Blind Daffs

[Plotlady]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me what to do about 'blind' daffs. I have had several clumps this year which have only produced leaves. Is it worth being patient for next year, or should I remove them and replant in the Autumn?
Thanks
Julia

[pigletwillie]

You can either lift them, dry them and store them in a cool dark place until the autumn or lift them and replant so that the top of the bulb is at least 4" deep, but giving them some space between bulbs.

It happens to me a lot so now I put quite a few bulbs in a 10 inch pot and plunge the pot into the ground when the flowers are finished I lift the pots and put them out of the way until the foliage dies down and then replant in the autumn. This gets around having all of the leaves in the way of your spring and summer planting. Every second year I empty the pot, renew the planting medium replant the biggest bulbs and put the smaller "baby bulbs" into a nursery bed until they have bulked up.

[Nicos]

If you feed them like mad now and make sure you leave the leaves on for 6 weeks after flowering they should come back next year.
As piglet says- they could be overcrowded rather than exhausted.
If they fail again then bin them ( or plant them on a roadside in a rural area).

[TPeers]

Are they in full sun? Bulbs like this need a period of baking in the summer heat to cause the formation of flower buds. Also don't clear the leaves off too early, wait for them to die down naturally (about 10 weeks after flowering - so end of June aroung here) The plant needs the leaves to produce its energy stores for next year and will not form flower buds if there is insufficient energy stored.

[Flummery]

I've usually found the problem to be overcrowing. (Or they were too shallow in the first place) DO as PW suggests and replant with a bit of a gap between the bulbs - they are probably now squashed against one another.

Incidentally, I wouldn't make a plea for people not to plant anything on a rural roadside Nicos. Some of us take part in regular botanical surveys and 'gardening' of the countryside b***ers up the results no end! Village verges (where people are already doing it) are fair game.

Flum

[TPeers]

Flum,

If you do these surveys - who should I contact as I have orchids growing in my lawn?

Haven't a foggiest exactly which one but I think Common Spotted as the leaves are spotted, and yes I am on chalk upland here. Northern edge of the South Downs to be precise.

[nick the grief]

The Baskets that you get for planting in ponds are good as well if you don't have any pots.

[Flummery]

You will have a local BSBI recorder TPeers, (Botanical Society of the British Isles). Mr Flum is our region's recorder. They won't do anything with your orchids other than record where they are - I hope you are cherishing them! I could find out your local recorder if you like. Alternatively you could have a look on their website - www.bsbi.org.uk and see if there's any info there.

[Plotlady]

Thanks for all the advice. let's hope next years show is better.
Cheers
Julia

[rustylady]

How long have they been in the beds, Julia? This is important, as new plantings shouldn't be blind. Usual causes are overcrowding (which occurs after several years in the same spot if you don't dig them up, split the clumps and replant), cutting the leaves off or tying them into knots as soon as they've finished flowering (the bulbs need at least six weeks of leaf growth to feed them up for the next year). Also, when you divide and replant, make sure you plant them deep enough.

[Plotlady]

Hi Rustylady, they've been in four years counting this year. I didn't think they were over crowded, but after they've died back I'm going to lift them and dry them off. I'll replant it the autumn, but I'm going to put some in pots and bury them, as has been suggested. It's interesting though, from the same batch which I bought, I also planted up some tubs, along with other plants and they have been fine, giving me a lovely show. It's only the ones in the garden which have proved a problem and then not all of them.

[TPeers]

You will have a local BSBI recorder TPeers, (Botanical Society of the British Isles). Mr Flum is our region's recorder. They won't do anything with your orchids other than record where they are - I hope you are cherishing them! I could find out your local recorder if you like. Alternatively you could have a look on their website - www.bsbi.org.uk and see if there's any info there.

Tried to log the orchid in but they want a grid reference - I have no ideas how to get one and the OH is being nasty and rude so no help there

[Flummery]

You need a big scale map - one with your house on. Maybe your local library can help.

[TPeers]

You need a big scale map - one with your house on. Maybe your local library can help.

Ok! Thanks Flummery, a trip to the library is now required!

Terry

[roitelet]

Feed and water them, Julia, while the leaves are dying down which will help to build up the bulbs before you lift them. Did it with mine and the first year after replanting they were nothing to write home about but this year I had a smashing show.

Best of luck