Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Daffodil dilemma

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I'm not very good at fertilizing. Add it to the list of things I can't do but keep trying (hello, growing the-world's-easiest-herb chives!). Last year after the big yellow daffodils bloomed, but before the foliage died, I side-dressed each one with a tablespoon of this bulb food. This year, they all grew foliage, but none of them bloomed. Where did I go wrong?!

8 comments:

"Daffodil Planter" Charlotte Germane said...

http://johnscheepers.com/catview.cgi?_fn=Bulb+Food

Scheepers is almost always correct, in my experience. Hope this link works, if not, they are under Favorite Nurseries in the sidebar of my blog.

We can't have daffodils underperforming!

Heather said...

Hi Ginger- I feel your pain. I hate it when I actually put some extra effort into something and get nothing out if it in return. Maybe its storing energy for next year and the show will be spectacular.
-Heather

Susie said...

That's frustrating isn't it?!?!? I don't think you did anything wrong. Sometimes our little plants just have minds of their own!

Have some nearby trees gotten larger and shaded them more this year? Just a thought!

Ginger said...

Daffodil Planter - thanks for the link! Maybe I used a little too much last spring after blooming, though it's hard to imagine that's the problem since I haven't fertilized them since then. Oh, well. The funny thing is that they bloomed fine every year until I fertilized them that one time! And the daffodils that I just planted last fall, with some of that food in each hole, thrived!! I think I'll skip fertilizing them this year and see what happens.

Heather - I like that positive attitude! Apparently all the energy went into making leaves - I didn't realize how long and floppy they are until comparing them with last year's plants.

Susie - well, the trees in that area are deciduous (and were already huge), so I don't think that's it, but who knows!

Dirt Princess said...

Ginger - Every gardener I know fertilizes blubs with pot ash....ash you get from your fireplace. Bulbs love it and it is free! It works wonders. It is too late to fertilize them now. That is how Mrs. Brown grows 4' tall irises, her daffs and daylilies multiply like crazy!

Ginger said...

Thanks for the tip! I don't have a fireplace, but I know people who have them and would surely share.

I almost never fertilize anything, and when I do, it's always catiously and organic... Who knows what happened here?!

Hope you're having a better day today :)

Machelle said...

Well Ginger, I just don't know. I always ignore my daffodils and they always bloom. Maybe try that. LOL
Sometimes I think we are all guilty of trying too hard.

Ginger said...

Machelle,
Considering that they'll grow and multiply on the side of the road, I should've known that they love being ignored! Lesson learned!
LOL

Ginger