Daffodil dead-heading

Depends whether you want it to set seed or not - if you do then don't deadhead otherwise removing the flowerhead - including the swelling, which is the ovary is fine. But please, please don't tied the leaves in a knot or cut them off. The bulb needs them to help generate the nourishment for the following year.

You could leave them to seed themselves, but i believe the reason is that they then send all the goodness back into the bulb for next season, you get better flowers than if left to go to seed. think thats right, someone will put me right if not LOL.
I remove all the head including the swelling as thats where the seeds are.

Oh moongrower your reply went on just as i put mine on!!!

I have always taken Daffodil & Narcissus heads off mainly to keep the area looking tidy, as I do not cut the leaves down until after June 10th.
I have tried many times to set seeds from Daffs & Narcissus and have never had any success.

I Remove The Heads Of Daffs 2 Doc as the Bulbs Multiply without the Need Of Seeds I Find :)

Many thanks, I am now a comitted daffodil dead-header. Doctorbob, after June 10th, have the leaves done their job or revitalising the bulb and can therefore safely be removed?

i leave mine for 6 weeks after the flowers have died. if they do set seed they are shiny black seeds about the 1-2 mm in size. they take about 4-5 years to reach flowering size.

I find dead heading very theraputic.

It is rare that we deadhead... too many other things to do. With our species narcissus Bulbaholic ensures they get properly pollinated using a paintbrush.

It is a slow process growing any bulb from seed to flowering size but great fun!

Some bulbs also produce bulblets which can be grown on. If you are growing them out in the open garden you probably wont want to collect the seed as it is not likely to come true due to cross pollination... added to which most daffy bulbs are not exactly expensive!

Should always deadhead them, but leave the greenery for at least 6 weeks, let it die down naturally, this puts the goodness back into the bulbs. They may look a bit unsightly but next year you'll have an even better display - this happened to me this year. I deadheaded them last year, and this year my front garden was like walking through the bulbfields of Spalding (well, not exactly that big, but a short 10 second stroll actually). Passers-by were actually stopping and having a look at my daffs. I felt quite proud as I watched them looking at my garden, through the net curtains!