How deep is too deep

As the lovely daffodils are now showing themselves and we are always advised to plant them deep, it occurred to me how deep is too deep?

I always plant mine a good two or three time their own depth with no problems.

My question is there a maximum depth that you should not go beyond?

Say I planted the bulbs a good foot or more, would they make it through that depth to see the light of day come spring?

 

My line of thinking is that they may show up above ground but probably not bloom.
I was led to believe that the bulb contains enough food to support the embryo and shoots until it breaks through the surface, and I would think if it was planted so deeply ( much more than is recommend for that particular plant) then it could run out/ run low of food and produce a very weak plant.

Probably wrong...but it makes perfect sense to me!!

 

That’s a very good point you make, one I had not considered.

 

Hi,

You often hear it said plant them deep bacause folk generally tend to plant them too shallow, thinking that the tops should be just breaking the surface or they will not come up if they are too deep.

Like most bulbs and plants set them at the depth the suppliers specify on the packet or if none then use this handy guide.
Guide to Planting Depths of Bulbs | Van Meuwen

If yours are so deep, once they have flowered (?) and died back, you could lift them up to a better depth or just leave them and hope things are ok next year as if they cannot grow well this year, they will not store enough food for next year.

Are we talking a few dozen bulbs, hundreds or thousands ?

 

Hi @Allett man , generally outdoors 2 to 3 times their own depth is absolutely perfect.

The exception to this are the large flowered Tulips. To get these to come back year after year it is advisable to plant them at least 12 inches deep.

Saying this, though, always look at the individual planting depth for each species or even variety within a species. For instance with Tulips the smaller species such as T. Tarda can go in at about 2 inches deep.

 

I agree with KFF. Let's be honest. Todays gardening, horticultural scene leaves very little to chance. You buy a packet of seeds and the instructions are there. You buy a pack of bulbs and the instructions are there. Likewise with trees and shrubs.

It once understood that the common potting trowel was the guide. Then of course we get the smaller muscari size bulbs, so we go for the double the depth of the bulb.

Then if you wish to enter the realms of science. Certain bulbs actually have habits of a subterranial nature. Many bulbs, irrespective of size, produce small fine sometimes fiberous roots. These present few problems. Bulbs such as the common daff. Here we have a large bulb and a bulb that increases by producing a side shoot (underground) Here the parent buld produceses and survives on fairly short weak roots. However the bulbs off-spring causes it to expand outwards. This at the same time causes it to rise up. This can go on for ever. Read the instructions. Do your research. Then ask the forum.

 

Many bulbs adjust there own depth, snowdrops and tulips send out thick root/shoots that grow down and then form a new bulb. Other bulbs use contractile roots to pull themselves down, for example the crocus.
Follow the instructions on the packet, but remember they are guidelines not cast iron rules. In my garden it can be quite difficult to plant daffodils at 3* the height of the bulb, in part because of rock and also because of clay. So I plant more shallowly rather than plant the bulb into wet cold clay where the bulb is more likely to rot, it will sort itself out over a few years.

 

I so agree with @NigelJ on this one.
Snowdrops, in my experience, are notorious for adjusting their bulb depth. The longer the bulbs have been in an area, the deeper they seem to pull themselves. They also self-seed quite happily, and within a few years the seed which by its nature started by lying on the surface of the soil, has worked its way a few inches down...

 

Thanks guys and gals for the replies and input.