How to Divide Bulb Offsets Many flowering bulbs produce offsets
(daughter bulbs) as a way to make more of themselves. Bulb
offsets are an easy, inexpensive way to get more flowers for
your garden. Daffodils are an example of bulbs that are
excellent at multiplying themselves. The bulb you originally
planted makes some offsets at the edge of the basal plate, and
the original mother bulb nourishes them as they grow. In due
time (and it only takes a couple of years), the daughter bulbs
become large enough to flower themselves. Then they start making
daughter bulbs of their own. Eventually, the clump of bulbs
becomes so crowded that heavy competition for nutrients can
cause flowering to decline. At that point — or even sooner — you
need to step in with a shovel and separate the bulbs. Offsets
are actively growing plants and thus need different handling
than do dormant bulbs in autumn. Dig and divide a clump at a
time to reduce the risk of roots drying out, and then follow
these steps: Prepare the new soil if some