Non flowering daffodils

Nearly all of my daffodils that were planted 3 years ago came up without flowers this year.
There were plenty of green leaves but no yellow heads on them.
anyone have any idea why?
Many thanks in advance
Sonia

 

It may be due to 'Blindness' caused when the bulbs become overcrowded and dont have enough stored enery to produce flowers .You could feed the bulbs which may help or better still lift ,divide and replant.When replanting make sure the bulbs are twice there own hieght deep..
Dave

 

Any chance you cut the leaves off last year after flowering rather than letting them die off naturally; this could be the cause if so....??

 

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More likely narcissus fly to blame.

Dig up a few bulbs and if there are no roots and brown rot on the base, then it is the dreaded fly!

In the old gardening books, the suppliers used to give the bulbs after lifting, "the hot water treatment", when the put the bulbs in hot water for a certain length of time to kill the grubs, doubt if they do it now!

I have stopped buying daff bulbs now, as they almost ever flower for the one season with me, and then they get attacked!

Hope this helps!

 

Surely, if it`s the fly, there aren`t going to be any leaves either? Sonia, give them a dose of tomato feed once a week for the next few weeks, and you should have flowers next year. Davy, they`ve only been in the ground for three years so that is unlikely to be the problem. The most likely reason is either planting too shallow or too deep.

 

I agree with you Bilbo. They must be allowed to die down naturally. I've used a rose feed before now and that works a treat. Just sprinkle it around the base of the daffs after flowering, or to encourage them to flower next season and water in.

 

I definitely agree with the 'overcrowded and/or not deep enough' school of thought. Occasionally a few of mine 'disappear', sometimes I know it's my fault for having got tired of last years' dead or dying leaves and cut them off, the rest of the time I put a stick next to them, wait until the leaves have died then rootle around and push them in a bit deeper. I don't know if it's true, but my Grandad always maintained that daffs 'push themselves upwards' as they grow (all those strong roots I suppose) and that periodically they should be re-buried.

 

I agree with the overcrowed. BUT, ---if your going to dig them up to thin out do it with green leaves on, and leave the green on after putting them back in a lessor crowed situation. Do not not transplant after the leaves have died out. Next year only dead head the flowers and leave the green die down naturally.
This recomendation from one who now looks out her window to the sight of 20,000 daffs blooming. Who has for the last two year thinned and thinned, and all come up successfully.
And no, none of my daffs have "pushed themselves upward" . Still digging down just as deep to get the over crowed guys out.

Maybe this weekend I'll do a walk around movie for you all.


In the mean time enjoy last year April 2010 pictures [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5nA9t60ELo[/url]

 

I doubt if they`ve muliplied to 20,000 in 3 years.

 

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Narcissus fly, no flowers miserable leaves, lots of them.

As I said, dig a couple up, have a look, if they have not flowered this year, not likely in the future!

Cheers!

 

If it`s Narcissus fly, and the bulbs have no roots, How do they produce miserable leaves then?:D

 

Never did say they muliplied in 3 years.

Moved to this property in 1989 And PLANTED ONE THOUSAND BULBS EACH YEAR until 2008. NOW, you do the math.

We have TWO AND A HALF ACRES OF LAND. And many huge gardens.

Besides thinning the daffs. we are also planting tulips in our new sunny areas, tulips about 600 put in last year. Also have large numbers of other bulbs.

Besides the bulb count have huge numbers of other plantings. 14 types of hydranges to say the least, on and on I can go.

Really don't like being doubted when it comes to my gardens.

 

Just another, typical. loud mouthed yank.

 

Rather be that than one that mis-reads.