Tête à Tête Dwarf Daffodil: World’s Most Delightful Yellow Flower
I see them in my local grocery store’s floral department, on websites like Holland Bulb Farms available for fall planting, and for sale as pre-chilled bulbs from retailers like Tulip World! What is this most popular daffodil for indoor forcing and growing in pots? It is the fun and dainty dwarf daffodil Tête à Tête!
This fun to say flower bulb name had me wondering A.) What does Tête à Tête mean? and B.) How do I say Tête à Tête correctly? Holland produces over 77% of all the flower bulbs in the world, often flower bulb variety names are Dutch or named after a famous Dutch person, place or thing. That is not the case with Tête à Tête Daffodils. Tête à Tête is a French word that means a “face-to-face meeting or private conversation between two people, usually in an intimate setting”. It can also mean a bench or sofa that allows two people to talk face to face.* Now knowing the meaning of Tête à Tête, it makes sense that the growers and cultivators in Holland would name this adorable dwarf daffodil Tête à Tête. The yellow bell-shaped blooms of these dwarf daffodils are often in an intimate setting, where the faces of their blooms are very close together, like the blooms are having an intimate conversation. If you want to really impress your friends and tell them about your yellow dwarf Tête à Tête daffodils you have blooming be sure to pronounce the name Tête à Tête correctly, here is how I breakdown the syllables in the Tete a Tete “Tet ah Tet”.
Now that you have a little fun information about these cheery little yellow daffodils, follow these 10 steps to grow Tête à Tête Daffodils indoors this winter!
Guide to Forcing Tête à Tête Daffodils in Pots
Step 1.) Purchase pre-chilled Tête à Tête Daffodils.
Step 2.) Acquire a pot with adequate drain holes
Step 3.) Find or purchase soil that is made for container gardening or potted plants. You want soil that is light and loose which will provide good drainage.
Step 4.) Once your Tête à Tête Daffodils arrive, you are ready to plant in pots!
Step 5.) Add soil to your pots filling up 70% of the way.
Step 6.) Plant the bulbs with the pointed end facing the sky.
Step 7.) Add more soil around the bulbs, leaving the tops (neck) of the bulb exposed.
Step 8.) Add water until you see water draining through the bottom of the pot to ensure the soil is fully moistened and you have eliminated air pockets.
Step 9.) Place the pot with the Tête à Tête Daffodils in a cool location (between 32 degrees and 55 degrees) for 4 weeks. Storing in a cool location initially will help the bulbs establish roots at a proper rate while the leaves and buds prepare for growth.
Step 10.) Once you notice 2-3” leaves forming from the Tête à Tête Daffodils you may move the pot to a warmer and sunnier location in your home. Now just sit back and wait for the cheery little Tête à Tête Daffodils to have a conversation with you!
Tête à Tête Daffodils are easy to grow, and one of the top bulbs for indoor forcing. If you are new to gardening with bulbs indoors, Tête à Tête Daffodils are great bulbs to start experimenting with!
*If you aren’t able to find pre-chilled Tête à Tête Daffodils you can purchase bulbs that haven’t been chilled and refrigerate them yourself. Here are steps to the chilling http://www.bulbblog.com/forcing-flower-bulbs/ and forcing bulb process. http://www.bulbblog.com/forcing-flower-bulbs-part-2/
Credit to Wiktionary for information on the origin and definition of the word Tête à Tête
