Something is very wrong.

Something is very wrong. Ideas please.

Some years ago I planted a bed with all bright gold daffs. This year, I have several clumps of palest yellow daffs with really yellow leaves interspersed with gold daffs with green leaves. What has happened?

The bed is fed with blood, fish and bone and chicken poo pellets.I collect hostas and this bed is full of them. All were happy and healthy last year.

 

Hi chrysocolla, I have no idea, but what i would suggest is that you dig up one of, or a small clump of the bulbs. and check them out, Cut one in half to see if it looks healthy. It may be that they have been infected by a virus after some insect burrowed in. Or it could be somesoil deficiency. I know it is believed in some places that daff bulbs should be planted seperately from other spring bulbs as the daff bulb is toxic to other bulbs. Maybe your hosta's are causing a reaction to happen in your daffs. How long have you had the hostas in the same place?

 

I agree - the only way to see what is happening is to lift some of the poorly bulbs. It may be soil deficiencies, or it may be a little worm that can attack daffs.

Sad to see them weaken at this time of the year.

 

Hadn't thought about lifting them to check the bulb out so I will dig some up tomorrow and keep you posted.

The hostas have been in the bed a good five years and I do have them elsewhere along with daffs which are ok.

 

Could be narcissus fly.

 

Have dug some bulbs up and cut into them today. All looks well. No sign of softness, holes or grubs. The flowers themselves are beautiful, just not the colour they were last year. Mind you, the foliage looks horrible.

What should I look for with narcissus fly? Will there be signs on the flowers?
Carrie

 

No they eat into the bulbs as grubs.
I assume that was what Fran was suggesting.
The foliage should look dark green at this time of the year so I would guess there must be some problem.

 

If the bulbs are sound - firm with no sign of rot or pest boring/destruction and there's a flower, but the leaves are yellowing. Sounds like a chemical problem. Anyone been using a herbicide in the area -

Whatever, if the leaves are yellowing, they will not store food for next year so your unlikely to get flowers next year though the leaves may reform and recover - depending on the cause.

Google search on daffodil pests did not reveal anything that met your symptoms. Sorry not to be more helpful.

 

I don't think it would be chemical because I don't use them and the problem is well away from any boundaries. Also no spots or blotches.

I shall just have to feed well and wait and see!

Thanks for your thoughts.
Carrie

 

Sorry did not read this thread before. The two possibilities are virus or eelworm. Eeelworms do leave traces in the bulb. When you cut it across there are brown rings inside the bulb.
Viruses are much more difficult to diagnose. The symptoms can be severe and death causing or mild and take years to affect the plants. If you are a member of the RHS or know someone who is then you could send a bulb and foliage off for expert analysis.
Trouble is that there is no known cure for either problem, if indeed this is what it is.