Daffs

Last year I planted a load of daffs but very few had any flowers only leaves...what did I do wrong or were these just duff daffs.....

 

They will probably come fine this year. Its not uncommon for Daffs to be "blind" the first year after transplanting (and if they get overcrowded), and it may just point to the source being of lower quality - less well managed & prepared than a source that was more likely to give 100% flowering in first year, perhaps?

Unless you left they lying around for ages before planting? or, more likely, they had been lying around in a warm garden centre for ages?

 

They do need to be well watered when the new bulb is developing and that will be pretty much while there are leaves. So make sure that if they are in a sheltered place that you provide extra water and water any daffs during dry spells in the spring. Also make sure they are fed.

 

Last year I bought two lots of daff bulbs from two different places, and got two different sets of results. One lot did excellent, with loads of blooms nice and early, the other lot gave us a grand total of 3 blooms, but plenty of leaves.

I've left both sets where they are, so hopefully next spring will give better results, now they've had time to settle in.

 

Thanks, both points could well be the problem I did keep the bulbs in the shed for about a month before I planted out and I live in a very dry area with the least amount of rainfall in the country and I didnt give extra water. This summer we have had very little rain, water butts all empty for several weeks and as we are on water meters too expensive to water regular so maybe will dig up and put into pots where I will be able to water more often.

 

.
Dig up a few bulbs and cut them through the centre.

If they are brown and smelly with a large grub inside , that will be the reason that your bulbs did not flower!

Also when you lift them and they have no or brown roots, that is also an indication of Narcissus fly.

The growers used to place the bulbs in hot water for a period to combat it, though i'm not sure they still do it!

I have tried pravado on some expensive bulbs, it did not work, they did not flower again!

.

 

I would say they didn`t flower because they were planted too deep, a common error.:gnthb:

 

Yep, agree with Dai. I think the same is true if they're not planted deep enough too.

 

.
Doubt that deep planting is the problem!

I have planted them in deep tubs, starting at the bottom, then some soil, then more daffs, and so on!

They all flower, even though the bottom ones are about twelve inches or more below the surface!

And if you plant different varieties, then you will get a show over a period of time!

cheers!