I have some clumps of daffodils that don't bloom or else bloom very sparsely. Some have buds that die off. I've tried giving them bone meal after bloom (or nonbloom), but it hasn't helped. Other daffodils in my yard bloom profusely. I am about to dig up the non-bloomers. Question: Should I try replanting them elsewhere, with nice compost in the holes etc., or should I let them do their bit by tossing them into the compost pile?
heclo East central Illinois
If they are not burried deep enough they may not bloom, so after the foliage dies back, dig them out and make sure they are burried six inches and put the phosphorous in the hole when you replant them. If they don't bloom next year it can be that you are cutting off the foliage sooner than you should and the plant is not getting enough nutrition from the sun.
1) Some varieties do better than others, and it can depend on climate. Some have buds that like to rot if damp for too long. Some dry out if weather gets hot and dry too fast. If you can figure out what they like, you may be able to move them to a cooler/hotter sunnier/ shadier moister/drier place and have better results. 2) If they have been in the same place for awhile, the bulbs may be too crowded. Under good conditions they will divide every two or three years, and after awhile the cluster gets so big and crowded that most of the bulbs barely get enough nutrition to survive. If you dig, separate, and replant with some fresh soil they can do well again for several years. 3) If they don't do well in your yard in spite of your best efforts, replace them with something that works better.
Daffs tend to bury themselves deeper after a few years and that will stop blooming. After the foliage dies back separate and replant them.
4-6 inches deep.
I don't find that to be true at all (that they stop blooming because they are too deep). I plant my Daffodils 8 inches deep (because I plant annuals on top of them and don't want to disturb the bulbs) and they keep blooming (and multiply) every year.
Daffodils stop blooming because the soil is very poor and/or the foliage is not left in place long enough for the new bloom (for next year) to develop. Deadheading and applying bone meal will help keep them blooming every year.
I've received a variety of answers here. I'll answer various questions that were raised:
So -- I'll put markers on the duds, and once the foliage has died back I'll dig them up. I'll replant them at the proper depth, if that seemed to be a problem, I'll move some to sunnier locations, and I'll give everything some compost and phosphorusand/or bone meal. And then if they still don't bloom -- they're compost.
Thanks, everyone, for your replies.
helco
I planted daffs along a very long drive. they are "naturalized" and go into deep shade. the original holes were scraped hollows in basically limestone type gravel.
8 years later. they bloom, they thrive, the clumps >I've received a variety of answers here. I'll answer various questions that~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
One thing that was not mentioned is whether the bulbs were planted at the same time. When I first moved into my apartment (Brooklyn), I wanted to get some bulbs planted (it was late fall) so there would be something blooming the following Spring. As they years have passed, these first ones have not done so well. I would plant fresher bulbs from more reputable places (i.e., not Home Depot or Lowe's . . . ) and these have thrived. This Spring, the ones that had skinny foliage and did not bloom were yanked because they will never get better after 5-6 years, imho.
I think a little serendipity comes into play -- as noted by the writer noted immediately below if the plants like where they are, they will thrive even if under ":adverse conditions".
up:
Around here (Ohio) we dig up the bulbs every few years, discard the small bulbs, and replant the large bulbs. This is done after the foliage dies down, and there will be blooms the following spring.
I've heard many explanati> I have some clumps of daffodils that don't bloom or else bloom very
Bill R expounded:
Mine have been in place for over 15 years. They're overcrowded and the bloom has definitely lessened. They do need to be separated - at least once in 15 years!
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