Anybody know anything about gardening? Daffodil specifically?

[Mreader]

I pretty much know zilch about gardening. But in the fall I decided to plant some daffodils. They do well where I live and my mom used to have them and they would come back every year no problem. So here we are in March, and I see daffodils springing up with beautiful blooms everywhere. But mine have only sprouted leaves about 5 inches long. Does anybody know if this is because they are new? Or did something go wrong and should newly fall planted bulbs bloom in the spring?

I think I did a boneheaded thing because I planted two bulbs in each hole and when I was reading up on it I read that you really are not supposed to do that. But I don’t know if that’s the reason why they are just sprouting a little bit or again if it’s because they’re brand new. If it’s because of the crowding should I just dig them up? Or simply re-plant in the fall?

 

[Rfisher]

some Daffodils are early spring bloomers - some mid/late spring.
also depends if planted near house, north or south side of house.

my experience. No expert.

 

[wildcatz]

I think your daffodils are probably fine. There are so many different varieties and they bloom at different times. Where I live in Oregon the early daffodils are blooming now but in my garden I have two different varieties and neither are blooming yet. One is just starting to make buds but the other is a double variety and these are just coming up - it is a late bloomer and doesn't bloom until May.

 

[kenny]

I almost never buy cut flowers; The exception is daffodils.

Trader Joe's sells a bunch for under 2 bucks, dry and unopened.
Cut and put them in water and in 2 days you have a little trumpets of sunshine.

 

[Mreader]

I almost never buy cut flowers; The exception is daffodils.

Trader Joe's sells a bunch for under 2 bucks, dry and unopened.
Cut and put them in water and in 2 days you have a little trumpets of sunshine.

I love them. But that’s why I want them in the yard because once you have them in they come back every year pretty easily!

 

[Mreader]

I think your daffodils are probably fine. There are so many different varieties and they bloom at different times. Where I live in Oregon the early daffodils are blooming now but in my garden I have two different varieties and neither are blooming yet. One is just starting to make buds but the other is a double variety and these are just coming up - it is a late bloomer and doesn't bloom until May.

This is Tennessee and many of them seem in bloom now. I split my time between here and Texas so if they are fine I might not again a chance to see them before I have to leave again!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Daffodils like to be planted in full sun, each bulb about 5 inches apart and about 6 inches deep. You should dig the hole 1 foot deep and loosen the soil before you plant the bulbs. Miniature daffodil bulbs can be planted 4 inches deep.

 

[Mreader]

Daffodils like to be planted in full sun, each bulb about 5 inches apart and about 6 inches deep. You should dig the hole 1 foot deep and loosen the soil before you plant the bulbs.

I did all of that except I put the two bulbs in one hole!

 

[Karl_K]

sounds like they are doing ok seemingly they will pop up overnight.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I did all of that except I put the two bulbs in one hole!

They probably just need a bit more time. Also, the soil affects the time they take to bloom.

 

[Elizabeth35]

I don't think the 2 bulbs per hole is a problem. It could be the amount of sunlight they are getting, or more likely, the type of daffodil.
They are coming up---just be patient! My guess is that you have later blooming variety.
Enjoy, because daffodils are so beautiful!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Did you plant them deep enough ?
At the very least least 4 or more inches and allow for settling

Also your bulbs might just be too young to flower ?
Where did you get them from ?

Im not sure i would have planted 2 in each hole as one generally has to divide them up after about 3 years as they get too crowded and dont flower so good - but this shouldnt effect this year
It might just be a little early
You may have chosen a late flowering variety so don't panic yet

I am having endless problems with mine and i know its because my soil settled and they now adn't deep enough
I planted a large area of lawn with literly $100s worth of daffs
The first year they were beautiful
But a couple of years latter very disappointing
But its going to screw my back digging them up

Also you could have Narrcisi fly or some other grub eatting the flower buds

Best to hope its just late flowering varieties

 

[VRBeauty]

All of the above.

I like to put a little bulb food in the hole when I plant daffodils.

Sometimes they’ll get a poor start the first year, and then do well in subsequent years.

Be careful to let the leaves die back naturally if you want the plants to come back next year.

BTW, if you see a yard full of daffies that are doing well, see if the owner knows what variety they are. Some varieties do better in some places.

 

[Mreader]

Thanks everyone! I did the full sun location and the depth. I will have to look up the specific variety- I picked the bright yellow but there are so many kinds.

 

[House Cat]

Did you plant them side by side or one on top of the other. Side by side is fine. I crowd bulbs like this to give a clump effect. People also layer bulbs of different side and types by putting the largest bulb on the bottom, giving it a little soil, and adding another bulb.

If you have green leaves and they are in the right conditions for growth and flowering, you should have flowers soon. The bulbs always have enough energy on their own to flower the first season. Feeding them each year gives them the energy to return.

You might want to check with your bulb vendor to see if you bought immature bulbs (which I’ve never heard of.)

 

[VRBeauty]

My mother was born and raised in Holland - the land of tulips and all sorts of other flowering bulbs. I remember her telling me about how happy she was, as a new bride, to plant tulips in the yard of the first house she lived in with her née husband (aka my father). The following spring, though, things weren’t looking quite so rosy (tulip-y?). Tulips were blooming in front yards up and down the street, while the tulips she had planted were barely breaking ground! When her next door neighbor even joked about it, she finally broke down and asked him what might have gone wrong.

So he went over the whole process with her: did you buy your bulbs from a good shop? Did you plant to them before the first frost? Did you dig the hole deep enough? And of course you did plant them pointy-side up, right?

ERP.

My mother thoroughly Dutch mother had planted her tulip bulbs upside-down!

I trust you planted your daffodil bulbs right side up, mrreader! ( that eould be fat dude down, by the way. It’s a bit more obvious on daffodil bulbs than on tulip bulbs!)

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Did you plant them side by side or one on top of the other. Side by side is fine. I crowd bulbs like this to give a clump effect. People also layer bulbs of different side and types by putting the largest bulb on the bottom, giving it a little soil, and adding another bulb.

If you have green leaves and they are in the right conditions for growth and flowering, you should have flowers soon. The bulbs always have enough energy on their own to flower the first season. Feeding them each year gives them the energy to return.

You might want to check with your bulb vendor to see if you bought immature bulbs (which I’ve never heard of.)

I think they would label them as a cheaper grade if they were immature
I have seen some catalogues here where they price bulk lots for feild planting that are too small to flower the first year

 

[chrono]

I don't think anyone can mess up their planting much. Even if they aren't sprouting like crazy this year, they get stronger and better every year.

 

[Arcadian]

I wouldn't worry about it. They'll pop up sometime, and unless you got something super fancy, hard to mess up. These days I'm in a sub tropical zone but I used to really look forward to daffodils when we lived in the NE. The only issue I had was the darn squirrels putting them all over creation. They'd dig them up, then put them somewhere else. I had several from the side of the driveway end up in weird places in the neighbors yard and my back yard.

 

[Mreader]

I wouldn't worry about it. They'll pop up sometime, and unless you got something super fancy, hard to mess up. These days I'm in a sub tropical zone but I used to really look forward to daffodils when we lived in the NE. The only issue I had was the darn squirrels putting them all over creation. They'd dig them up, then put them somewhere else. I had several from the side of the driveway end up in weird places in the neighbors yard and my back yard.

That is so funny!!

 

[Mreader]

My mother was born and raised in Holland - the land of tulips and all sorts of other flowering bulbs. I remember her telling me about how happy she was, as a new bride, to plant tulips in the yard of the first house she lived in with her née husband (aka my father). The following spring, though, things weren’t looking quite so rosy (tulip-y?). Tulips were blooming in front yards up and down the street, while the tulips she had planted were barely breaking ground! When her next door neighbor even joked about it, she finally broke down and asked him what might have gone wrong.

So he went over the whole process with her: did you buy your bulbs from a good shop? Did you plant to them before the first frost? Did you dig the hole deep enough? And of course you did plant them pointy-side up, right?

ERP.

My mother thoroughly Dutch mother had planted her tulip bulbs upside-down!

I trust you planted your daffodil bulbs right side up, mrreader! ( that eould be fat dude down, by the way. It’s a bit more obvious on daffodil bulbs than on tulip bulbs!)

Hahaha yes I planted them in the right direction!

 

[Mreader]

Did you plant them side by side or one on top of the other. Side by side is fine. I crowd bulbs like this to give a clump effect. People also layer bulbs of different side and types by putting the largest bulb on the bottom, giving it a little soil, and adding another bulb.

If you have green leaves and they are in the right conditions for growth and flowering, you should have flowers soon. The bulbs always have enough energy on their own to flower the first season. Feeding them each year gives them the energy to return.

You might want to check with your bulb vendor to see if you bought immature bulbs (which I’ve never heard of.)

I looked up my order and see I bought Fortune Daffodils. And yes I placed them side by side. So yes hopefully I’ll get some blooms!

 

[meely]

Perhaps yours are just later blooming daffodils? I’ve got daffodils that bloomed a month ago and ones that are barely in bud. They go from late January to May.
Also as others have said you may not have planted deep enough. Then you just get foliage and not flower.
I’ve got some in my garden that always bud but never open as well, so some varieties are just weak. Also you will get the best flowers from the best bulbs, if the bulbs were undeveloped it may be they need to bulk up. If they haven’t flowered by early May I would feed them (do this anyway even if they do flower but wait until after they have flowered) and as you no doubt already know, leave the foliage!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I find that my daffodils are different depending on the year. This year I have flower buds on relatively short stems. Some years the leaves and stems are longer.

 

[monarch64]

Squirrels and other animals move bulbs around all the time--I wouldn't worry too much about doubling up or putting the bulbs in upside down.

My family's farm has been around since the 1800s and there is an antique variety of daffodil called Van Sion on the land that was formerly the foundation of the farmhouse near the barns. It's a double-bloom pom-pom-looking flower and it's so gorgeous.

Here we have an organization called SIDHDIS: southern Indiana daylily, hosta, daffodil, and iris society. We're pretty into native plants here and love our daffodils and irises.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I find that my daffodils are different depending on the year. This year I have flower buds on relatively short stems. Some years the leaves and stems are longer.

That sounds like not eniugh drink when the flowers were developing
I had a very cheeky boss who once sold spring bulbs in flower as dwarf ....but he just hadn't watered then enough (he admited that to us)

It can be quite dry in the winter sometimes so i get out with the hose once a week and water my daffs once they poke through the ground

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Squirrels and other animals move bulbs around all the time--I wouldn't worry too much about doubling up or putting the bulbs in upside down.

My family's farm has been around since the 1800s and there is an antique variety of daffodil called Van Sion on the land that was formerly the foundation of the farmhouse near the barns. It's a double-bloom pom-pom-looking flower and it's so gorgeous.

Here we have an organization called SIDHDIS: southern Indiana daylily, hosta, daffodil, and iris society. We're pretty into native plants here and love our daffodils and irises.

Honestly some of the wonderful stories you guys shear it sounds like fairy land or an old fashioned Disney cartoon

We don't have squirrels or native spring bulbs here

 

[monarch64]

Honestly some of the wonderful stories you guys shear it sounds like fairy land or an old fashioned Disney cartoon

We don't have squirrels or native spring bulbs here

Yes, BUT you have wonderful things like bereavement leave for women who've had miscarriages! Also amazing Merino wool, and you had control of the COVID problem, and you have the Maori people on which I wrote a college paper...and I'm sure the list goes on but that's off the top of my head. I would LOVE to visit NZ.

 

[AGBF]

When I have ordered by mail from Breck's they have given an explanation for which Daffodils bloom at which time of year in each zone. If I want a couple of different Daffodils blooming at the same time, I use that as a guide. They do multiply on their own, which is one thing I love about Daffodils. I cannot plant tulips, which I adore, since the deer eat them.

 

[AGBF]

I almost never buy cut flowers; The exception is daffodils.

Trader Joe's sells a bunch for under 2 bucks, dry and unopened.
Cut and put them in water and in 2 days you have a little trumpets of sunshine.

I like to see them in front of my house, though. And I love it that they multiply and give me more Daffodils if I keep planting them!