Blind Daffodils

Does anyone know why some Daffodils come up blind and, if a a daffodil has come up blind one year, does this mean it will always be blind?

 

Not sure why it happens but if you give them a bit of a feed they'll probably be ok next year. Don't know what kind of food would be best, I've used growmore granules in the past and it seems to help.

 

Are they an established planting? If so, they may be over crowded underground. Make a note of those that are blind, then come autumn, dig them up and divide them.

If it's a new bulb(s), then I don't know - dodgy bulbs perhaps?

 

Hi Butterfield and welcome to the forum.

I don't know about daffodils as I don't grow any. But with Tulips, after they have flowered they will very often break into two or more smaller bulbs - that's how they multiply. I lift them after flowering and seperate the larger bulbs into one pile and the smaller ones into another. I them replant the larger bulbs where they will flower next year, and the smaller ones I grow in a sort of nursery. I expect them to be too small to flower next year and will consequently come up blind. But by the end of the season many will have grown big enough to flower in the following year.

Whether this has any relevance to Daffs - I don't know.

 

They are overcrowded and should be moved /split when green, now. Dig down with a shovel deep enough to get under the bulbs. Keep the green on the bulb and plant them individually in other areas with the same depth you found them in. We have tons of Daff. and this process has started two years ago due to overcrowded. The green feeds the bulbs, by the way.

 

My grandad always maintained that 'blind' daffs (as others have said) was either due to overcrowding or not being planted sufficiently deep; periodically he'd dig all his up, break up clumps and replant the lot.

 

Bottom line, its some work ahead of you my dear, Butterfield. And not "my" favorite garden job.

 

Thanks for all the replies. That gives me some ideas to work with.

 

It could also be that the bulbs are not deep enough? I plant mine at about eight inchs.

I also see people tie over daffodils at the end of the season and was told it ensures a flower the following year. This was told me by an old fellow and I cannot speak for the validity of the claim.

kind regards

 

I think that perhaps I didn't plant the Daffodils deeply enough. I doubt that I went down to 8 inches. I always seem to plant bulbs when the ground is dry (and therefore probably a nice day!) and it is difficult to dig deep into hard soil.

I have put markers where the blind Daffodils were and I'm leaving them to die down naturally. In the Autumn, I will dig them up, move them to a less shady spot and replant them deeper. I will also feed them as advised and hopefully they will do better next Spring. If not, then at least I have tried! I don't think they were overcrowded as they were all single bulbs.

My Tulips did well!

 

For bulbs you could use an old broom handle and lump hammer to form the hole. The old broom handle is such a useful tool in the garden :-)

 

It's kind of true GeorgeBean. The dead flowers can be removed, but the leaves should be left to 'feed' the bulb for the following year - as they take a long time to die back, rather than leaving them looking unsightly, some people choose to fold them over and either wrap one or two of the leaves around or, as my Grandad did, just fold them over and pop an elastic band around the bunch of leaves.

It's just a 'neatness' thing.

 

I have rather more shade in my garden than I would like. Daffs need a reasonable amount of sunshine to do well and my experience is that they quickly stop producing flowers if you try to grow them somewhere too shady.

 

i dont think daffs travel around much,so at least it wont be bumping into things, i know having a blind plant must be upsetting.. have you given brail any thoughts

 

You've been spending too much time tending that crop in the spare room again .....