white daffodils
 

I have a question that a neighbour of mine posed. She has a large flower
garden that has produced brilliant yellow daffodils for the last 15 years.
This year they are all in flower but so pale as to be white, and naturally
she's wondering why.
Asking her what had been done to the garden recently she recalled a load of
partially decomposed cattle manure from a neighbouring farm that was spread
last year over the garden. I suspect that something in the manure has
altered the bloom this year. Can you suggest what can be done to restore
yellow daffodils next season, since I'm of the belief that the manure is
responsible for having changed the soil in some way. Will rain and time be
all that's required, or is there an anti-dote that can be applied to the
garden to counter the perhaps overly active chemicals in the cattle manure?

white daffodils
 

The normal colour should return next year. Pigmentation has a complex
chemical basis and can be affected~~sometimes without obvious reason.
Best Wishes.
"Dvd" wrote in message
...
I have a question that a neighbour of mine posed. She has a large flower
garden that has produced brilliant yellow daffodils for the last 15 years.
This year they are all in flower but so pale as to be white, and naturally
she's wondering why.
Asking her what had been done to the garden recently she recalled a load
of
partially decomposed cattle manure from a neighbouring farm that was
spread
last year over the garden. I suspect that something in the manure has
altered the bloom this year. Can you suggest what can be done to restore
yellow daffodils next season, since I'm of the belief that the manure is
responsible for having changed the soil in some way. Will rain and time
be
all that's required, or is there an anti-dote that can be applied to the
garden to counter the perhaps overly active chemicals in the cattle
manure?

white daffodils
 

Is it possible your neighbor has 'Mt. Hood' daffodils? They open
pale yellow but turn completely white when fully open. I found
that 'Mt. Hood' is much more reliable in returning year after year
than the conventional yellow 'King Alfred'.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

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