' daffodil expert for what grows well in New England. He spent a lot of time answering questions and making suggestions.

I heard good things about Mitsch's catalog and want to order from them this year. Have you been ordering this way before this year? Wondering what are your favorite varieties?

An addict? Not me, I can stop anytime I want, or at least cut back, I swear.

There are a couple of vendors listed on the ADS site which you did not mention.

In addition to the ones you mention, I will hit up my local merchants. If you have your list of "haves" together when I go, I will see what they have that is not on your list. They normally have their stock in just after labor day.

Kathy - who is in denial about the severity of her addiction.

If you still have ground to plant in - there's a smidge of hope for your recovery.

When you have to sneak along six inch wide paths lined with pots, and you'd pass on chocolate just to buy a new treasure...

When your bill for potting media exceeds just about anything else...

When your friends and neighbours are saturated with your prolific offsets...

Um. Is there a twelve step programme for this???

You know you raised your daughter right when she calls you on the phone to tell you she and her husband are playing hookie from work and are headed down to Brent and Becky's. She asked if I needed anything. Well, duh. But they are sold out of the caladiums I want.

Kathy

"You know you raised your daughter right when...."

Do you mean (1) that she called you or (2) that when she plays hookie she goes to Brent and Becky's? I would be proud either way!

I WAS trying to hold off, but then saw a picture of golden lantern.... and then checked the price again at Mitsch's... and then saw Hawaiian skies... and then thought that yes, I do need maybe just a few more. Grrrrr. I was being good.

Sue, remember last fall I was sick of planting bulbs and almost tossed a couple tulips? You talked me out of it and they are looking nice now. Thanks for the intervention!

If you follow the link, please disregard anything that I might have said that might sound the tiniest bit anti-daffodil..... it was just the dark pinks of the tulips that got to me during a weak moment!

Here is a link that might be useful: tulips and daffs in bloom

When I lived in the DC area there was a man who bought a farm in the area in Virginia and he started cultivating them. He was told he was crazy as they are a weed in that area. Well Holland had a bad winter and a lot of theirs rotting so who did they buy them from? He also was able to sell one of his special bulbs for $50 So it pays to do what you love and don't let anyone talk you out of what you love.

Sue, I'm your "neighbor" and I'd love to get in on a huge bulk order...I have no daffs at my new house and need them bad. I'm thinkin' a hundred or more garden variety daffs would start me off good, know a good place in Indy to get some? :)

:)
Kate

pm2,

and only a 1/4 has 6hrs or more of sun.
You do know that daffs tolerate being planted in the shade of deciduous trees, since they don't have their leaves on (much anyway) during the actual daff season, don't you? A lot of mine are planted in the deciduous front yard woods and have bloomed and thrived for years.

I ordered from David Burdock at Daffodils or More in Massachusetts last fall. They were more expensive then I am used to....
I 'think' a lot of the more expensive places that sell by the bulb like that, are maybe just selling bulbs that produce show quality blooms (they have more substance) than the less expensive bulbs that are more garden variety bulbs.

I heard good things about Mitsch's catalog and want to order from them this year. Have you been ordering this way before this year? Wondering what are your favorite varieties?
Mitsch's bulbs are very nice. I'm thinking that most, if not all were bull-nosed bulbs, ie a big bulb with a smaller bulb or two still attached that will split into 2 or 3 bulbs soon and that may very well send up 2 or 3 bloom stalks from the bulb.

Have you been ordering this way before this year?
It was in 2009 that I first noticed my buying had really started getting out of control. The IN Daff Soc sells bulbs dug from numerous places, some named, some NO ID (lost name) and some that the name is questionable and that needs verified for accuracy once it blooms. I bought all of the named ones that I could get my hands on at the bulb sales and via the sales members. That accounted for 'about' 100 new cultivars planted last fall. I also bought from 3 other sources and then also traded for even more cultivars.
Wondering what are your favorite varieties?
That's a real tough question. I like all varieties, and collect them in all different color combinations and from different countries, since I grow to not just enjoy, but to enter in Daff show competitions.
A few though that are dear to my heart are
Fragrant Rose. They smell just like roses.
Misty Glen. All the blooms were 'near' perfect, and lasted a long time in the garden. The pic at the link doesn't really do them justice.

Tripartite (below). It is a late bloomer, is very prolific (a good multiplier) and I just love the split cup which is quite unique.
{{gwi:10746}}

Some new ones that bloomed for me this spring, that spring to mind that I particularly liked are
Precocious
Modern Art
and
Las Vegas which had huge blooms.

I have developed a special fondness too for many of Division 11a...ie split cupped daffodils. They are so 'showy' in the garden.

I think we have had above normal rain here this spring, so between being so busy with spring 'chores' and the rain often ruining the one bloom on so many new varieties, I didn't really get to see and individually enjoy all of the new ones. I'm hoping that next spring I will have some mulch down so fewer blooms are ruined due to being spattered with mud.

paddlehikeva,
An addict? Not me, I can stop anytime I want, or at least cut back, I swear.
From what I have deduced, I think you are out of control.

There are a couple of vendors listed on the ADS site which you did not mention.
hmmm....if I buy all that I would like to buy, I'd have to give something up, like buying groceries and eating.
I will try to get my total 'have' list together for you before it is bulb purchasing time with the local merchants.

vetivert8
if you still have ground to plant in - there's a smidge of hope for your recovery.
But, I have 40 acres! I have entertained thoughts of maybe having a daff farm and growing daff bulbs for selling and forget about leasing the small 22 acre field of cropland.

Kato,
Sue, remember last fall I was sick of planting bulbs and almost tossed a couple tulips? You talked me out of it and they are looking nice now. Thanks for the intervention!
Surely those tulip pics are not of tulips grown from the small bulbs you were going to compost, are they?
Love the pic of Chaste. I haven't seen mine bloom yet. It might get dug later, and moved to a different location.

Wally,
He also was able to sell one of his special bulbs for $50
Do you know about when that was? I wonder what the $50 bulb was. I'd love to know more about this daff farmer.

Hi neighbor kterlep,
Where are you located? I'm about 30 miles N of Louisville up I 65.
I'm thinkin' a hundred or more garden variety daffs would start me off good, know a good place in Indy to get some? :)
No place in particular, other than just the mixes sold in the big box stores in the fall, ie Costco, Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. I think a lot of folks start out with mixes, and then end up wanting to try and find out the names for all the different bloom in the mix, which is nearly impossible to do.

Brent and Becky's Bulbs, and BuggyCrazy (see my original post for links) are 2 vendors I have bought from in the past, that sell named cultivars for the garden, and for showing, at reasonable prices.
Possibly other members will post other places that might be good sources for garden variety bulbs.

Sue...who now has had too much coffee.

Sue, I live in Connersville (out I-70 toward Dayton, 75 miles from Indianapolis) but I'm in Indianapolis 2-3 days a week during school season. Today's my last day until September...yaaah!

:)

Hi Sue,

Yes, I thought that daffs could tolerate some shade under deciduous trees, but I do have two Maples that leaf out early and cover densely. I have tried planting some there and they don't do as well and some stopped blooming all together. Only two little patches of daffs are in full sun in my front bed and the rest are all in part sun with 3-5 hrs of sun. It's the areas that have less than that that are left. [g]

David Burdock's bulbs....yes he told me he had more daffs for show but did carry a few favorite garden varieties. I tried ordering that Misty Glen last year and he was out. I got Empress of Ireland instead and one he suggested Birthday Girl. It's hard to tell this year if they will be winners for me. Next year will tell the tale. You must be dying to see what yours look like next year! [g]

I like the sound of those large Mitsch bulbs. I heard he offers a lot of pinks.

I also have Fragrant Rose. They are very pretty and long lasting in my garden too.

Tripartite is very pretty. Precocious is a beautiful color! I have been slow to warm to the split cups. I keep looking for something I like enough to buy. Last year I saw a photo of Pink Glacier that Burdock offered and bought that, but was a little disappointed with it this year. Maybe I will like it better next year. I really want to like the split cups! I think I will eventually find a few that I really like. I haven't seen them in the garden in person so that might make a difference. I see some photos on that link you posted that are really nice too. Hungarian Rhapsody, Curly Lace, Sovereign. I'm hoping for one that holds it's color, has up facing blossoms, that doesn't fall over from it's own weight and lasts in the garden. Nothing like asking for too much. [g]

I imagine with 100 individual new bulbs, you would have a hard time catching each one. I found that with my 10 this year, that they didn't offer any impact in the bed I planted them in yet, which I expected, so I had to go find their new little faces. Next year!

One of my favorites is Ceylon. The blooms don't droop so you can see their faces very well, they have a nice form to the plant, they stay fresh and last a long time and multiply well. Not as fancy as the splits but a workhorse in the garden.

Hope you will post photos when you have them. :-)

I just ordered 100 kidling daffs from Colorblends! I don't even know yet where I'm going to put all of them!

this is my first daff order ever... I ordered:

Minnow
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=01-1414

Hawera
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=01-1405

Aspasia
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/index.php?sku=01-0808

Tripartite
http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/productview/?sku=01-1109

Okay,
I looked at your picutes of precocious and I had to go to Brent and Becky's and order a few more daffs for fall. It was required of me. Absolutely. Such beauties! I had to have some.
kay

LOL! I can relate. I just wish I could grow as many types here in Texas as I could when I lived near DC.