Planting Daffodils?

Q: I just received a gift of potted Daffodils. Of course, I hope to be able to plant these outside, and I am curious as to the best way to do this. The ground is frozen right now obviously. Do I plant them in spring right from the pot or is there some special care I should take?

Hardiness Zone: 5a

Thanks for all help. :)
Leslie from Barrie, Ontario

A: Leslie,

You have two good options. The first is to plant your daffodils in the garden in the spring. If all goes well, they will return to their natural cycle, however, it sometimes takes 2 to 3 years for bulbs to come back after being forced indoors.

You can also store them over summer and plant them in the fall the same way you would new bulbs. To do this, keep your plants as healthy and active as you can while indoors. After they bloom, remove the spent flowers to prevent them from forming seeds. Place them in a cool, sunny location and let the foliage die back naturally. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. You can fertilize them once a month with a plant fertilizer until they look like they're dieing back. The longer they stay green, the stronger the bulb will be and the more likely it will bloom next year. After the foliage dies back, quit watering and let the soil dry out.

Store the bulbs in a cool, dry place until you plant them in the fall. Plant the bulbs 2 times as deep as they are tall (usually 4 to 6 inches deep) in full sun. Daffodils do not like soggy soil so make sure to plant them where they get adequate drainage.