Janet Baraclough..16/3/04 12:59
k

The message
from John contains these words:

This year, amongst a mixture of old and new daffodils, there are a
number of 'blind' plants.

Should these be thrown away or can they be persuaded to
flower next - and subsequent - years?

That depends on the cause of the blindness. It could be overcrowding,
or disease.
snip

Bad news: If leaves which are currently in full growth are partly
green but badly mottled with brown streaks and spots, the bulbs have a
disease which has permanently reduced their ability to flower and can
spread to other daffodils. Dig them up and burn them.


In our experience, bulbs can be saved, depending on the circumstances.
There's a disease I cannot remember the name of (but will try to find) which
as in our daffs causes them to be blind and the leaves turn brown at the
tips and die back too fast to nourish the bulb. For the last two years, Ray
has sprayed the ground where we have literally hundreds of bulbs under the
Cedar tree. Again, I'll get the name tomorrow and I'm sorry to be posting
half information but don't want John to rush out and rip out his daffs and
burn them IF there is a solution.
Ray mixes a few drops of washing up liquid into the fungicide to make sure
the leaves are well coated and gives them at least two sprays.
This year, the improvement is very noticeable and many more bulbs are
flowering.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)