A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum no flowers from bulbs

I have planted daffofils, glads, iris & fresia - the only bloomer was the fresia. The others only put out leaves but only minimal flowers - these are all at least 2 years old. Any clues???

Hi and welcome!

This would probably be better answered in the flowers forums, but since you wrote here, I'll give it a try. Sometimes I find that bulbs have worked their way too deeply into the ground over the years, and they don't grow well or flower. I have dug them up, and replanted them to the depth they were supposed to be, and often find they do bloom the following year. I also sprinkle some blood meal in the holes where I plant bulbs - it helps fertilize them, and also helps keep the critters away from the bulbs.

You don't say where you live, but here in NY zone 6, nothing is blooming yet. The leaves of my tulips and daffodils are up about 3 inches now, but we are to get rain mixed with snow on Friday! They also said it will probably snow some more into April.

Gladiolas bloom here late summer, and freesia late spring to summer.

Hi this is Aileen And as interested as u in flower gardening. I read about u r problem i think u should take out bulbs clean it dry it and then replant it. This will give u better results.

you say they are two years old. Do you mean they have been in their current beds for two years or that you got them as two year olds? Bulbs form flowers the year before they bloom and one of the reasons for not getting blooms is if after blooming they don't get a heavy drenching of water. This is when they are forming the new flower and when they should be fertilized and watered heavily.

Also if a clump is to large the number of flowers produced will decrease. How big are your clumps?