No daffodils for Easter? Experts fear hot weather will cause severe shortage

By Anon - 25 February 2019

FamilyHome and GardenExpert Voices

Mild February weather could result in a national shortage of daffodils this Easter as temperatures are set to creep up to 19 degrees in some parts of the country this weekend.

Whilst most of us have been enjoying the usually high temperatures this week, it's not necessarily the best news for our springtime flowers.

Experts from online garden centre GardeningExpress.co.uk say that the unseasonably warm temperatures have resulted in huge demand for the humble daffodil with orders tripling in the last week and wholesale prices doubling compared to this time last year. For this reason, this could cause a massive shortage of one of Britain’s favourite spring flowers come Easter.

Daffodils are usually planted in autumn and spend several months developing roots before the flowers burst open between March and May. However, mild temperatures for February, creeping up to 19 degrees, has been causing the bulbs to react earlier, with many shooting up their flowering stems already.

Chris, managing director, said: “With the unusually mild weather we’ve experienced over the past couple of weeks, anyone would be forgiven for thinking spring has sprung, and it seems the humble daffodil is following suit.

“Whilst this is lovely to see, it could mean that all the daffodils in the land will be finished by Easter this year – when most people like to buy them to decorate their homes. “

This is not only a problem for the public, as Brexit could also scupper supply as millions of the golden blooms are produced in and shipped to the UK from the Netherlands. The potential of increased tariffs, delays at ports and a sharp fall in the pound could all make it more difficult for EU nurseries to trade with British sellers.

But fear not "the company is taking special measures to ensure a continuity of supply by ‘tricking’ the bulbs into thinking it is still winter using giant cold stores" so hopefully our tables will still be filled with our favourite springtime flowers come Easter. 

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