My daffodils didn't flower....?

[Sarah-Bee]

I have 100s of daffodil bulbs in my garden and for the last four years they've looked fantastic in spring, but this year only three of them flowered! What went wrong?? *headscratch*

[RandomPony]

I'm not sure, but the only thing I can think of is the cold either finally got to them, or some ground dwelling animal damaged them. Or its possible they were drowned when too much water had got to them, so you might have a bunch of rotting bulbs underground. Or on a more positive note they could be very sprouting, but mostly its possibly one of the three above which is the problem.  However I should ask you did you prepare the flower beds for winter?

[kaoskat]

I dunno. Maybe the weather had something to do with it. I know here we got no winter and all the plants got confused.

[kittybethy]

Oh no!! That would upset me too!

[Sarah-Bee]

I didn't do any prep to be honest, but then again I never to and they always just flower. There's some in the front garden and some in the back, quite a way away from each other so it's unlikely to be an animal or anything but I think you might be right re the weather, that's my first thought but I'm no expert so thought I'd check and see if we have any experts

[Chrissytree]

We have some in the green opposite and they've come out but ours in a shady part of our front garden haven't yet.  They're thinking about it though. 
It might be because it's so dry atm. 

[Scraleos]

Oh no! The daffodils haven't quite come up here in Wales either, but the mini ones are already open... The weather has been a bit weird lately...

[melodys_angel]

Defiantely the weather.  If its too cold or its too dry..or too wet, that can effect the plants

[kamakazee82]

it really could be anything ... mine have bloomed so early here in Michigan it's crazy! and the fruit trees have already blossomed out, so now we're all concerned about a hard frost setting in and killing them before they have to do anything ... scary scary weather

and i've noticed a big increase in the number of ground pests from grubs to moles/ etc i'm not sure if you guys across the pond have but i think it all ties tot he crazy weather in one way or another...

[Sarah-Bee]

yeah my small ones have all flowered beautifully but the large ones have just green shoots with no sign of buds. I hope they do flower though, I'll miss them if not!

[pinkkittywinks]

did you feed them after they flowered last year? they might not have enough food in the soil for them to make flowers. did you cut the leaves off very soon soon they had finished flowering? they need their leaves for a good while after they have bloomed to feed the bulb for next years flowers.

another thing could be that the bulbs have got cramped and squashed and need to be dug up and spaced out .... i have had to do that with bulbs before. the year after i spaced them out and fed them they were amazing!

love pkw xxx

[DemonicSymphony]

It's most likely the weather. Daffodils tend to be a pretty hearty little flower.

[Sarah-Bee]

Hey PKW you might be onto something cos I seem to remember cutting the green back quite early last year and I don't normally do that! So this time, no cutting and I'll also feed them and hope the weather's ok next year Thanks guys x

[pinkkittywinks]

try a little food now round under their leaves, just regular garden plant food it will help them build up the stores they need or have missed out on i always tend to leave the leaves until they die right back and turn brown, it looks messy but it is good for the plant.

at my old house we had a front garden FILLED with loads of daffodils, i love them it was through experience that i learnt about them needing the leaves, food and spacing out.   

love pkw xxx