Daffodils not flowering – causes and solutions

What can you do if daffodils (Narcissus) become lazy and only grow leaves but no flowers? There are various reasons why daffodils may not flower. However, with the right care tips, you can get these spring flowers to bloom again. 

Wrong location and soil

• A common reason for daffodils not flowering is that they are in the wrong place. Daffodils need a sunny spot with at least six to eight hours of sunlight a day.
• The bulbs should not be planted too close to other plants, as they will not get enough nutrients otherwise.
• If the soil is too wet, daffodils may not flower. Prolonged dampness can cause the bulbs to rot.
• Good drainage is important to ensure that the bulbs do not stand in water.
• Loose, permeable, nutrient-rich soil that drains excess water well is ideal.!

Wrong care

• Do not cut back the leaves of the daffodils prematurely, as they store energy for the next flowering season.
• To prevent the withered foliage from being a distraction, plant perennials around the daffodils to hide the yellowing foliage.
• Dead flowers should be removed so that the plant does not invest energy in seed formation.

Too many daughter bulbs

 If daffodils are left in the same spot for too many years, they will produce lots of daughter bulbs, which will weaken the main bulb. As a result, the daffodils will stop flowering. To avoid too many daughter bulbs, divide the daffodil bulbs every four to five years. 

• Dig up the bulbs after the leaves have turned yellow and divide them.
• Store the bulbs in a dry place until autumn.
• Replant them in autumn, making sure that there is sufficient space between them.

Too little or the wrong fertiliser

Daffodils don’t need much fertiliser, but it is important to give them the right kind:

• Add a little compost or special flower bulb fertiliser directly after budding and in autumn.
• Liquid fertiliser for bulb flowers can help if the daffodils have not been fertilised for a long time. Fertilise the daffodils in spring when the first leaves appear. Unfortunately, it is too late for this year’s flowers, but the daffodils will flower beautifully again next year.
• Horn shavings are unsuitable as they release nutrients only slowly.

 Plant only healthy bulbs

Healthy plants grow only from healthy bulbs. Bulbs should feel firm and should not have any squashed or mouldy parts. The larger the bulbs, the larger and more vigorous the plants and flowers will be.

Voles as a problem

Flower bulbs are gourmet food for voles. If you have these hungry animals in your garden, it’s difficult for the daffodil bulbs to survive. Plant baskets and plant bowls can help if they also have a wire mesh on top to prevent the voles from accessing the bulbs from above.

Narcissus Bulb Fly

The survival chances of daffodils are poor if the bulbs are infested with the narcissus bulb fly. The narcissus bulb fly lays its eggs in the flowers. From there, the maggots eat their way into the bulb and overwinter there. A first warning sign is when the bulbs sprout only sparsely or not at all. Dig up the bulbs. If they are mushy and hollow, all the bulbs must be removed and disposed of in the household waste.

Basal rot of Narcissus

This nasty fungal disease mainly affects daffodils. The fungal spores settle in the bulb scales and multiply there. The leaves of infected bulbs turn yellow too early and the flowers do not bloom. If the bulbs in your garden are infected, you have no choice but to dig up all the bulbs and dispose of them in the household waste. You should also not plant any bulb flowers for at least five years, as the spores survive in the soil.