Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the first year? I am not having a great success rate with the many bulbs I planted last fall.
MJ

mj wrote:

Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the
first year? I am not having a great success rate
with the many bulbs I planted last fall.

no, first year is often the best, but the actual
outcome varies based upon many other factors.

where did you get the bulbs?

when were they planted?

exactly how and where were they planted?

have they gotten much moisture or cold since they
were planted?

usually i've found that most bulbs i get from
decent suppliers do well and those picked up from
big box stores and other budget suppliers are less
reliable.

the most energy and formation of the flower for
the next year is formed the previous year. bad
storage conditions can trump any good start the
bulb may have had at the growers.


songbird

On 3/20/2014 11:44 AM, mj wrote:

Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the first year? I am
not having a great success rate with the many bulbs I planted last
fall. MJ


That depends on what plant is involved.

Some bulbs refuse to bloom for several years if their roots are
disturbed at the wrong time. This includes species of Crinum,
Amaryllis, and Sprekelia.

Other bulbs might take a year. Bearded iris often fails to bloom the
first year after it is divided and replanted.

Still other bulbs do not care. They bloom the first spring no matter
what. That includes most species of Narcissus (including daffodils),
Hippeastrum, Crocus (actually a corm), and Freesia (another corm).
Ranunculus (a tuber) generally blooms the first year unless the tuber
was quite small; then it blooms every year after.

Then there are tulips. Where I live, tulips must be stored in the
refrigerator for about 6 weeks before planting; otherwise they will not
bloom. If they do bloom in the first spring, they will never bloom
again; instead, they are treated as annuals, pulled up, and discarded.
If they do not bloom in the first spring, they will never bloom at all.
(This does not apply to lady tulips -- Tulipa clausiana -- which do not
require winter chill.) A few other spring bulbs also require winter
chill, at least a few inches of lingering snow but not deeply frozen
soil. I do without such plants because I prefer living where snow is
seen only on TV or in the movies.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

mj wrote:

Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the first year?
I am not having a great success rate with the many bulbs
I planted last fall.

I'll bet Critters are eating those flowers... other than dafs most
bulb flowers become critter food... deer/rabbits will feast on bulb
flowers.

On Thursday, March 20, 2014 8:43:46 PM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
mj wrote:



Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the first year?

I am not having a great success rate with the many bulbs

I planted last fall.



I'll bet Critters are eating those flowers... other than dafs most

bulb flowers become critter food... deer/rabbits will feast on bulb

flowers.

Box store bulbs planted in November in the coldest year in recent North Carolina history. Animals are not a problem (in this case). I have never had trouble with crocus and have had 2 bloom out of 60 bulbs. Daffodils are growing foliage but not a lot of blooms and they are really short. I have never had good luck with Tulips but I was really hoping this year. Thanks for all the input. I am glad I got them all pretty cheep. Just a disappointing spring.
MJ

On Fri, 21 Mar 2014 05:53:08 -0700 (PDT), mj
wrote:

Brooklyn1 wrote:
mj wrote:

Is it common for bulbs to grow but not flower the first year?
I am not having a great success rate with the many bulbs
I planted last fall.

I'll bet Critters are eating those flowers... other than dafs most
bulb flowers become critter food... deer/rabbits will feast on bulb
flowers.

Box store bulbs planted in November in the coldest year in recent North Carolina history.

It was a lot colder here in upstate NY, many mornings it was -20º and
never went above zero all day... it's still in the 20s and the ground
is frozen solid 3' deep. Every winter here is cold but my bulbs come
up and flower beautifully... most are dafs, everything else is behind
a fence, and even fenced from deer and rabbits the squirrels will dig
some up, in these winters with everything under several feet of snow
there's practically nothing critters won't eat.

Animals are not a problem (in this case). I have never had trouble with crocus and have
had 2 bloom out of 60 bulbs. Daffodils are growing foliage but not a lot of blooms and
they are really short. I have never had good luck with Tulips but I was really hoping
this year. Thanks for all the input. I am glad I got them all pretty cheep. Just a
disappointing spring.

Buy from a different source, often the cheap turns out expensive.
Perhaps those bulbs were old and/or improperly stored. The bulbs you
mention all should have flowered. I think you'd be much better off
buying from one of the major on line bulb companys... this one is
good: www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com

Proper planting is also important, I like to use a 2" bulb auger with
a 1/2" drill motor, makes the job effortless and quick... a corded
drill motor works much better than a cordless... I have several heavy
duty 50' and 100' outdoor extention cords. Cordless drill motors
don't have the oomph to handle a bulb auger, even with a freshly
charged battery by the sixth hole it's straining. I abhor cordless
tools and would no longer own any... were I a contractor, in the field
I'd use a portable generator.

Try again.