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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2008 16:22:09 GMT
Hi all,
When I started the garden I planted loads of daffodil bulbs in front of what were then small shrubs ... now, of course, the shrubs have grown and are overshadowing the daffs. Can I move them now (they're all up), or would it be better to wait until after they've flowered and their leaves have died down? There are an awful lot more than I ever remember planting ;D ... cheers ...
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Post by Dutchy on Jan 26, 2008 16:37:16 GMT
When they like their position they multiply  Don't move them now. The shock will cause the flowers to dwindle. Once the flowers are gone dig them up leaving bits of soil on. Label and wrap in a newspaper the green still protruding. Dump somewhere out of sight not too dry. ( they are still "growing" ) Once they go brown remove the leaves and clear away the remaining dirt. Store for next year. Most dafs are tough enough to deal with this treatment. Don't do this to Poeticus ones or bulbocodium dafs they are more sensitive and should be replaced later. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2008 17:59:14 GMT
Thanks Dutchy, that's what I'll so. They must be happy since there are obviously lots of babies; in fact, that spot is like a daffodil maternity ward ;D ... cheers ...
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Post by Plocket on Jan 26, 2008 19:02:55 GMT
Nooo don't move them now CC - wait until they've died back and had a chance to recover from flowering. I wouldn't worry too much though - the daffs will probably grow taller to get to the light, but they would prefer to be in a better position  |
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Post by Essexgirl on Jan 30, 2008 9:55:29 GMT
While we're on the subject of Daffs,what is the ideal depth to plant the bulbs. A lot of mine come up,have leaves but don't flower.Someone told me it's because I planted them at the wrong depth.  |
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Post by farmersboy on Jan 30, 2008 10:07:54 GMT
Well EG,as someone who has great experiance in the field,Daffodils should be planted 2-3 tines their diamiter,=6-9 inches.Betcha didnt know i knew that,did ya
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Post by andy on Jan 30, 2008 13:07:09 GMT
Now i didn't know this but i was watching a programme on tele...i think it might even have been Titchmarsh but he said you can move daffs at any time of year....and now was an especially good time to do it.
As long as it's done quickly, the bulbs are watered in and you get as much soil round the roots as poss, it's fine.
Don't know if i'd risk mine but i have moved crocus, snowdrops and chinadoxia when in flower and they've been fine.
Slap me if you don't agree !!!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2008 14:15:32 GMT
Thanks, Andy .... but I think I'll play safe for the moment. Apart from anything else they do look very pretty - if horribly overshadowed - where they are now, so I'll move them later |
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Post by Essexgirl on Jan 31, 2008 7:55:32 GMT
Well EG,as someone who has great experiance in the field,Daffodils should be planted 2-3 tines their diamiter,=6-9 inches.Betcha didnt know i knew that,did ya I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED ABOUT ANYTHING YOU KNOW FB. YOUV'E BEEN AROUND A BIT. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Jan 31, 2008 11:24:46 GMT
I must admit that I have risked moving bulbs and plants come to that when I shouldn't have, but it is one thing doing it in your own garden and another thing suggesting that someone else does it.
I suppose it you got enough earth around the bulbs they would hardly notice that they had been moved, - as Andy says.
Will you risk just one and see what happens?!! Notice I am asking you to do it and not me ;D
RF
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2008 13:42:30 GMT
Will you risk just one and see what happens?!! Notice I am asking you to do it and not me ;D RF  Well, I will move a couple of the ones at the very back since they're so shadowed they're not going to do much anyway ... but right now there's a gale blowing, so not much of anything being done garden-wise ;D ... cheers ... |
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Post by Dutchy on Jan 31, 2008 18:22:04 GMT
;D Do get a nice lump of soil with them as Andy suggested.
And do not water in, maybe if you feel you really must some drops of water, dafs don't like wet.
Take care not to damage them during lifting.
You should be fine.
Now what I did to MssK's dafs...
I had to dig over the allotment in november and december.
Dug straight through several dafs as I had no clue they were there.
Bunged them back in at three times their size, even the ones I split.
( hight of bulb ) (( mind you I have never had problems planting less deep but deeper would give a problem, go for two times and you should be fine))
There are dafs all over showing their green.
Too early for flowers as the allotment is not very sheltered but some buds are visible.
My own dafs.
I lift when they have finished flowering and are in the wrong position or have gone into overgrown clump state.
I replant at once and usually get away with that.
I do not mind leaves browning in the border but that is what is part of my gardens proces of life and decay. Not every one likes it that way.
Tulips I do lift as they are treated as bedding and are followed by other things that must go in.
I leave the tulips outside in a sheltered spot to die down and replant them the next year.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 5, 2008 17:12:18 GMT
More like not moving daffs (sorry CC)... I heard on a local radio garden prog today that failure to flower (so called 'blind' daffs with wrong planting depth usually to blame) is just as likely to be the result of immature bulbs being sold, and that rather than the "dig them up, chuck 'em/plant 'em deeper" school of thought, you can leave them to bulk up in their first season with reasonable expectation they will flower next year and for evermore.
See, I saved you time, money, heartache and backache...
OM.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2008 17:20:36 GMT
Thanks OM .... but actually I moved them a couple of days ago ;D They flowered fine until becoming overshadowed, and when I dug them up (you're right about the backache) there were loads of offsets ;D ;D ... anyway, they're now all replanted in a reasonably open position! But there's no doubt that shops selling immature bulbs is a problem as well ... cheers ...
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Post by Weeterrier on Mar 5, 2008 18:40:36 GMT
The other day, I found a forgotten Tete-a-tete bulb lying on the surface of the soil. And it had two beautiful flowers growing out of it. Poor wee thing. But I planted it. ;D |
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Post by Amo on Mar 5, 2008 19:48:20 GMT
Daffs will screw themselves down in the soil to a depth that they are happy with. Usually a lot deeper than we plant them especialy on free draining soil. That's usually the reason why they are pigs to dig up and transplant!
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 6, 2008 22:56:22 GMT
More like not moving daffs (sorry CC)... I heard on a local radio garden prog today that failure to flower (so called 'blind' daffs with wrong planting depth usually to blame) is just as likely to be the result of immature bulbs being sold, and that rather than the "dig them up, chuck 'em/plant 'em deeper" school of thought, you can leave them to bulk up in their first season with reasonable expectation they will flower next year and for evermore. See, I saved you time, money, heartache and backache... OM. Some of my daffs have come up blind..they were fine last year, I didn't bother to dig them up I just left them in. |
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Post by flowersfriend on Mar 10, 2008 19:05:43 GMT
I'm really glad I saw this thread....I was just going to ask why most of our daffs newly planted last year flowered last year and not this. I tried to plant them really deep. There seems to be a lot less up than I planted. I wondered if slugs had eaten the bulbs? But perhaps they were immature. How can you tell when you buy them if they are going to be ok?  ? I was thinking of leaving last years and planting some more.. |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 10, 2008 19:07:30 GMT
Lets hope someone sees this and can help us FF.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 10, 2008 19:20:43 GMT
Lets hope someone sees this and can help us FF. Well, I can't, but I've just thought of a man that can... the bulbgrower I bought mine from. I'll phone him tomorrow... OM. |
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Post by Amo on Mar 10, 2008 19:22:36 GMT
I have loads of congested clumps up the drive that flower their heads off. I don't do anything to them, they just do their bit. So either: - Imature bulbs Not enough time before taking the leaves off to feed the bulbs. Last years really bad weather upset them. They are not well drained enough. You haven't been patient and they'll do it next year. You bought bulbs that don't like where you've put them. Any combination of the above. ?  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 11, 2008 18:08:39 GMT
Lets hope someone sees this and can help us FF. All valid daffpoints Amo, and the 'answer' FF and MRH, from The Man Himself, is... eelworm. Bet you didn't want to hear that. Actually, I think that's uneccessarily gloomy, I reckon good bulbs planted at the right time would put on a show more or less regardless of conditions, then spend a bit of time recovering, establishing themselves, that sort of thing. Maybe miss a season. Have a rest. Fingers crossed for next year - but I'd bung in a few more, just in case... OM. |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 11, 2008 19:02:38 GMT
Thanks OM, I'll leave them in and see what happens next year.
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Post by Amo on Mar 11, 2008 19:09:05 GMT
I've also just watched an Alan T GW I recorded last week and he said that blind daffs are because they are not deep enough. They'll do a year or two but then struggle. ;D
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 11, 2008 19:15:04 GMT
I've also just watched an Alan T GW I recorded last week and he said that blind daffs are because they are not deep enough. They'll do a year or two but then struggle. ;D Ooooo. Ok... what about... deep mulch over a 'troublesome' bed, to artificially deepen them! Have to 'declare an interest': have planted hundreds this year, and now in turmoil at the thought they may not be deep enough... OM. |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 11, 2008 19:15:06 GMT
I plan on topping up the soil in the beds this year so hopefully that might help
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Post by Amo on Mar 11, 2008 19:50:34 GMT
Could be good OM and MRH!! I know it was also him who said they will screw themselves deeper but I guess that is in the right soil. The episode I've just watched he said at least two times the bulb height above the bulb and six weeks for the leaves after flowering.
Fingers crossed for your 'hundreds'!!
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 13, 2008 11:58:25 GMT
glad I read this, most of my daffs have come up blind this year, I'd lifted them last year and replanted in the autumn, maybe not deep enough from the sounds of things. lesson learned. |
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Post by flowersfriend on Mar 16, 2008 17:02:39 GMT
A big Thank to you all, for your help.....I did sort of make my daffs a bit deeper by putting some compost on the soil. Thats how I probably introduced eelworm, I think I have seen them . I think you are right OM  .......now I wonder how to get rid of them?? We have been putting loads of horse manure on the garden. That might be why we have it. It is just that the soil is sooooo full of clay.  Oh dear.... |
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? I was thinking of leaving last years and planting some more..
.......now I wonder how to get rid of them?? We have been putting loads of horse manure on the garden. That might be why we have it. It is just that the soil is sooooo full of clay. 
Oh dear....