Tips for your success:

1. Don’t over do it~ one or two hours of gardening is plenty, especially when you are beginning!

2. Don’t lift objects that are too heavy for you. If you injure yourself, chances are that you won’t be able to continue to garden for exercise and weight loss.

3. Stretch before, during and after gardening. Don’t stay down on your knees while weeding or planting for extended periods of time~ get up and move!

4. Get out in your garden and exercise at least 3-4 times a week.

5. Continue your outdoor exercise routine even after you last blooms have faded. Shoveling snow, raking leaves, and splitting wood are great calorie burners that will lead to weight loss!

6. Don’t forget added benefit of growing your own healthy fruits and vegetables and your yard will look beautiful from all of your hard work!

7. Have Fun and "Just do it"!

Once you get into habit of viewing gardening as an excellent way to lose weight and stay in shape, you may never go back to gym again!

© 2005, Candee Stark and Flowers&Garden.com

Although daffodils can be grown from seed, it takes up to five years to achieve a blooming plant. If you want growing daffodils in spring, bulbs need to be planted in fall. If you didn’t know that, take note of it for next September. For success in growing daffodils, plant bulbs deep—six to eight inches down from top (pointy end) of bulb—where they will get plenty of sun. Remember, they’re going to make their appearance when sunshine is at a premium! Also important for growing daffodils is a location with good drainage. Daffodils like water, but they can’t swim!

Less is more when growing daffodils. Space your daffodil bulbs according to package directions. Although you may be tempted to plant them close together for a great looking first-year group, it’s important to be mindful of fact that they are prolific in bulb propagation. Planting daffodils too closely together results in a crowd of bulbs that fight each other for growing room!

One common mistake you can make when growing daffodils is to cut back foliage after flowers finish blooming. After your daffodils bloom, they’ll start rebuilding their bulbs in preparation for next year. During this time, plants use foliage to collect both sunlight and moisture, so keeping them watered during this period is also important. Your daffodils are planning ahead to create that spot of sunshine to melt away winter blues!