On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 11:38:57 -0600, zxcvbob
wrote:

Suja wrote:

zxcvbob wrote:


Not enough cold during the winter.


Can't be. We've had a colder than normal winter. Not much by the way
of snow, but definitely cold. FWIW, my neighbor had that happen to some
of her daffodils last year. It was fine the year before, and looks like
it will be fine this year.

Suja


Maybe they froze solid too quickly and didn't have enough
cold-but-not-frozen time? Stems that don't elongate is a lack of dormancy
problem. *Something* went wrong this past winter.

Best regards,
Bob


Were they old or new plantings? I don't know about hyacinths, but
daffodils planted too late, have shorter stems, I've seen late planted
ones bloom right at ground level.

They should be planted as soon after they're available usually
September, as possible. Lilies often arrive for fall planting so late
that people usually dig the holes early, mulch the soil and when they
arrive, pop them into the ground, water, mulch heavily so the soil
does not freeze right away, giving them time to root before the ground
freezes. I know you didn't mention lilies, but that technique could
be applied to any bulbs gotten in the ground too late.

If they're not a new planting and they have grown ok in previous
years, and the past winter was different than usual, I'd mark it up to
that, and let it go for this year unless there are other things wrong
than the height they attained.

Janice