blind bulbs - newbie question
 

Hello, I'm new here and wondered if anyone could help with a question. I
have a very badly drained, clay soil, newish, S Cheshire, west facing
garden. I've been mulching with sharp sand and bark for the last two years
and each year it disappears so I'm assuming the worms pull it all in. I've
also planted lots of bulbs. Each year the daffodils flower but come up blind
the next year. I make sure that they are well watered if the soil does dry
out and I feed regularly with "Growmore" and with chicken manure. Any
suggestions? At the moment I can hardly see the recent ones which have
flowered as they are all hidden by masses of leaves from previous years.
(The bulbs are from all different sources, varying from "garden centre named
varieties" to "DIY shed bulk lots", each has the same problem. Also tulips
(if they don't rot) are fine, it's just the daffodils.) Thanks in advance,
Hayley

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

"hayley" wrote in message
...
Hello, I'm new here and wondered if anyone could help with a question. I
have a very badly drained, clay soil, newish, S Cheshire, west facing
garden. I've been mulching with sharp sand and bark for the last two years
and each year it disappears so I'm assuming the worms pull it all in. I've
also planted lots of bulbs. Each year the daffodils flower but come up
blind
the next year. I make sure that they are well watered if the soil does dry
out and I feed regularly with "Growmore" and with chicken manure. Any
suggestions? At the moment I can hardly see the recent ones which have
flowered as they are all hidden by masses of leaves from previous years.
(The bulbs are from all different sources, varying from "garden centre
named
varieties" to "DIY shed bulk lots", each has the same problem. Also tulips
(if they don't rot) are fine, it's just the daffodils.) Thanks in advance,
Hayley



They flower the first year but not the second .... are you leaving the
leaves on them to die down so they make enough oomph for flowers the
following year?
L

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

Xref: news7 uk.rec.gardening:131094

You are feeding them too much. Chicken manure will make lots of
leaves at the expense of flowers.

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:45:26 -0000, "hayley"
wrote:

Hello, I'm new here and wondered if anyone could help with a question. I
have a very badly drained, clay soil, newish, S Cheshire, west facing
garden. I've been mulching with sharp sand and bark for the last two years
and each year it disappears so I'm assuming the worms pull it all in. I've
also planted lots of bulbs. Each year the daffodils flower but come up blind
the next year. I make sure that they are well watered if the soil does dry
out and I feed regularly with "Growmore" and with chicken manure. Any
suggestions? At the moment I can hardly see the recent ones which have
flowered as they are all hidden by masses of leaves from previous years.
(The bulbs are from all different sources, varying from "garden centre named
varieties" to "DIY shed bulk lots", each has the same problem. Also tulips
(if they don't rot) are fine, it's just the daffodils.) Thanks in advance,
Hayley


Happy gardening
Pam in Bristol
pamdotmoore@virgindotnet
Bristol

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:45:26 -0000, "hayley"
wrote:

Hello, I'm new here and wondered if anyone could help with a question. I
have a very badly drained, clay soil, newish, S Cheshire, west facing
garden. I've been mulching with sharp sand and bark for the last two years
and each year it disappears so I'm assuming the worms pull it all in. I've
also planted lots of bulbs. Each year the daffodils flower but come up blind
the next year. I make sure that they are well watered if the soil does dry
out and I feed regularly with "Growmore" and with chicken manure.

one or t'other, duck, but not both! in fact a bit of healthy neglect
might be a good thing for a while.

Any
suggestions? At the moment I can hardly see the recent ones which have
flowered as they are all hidden by masses of leaves from previous years.

this is only a guess, but I suspect that you have mice eating the
flower tips out.

--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

They flower the first year but not the second .... are you leaving the
leaves on them to die down so they make enough oomph for flowers the
following year?

yes

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

"hayley" wrote in message
...
They flower the first year but not the second .... are you leaving the
leaves on them to die down so they make enough oomph for flowers the
following year?

yes


Then Pam in the next post to mine probably has the other reason.
L

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

You are feeding them too much. Chicken manure will make lots of
leaves at the expense of flowers.

Thank you for the replies - is there anything which I should use to make
more flowers? (I guess it would need to be high potassium?)
Hayley

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

"hayley" wrote
Thank you for the replies - is there anything which I should use to make
more flowers? (I guess it would need to be high potassium?)
Hayley

I once saw Geoff Hamilton recommend a sprinkling of rose fertiliser, so
that's what I do now.

Sue

blind bulbs - newbie question
 

In article , hayley
writes
You are feeding them too much. Chicken manure will make lots of
leaves at the expense of flowers.

Thank you for the replies - is there anything which I should use to make
more flowers? (I guess it would need to be high potassium?)

Or just no fertiliser.
It might take a few years for the high nitrogen conditions you have
provided to subside.



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/