The Lemon Fool

as I understand it cutting dafs down before the green leaves have wilted cause less 'goodness' o return to the bulbs
thus next ears crop will have fewer or even nil flowers

having done this and now seeing many leaves but no buds...is this the end?

are these dafs finished for good?

or will perhaps they revert to flowers in years to come

I think that often it is because the bulbs are not planted deep enough.

Dod

I've a similar problem this year, and I'm far too lazy to cut them back before the leaves have died down.

Probably due to the bulbs multiplying through the past few years and now packed too closely together. When they have dried off, I'll re-pot them in fresh compost, and they should be fine.

--kiloran

mutantpoodle wrote:as I understand it cutting dafs down before the green leaves have wilted cause less 'goodness' to return to the bulbs
thus next ears crop will have fewer or even nil flowers...

Once the flowers have passed, the job of the leaves is to build up the reserves to make next year's flowers. By the time the leave wilt and the bulb becomes dormant the embryo bud for next year has already formed and the bulb contains all the energy needed to make it bloom.

I never cut back the leaves, but I've noticed this year that I have about half the usual number of flowers. I can only guess that this is down to difficult growing conditions this time last year.

If anything I have more flowers than usual. Maybe the very cold and late spring last year? I do not know. I never cut the leaves down either but leave them to wilt and dry. As Bree says the leaves are helping the bulb restore its energies for the next year.

Dod

thanks for the info
but
if I have leaves with few if any flowers it is I presume because I cut leaves back last year preventing strength getting to the bulbs

so is that it for ever? or will perhaps I get flowers next year

mutantpoodle wrote:...if I have leaves with few if any flowers it is I presume because I cut leaves back last year preventing strength getting to the bulbs
so is that it for ever? or will perhaps I get flowers next year

The longer you let the leaves to do their photosynthesis the better the chance of flowers next year. Given plenty of sun and perhaps some feed you should be rewarded with flowers next year. More advice here....

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=658

I've got more flower than ever on my daffs this year.

But, I plant tete a tete daffs in pots for a friend, and when I checked about 2-3 months ago, I found several infested with both large and small narcissus fly maggots, whcih eat out the centre of the bulb, so you get no flower, and just a bit of greenery. The bulbs had been in the pots all summer, and AIUI the fly lays eggs in the warm weather from about May onwards. Any idea of a cure?

Nimrod103 wrote:...I found several infested with both large and small narcissus fly maggots, which eat out the centre of the bulb... Any idea of a cure?

None, apparently...

...Any plants which show signs of bulb fly attack in the spring should be dug up and disposed of before the maggots leave the bulbs to pupate in the soil.

Chemical control
None of the pesticides available to home gardeners will control large narcissus bulb fly larvae.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=657

Breelander wrote:

Nimrod103 wrote:...I found several infested with both large and small narcissus fly maggots, which eat out the centre of the bulb... Any idea of a cure?

None, apparently...

...Any plants which show signs of bulb fly attack in the spring should be dug up and disposed of before the maggots leave the bulbs to pupate in the soil.

Chemical control
None of the pesticides available to home gardeners will control large narcissus bulb fly larvae.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=657

I thought as much, though I seem to recall reading that washing the bulbs in hot water killed the eggs? Would not have thought it did the bulbs any good though. The bulbs which had been hollowed out contained the most revolting maggots, which I squished.

Breelander wrote: None of the pesticides available to home gardeners will control large narcissus bulb fly larvae. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=657

Doesn't it fill your heart with wonder that nature created a creature that had no other purpose on this planet than to ruin Mother's Day?

BJ