Why Don't Spring Bulbs Flower
It's always a disappointment when, after carefully planting bulbs in the autumn, they do not flower in the spring.
Key Fact: The most common cause of bulbs failing to flower is planting them too shallow.
The best time to address the problem is in the spring, when bulbs should be flowering, but instead they are only in leaf. Whilst the plant is in leaf, but not flower (spring) dig up the bulb and replant to a greater depth. There can be different reasons for different types of bulbs, and here are some tips to make sure the spring bulbs flower next year.
The most common spring bulb that fails to flower is the daffodil.
No flowers on daffodils - Blind daffodils
In the image, only one flower has struggled through to bloom, which is a disappointing display.
Top tips for bulbs failing to flower:-
Planting too shallow is the most common cause. Plant the bulbs at least three times their height into the soil.If the bulb fails, mark the daffodils and when they are dying back, dig up the bulbs and replant them to the correct depth.
Very dry soil can cause blindness. It's a good idea if planting into dry soil to mulch the area to retain moisture and ameliorate the dryness.
Planting daffodils too late can be a cause of no flowers. Daffodils need to be in the soil and planted by mid-September.
Mature clumps of daffodils can get overcrowded, in which case, lift and divide and replant. The time to lift is when the bulbs come into leaf and replant immediately.
Defoliation and knotting can cause a problem. It may be tempting to make the tired foliage look more attractive, but removing it too early inhibits the uptake of nutrients by the leaves. It is important to let the foliage die down naturally for at least 6 weeks post-flowering
If all else fails, feeding can assist, in which case any suitable applied regularly after the blooms have faded.
Daffodils are fully hardy
Cold weather, snow, and frost do not affect daffodil bulb flowering. Daffodils are 100% fully hardy and so if your daffodils are not flowering, you can be sure the weather is not the cause.
No flowers on Tulips
It isn't easy to get tulips to flower the following year, and in this respect they are different to daffodils. Treat tulips as annuals, however, here are some tips to make them flower.
The planting depth is very relevant to tulips, which are more likely to come back the following year if planted deeply. It is also not ideal to leave tulips in containers year after year unless a deep container.
Planting tulips too early may cause them to succumb to disease, and, unlike daffodils, you should wait until late October or early November to plant tulips.
If you definitely want tulips to flower the following year, plant Darwin Hybrids, which are more likely to return than, say, the Parrot varieties. Only certain varieties of Tulip have the capacity to return the following year. Follow this link to a full guide about perennial tulip varieties.
Mice and squirrels love them. I have planted an entire container full of Tulips to find only a few stragglers bloomed, and it was the pesky squirrel.Cover the container with mesh or a grid.
Tulips come from a part of the world with hot, dry summers and cold winter,s but those conditions are not prevalent in the UK; hence, it simply isn't easy to get Tulips to flower year after year. I treat them as annuals because even if they do come back, it is not usually with the same flourish as the first year's flowering.
Plant in an area of good drainage, and after flowering, take off the flower head and allow the foliage to die back naturally.
No flowers on Snowdrops
As a woodland plant, the main cause of snowdrop failure is dry conditions. Snowdrops are best in partial shade and benefit from a good leaf mulch to replicate their natural conditions.
Growing snowdrops in a woodland area, or under shrubs, will ensure a shade canopy in the spring and summer to prevent the bulbs from drying out.
You can also plant snowdrops in the green, which makes them easier to establish. Tips and growing guide for snowdrops.
Poor display lack of flowes on Crocus?
Did your Crocus flowers lack lustre? Instead of open flowers, did they look more like the image on the right?
I took this picture of my Crocus flowers in February 2024, which was the wettest spring on record. This also means it was the most overcast, grey with the least sun.
Crocus bulbs open their flowers in response to sun. Technically called nyctinasty. Because the flowers track the sun, it is critical to plant Crocus in a sunny spot. A simple flower, but planting place is important- check out here my growing guide on how to plant spring bulbs.
For most other bulbs, such as Crocus and Hyacinth, predators such as mice and squirrels will the cause of bulb failure. A failure to flower is most likely the planting depth, often planted too shallow. Advice on how to plant spring bulbs.