Flowerless daffodils
Robert Asked
The past several years the daffodils around a backyard rock lined well pit have had zero flowers. They used to bloom every year but now all I get are lots of green healthy looking stems with nothing on them. I did not plant these they just come up every year. Similar plants across the road on my property always have great flowers on them. Just wondering what could be the problem. Thank you.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Robert: Since your bulbs have been in the ground for several years and have bloomed previously, it could be time to rejuvenate them. Daffodil bulbs will naturalize a space by producing smaller bulbs known as offsets. These offsets multiply and can become overcrowded which results in competition for nutrients and lack of blooms. When this happens, moving some of the bulbs to another space in the garden will help them flower again. The best time to do this is during the fall so they have time for root development before winter arrives. Lift, divide, and transplant into a sunny location. Even though your bulbs are not flowering, they are collecting energy through the foliage so allow it to die back naturally. Nutrient levels and available sunlight can also play a role in flower production. If the space is shadier than it once was, or nutrients have been depleted and not replenished this could be part of the problem. Daffodils bloom best when grown in full sun. Six hours of direct sunlight is ideal. They can grow in just about any soil as long as it is well-drained.
Angie Oakley
Kentucky Living-Ask the Gardener
