Why plant daffs in October?
When we first moved here, I planted daffs along the outside of our long garden fence; the next autumn I added tulips and then last autumn snowdrops, iris and crocus. Our neighbours across the road said they loved looking out and seeing all the colour through - firstly - April, then April and May and now March, April and May. So much so, that she persuaded her husband to get daffodils last autumn so we could have the same view from our side of the road (they too have a long fence). Of course, he forgot he had them, or indeed where he put them (not a gardener or even very organized!), then only found them in March this year when he was sorting out the garage (long story, but it's floor-to-roof boxes!). They were sprouting so, undeterred, he planted them, all 100 bulbs. My flowers are all but done but, amazingly, his are wonderful and brighten up our little area of the lane; of course, he is the only one with daffs in full flower. And here I was doubting his wisdom! I'm sure next year they'll come out with everyone else's but it just goes to show that bulbs/corms/rhizomes don't have to be put in in the autumn! Good on 'im!!
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They flower later but might be in flower for less time due to the warmer weather.
Many bulbs are active at the roots for quite a while before flowering, plus the ground is still easy to work for bulb planting before the ground get cold and hard in autumn
and think about the plant. In nature they stay in the ground, they start maiking new root long before they appear above ground.
Out of the ground from around mid summer til March might not be the kindest treatment or the one most likely to give a good display in future years
In the sticks near Peterborough
Your neighbour was lucky. His bulbs could have dried out, gone mouldy or turned to mush if they'd been badly stored and he'd have lost most if not all.
Daffodils in the ground start putting out their roots towards the end of August. This helps rehydrate them ready for pushing up their shoots when soil temps are right for them and they will produce better flowers in the long run. the big hyrbid tulips, on the other hand, are more at risk from the tulip fire virus if planted too early so late November is best for them.
Make sure he doesn't cut off the foliage too early and encourage him to feed them with a general purpose fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure.
I have to confess that the same thing happened here , I found tete a tete that I hadn't planted and they were sprouting in April ! , they are nodding away in my window box at the moment
I regularly leave planting some daffs till end of November early December. It lengthens the season and now I still have a few in bud and many in full flower. I never see the point in strict planting times for anything other than roses(bareroot). And it's huge fun being a rebel and seeing the faces of the neighbours admiring the garden as they pass by. I'm usually working, but the wife often says they have commented and asked why I still have things in flower when their displays are over.