Getting flowering bulbs to flower

[smallblueplanet]

After reading the daffs thread I thought it was interesting to know when it was that bulbs form the flower buds. Do all flower bulbs (not just daffs) form the new flower buds in the bulb soon after flowering?

I ask because we bought some bulbs in the green last year - snowdrops, aconites and bluebells. I was hoping they will flower this year but if they don't could it be due to the conditions they originally grew in rather than the conditions they are now planted in?

It's too soon here to know how they will do but I thought I'd ask while the subject is in my memory. I will need to know how to treat them if they don't flower. I'm of course hoping that they do flower and then if so what should I do, just let them get on with it?
Thanks.

[Nicos]

Interesting question SBP….something I’ve often wondered myself!

[smallblueplanet]

Hey ameno have you any thoughts?

[ameno]

All true bulbs (those with multiple layers, like an onion) form their flowers inside the bulb during the previous growing season, yes (although it's not always straight after flowering the previous time, as some types of bulbs have a longer active season than others).

I'm not sure about corms, though, and tubers and rhizomes definitely do not pre-form their flowers (although flowering performance is still somewhat dependant on how well they grew the previous year, as it's dependant on how much food reserve they managed to story in their root the previous year).

[Mark Rand]

Does that mean that bulbs which do not flower in a season wouldn't have flowered in that season however well they were treated?

[smallblueplanet]

All true bulbs (those with multiple layers, like an onion) form their flowers inside the bulb during the previous growing season, yes (although it's not always straight after flowering the previous time, as some types of bulbs have a longer active season than others)...

Thanks, I missed seeing your reply. Our 'in the green bulbs' from last year are very slow to come through - although I'm pleased they're coming through! They are in a bit of a gloomy position and at present green leaves are probably only a few inches high. Maybe they'll do better next year, what sort of time span is there between planting and flowering on (probably) young bulbs?

[DannyK]

Thanks, I missed seeing your reply. Our 'in the green bulbs' from last year are very slow to come through..

Did your bulbs have seed pods when you planted them? If so they should be at flowering size. My snowdrops and aconites over ages ago.
Check the variety of snowdrops as there are some which flower very early and others that are late.