Nothing says spring like a bunch of golden daffodils. Frances Quinn found the pick of the crop growing on a Cornish farm supplying Waitrose.
On a sunny January afternoon, if you stand on a hill behind Varfell Farm, near Penzance, you can look down over fields of golden daffodils to the sea, and a magnificent view of St Michael's Mount. Spring comes early here. The first daffodils flower just before Christmas and by January the farm is sending two million stems a day all over the country - little bunches of spring to cheer up those still locked in the chill of winter.
"It's the perfect spot for growing daffodils," says Mike Mann, of dedicated Waitrose supplier Winchester Growers, owners of the farm. "Locally, this is known as the Golden Mile. As far back as the 1920s farmers were growing daffodils and sending them on the train to London. We're half a mile from the sea on one side, and six on the other, so we really feel the influence of the Gulf Stream - you can count the number of frosts we get on one hand."
Bud Wiser
The growing cycle begins in August when new bulbs are planted. They'll produce a small crop the following spring which, like the later ones, are picked at the 'green stick' stage - 24-30cm tall with full green buds that haven't begun to open.
"Each field comes into bud over a period of around 18 days, so pickers must spot which stems to pick and which to leave," says Mike. "The picking is done by hand as cutting could damage the leaves, which are needed to help the bulbs go on growing."
Grow Green
After picking, the plants are carefully fed, watered and protected to keep the foliage green for as long as possible. "While the foliage is there the bulbs are growing, taking in goodness from the leaves," adds Mike.
"If you grow daffodils at home, always leave the foliage for as long as it takes to die off naturally. The stage at which they become a nuisance in the garden is when most of the growing happens."
In the second spring the crop will be bigger, and, after another summer of growing, the bulbs - now in their third year - produce not only more flowers, but also daughter bulbs. "These are harvested in July," explains Mike. "We sell the biggest bulbs (also available at Waitrose) and plant the smaller ones, ready to start all over again."
Golden Wonders
Varfell Farm's 1,200 acres produce 120 million stems a year. This means you can buy Varfell daffodils and narcissi from just after New Year, right through to early May. "At the start of the season, you get the very brightest yellows," explains Mike. "We use special varieties developed by the former Government experimental horticulture station at Rosewarne in Cornwall, which naturally flower very early. Then come the other colours - white, white and yellow, those with red-cups - and finally the scented varieties at the end of the season. Walking through the fields on a warm March evening, the scent is incredible."
Mike's favourite time of the year, though, is just before Christmas when the first buds appear: "Even after 20 years in the business, that's still exciting," he says. "I always feel cheered up when I see a bunch of daffodils. Doesn't everyone?"
Tip To prolong the life of cut daffodils, slice about 3cm off the stem ends, then plunge into fresh water. Display in a cool but bright place.
This article was first published on Waitrose.com in January 2006.