will separated daffodils bloom the first year?

[jerryshenk]

Least summer, I separated a rather large clump of overcrowded daffodil bulbs. I planted 80 bulbs in 3 different groupings. They had only shown about a half-dozen flowers last spring. Based on what I know of the prior owner, I am guessing that they'd been planted 20 years ago or more. Should I expect any flowers this year or will they need to have this year to rejuvinated a bit now that they have room to grow?

And, another angle to the same question - I have 4 other clumps that I want to do this year. Would it be better to transplant them immediately after they flower so that they have a little time to grow with their new space?

[Schattenfreude]

Jerry,

Whether they bloom this year or not will depend on whether or not you allowed the foliage to die back naturally last spring, I'd say. How big were the bulbs that you divided?

As far as this year goes, I'd wait until the foliage dies back (first part of June, I reckon for zone 6a) and then divide the clumps. The energy to produce the flowers for next year's flowers comes from the leaves feeding the bulb after flowering this year. Also, remove spent blooms as soon as they fade or else the bulb will start to produce seeds which will drain more energy from the bulb. I always add some bone meal to the dirt when planting bulbs.

Good luck!
Kevin

[jerryshenk]

I did wait for them to fully die back, in fact, I had to rely on pictures to know where they were. I grouped them by size - the largest were larger than a quarter, then about the size of a quarter, then smaller and finally a small group that was the size of a dime or smaller. Each group had about 20 bulbs. I then planted them in those same basic groupings just to see what the difference was in the spring. At the original location, there were very few flowers last spring...a half-dozen or less.

So far, there are no buds with the transplanted bulbs. Other daffodils in the yard do have buds.

[thy]

Hard to say
It all depend on the size of the bulb
So if they were way to close- all tiny- you will get no flowers
If some of them were big enough to handle a blooming last year, they will bloom-
Next year - that depend on the way you transplanted them. If still to close to develope- ...you have a problem
Separate all of them with a distance of one to 2 bulb size
Then the big and ready will bloom
You can transplant and seperate them now as tiny sprouts or wait as Kevin said

Love daffodils- real spring

No bone meal if you have dogs

[jerryshenk]

OH, they have room to grow this year so if I don't get blooms this year, next year should be good...might even be a little too far apart, probably 4x bulb width. I have a couple other clumps that really need to be separated. I think they'll look good kindof naturalized a few places along the roadbank. I didn't do much ammending of the soil before I planted them. I think this time around, I'll go a little deeper so I can work some compost into the bottom 2 inches, then put the bulbs down on on that and then fill in with dirt. I did work the ground up a for an inch or so and mix in a little compost but, I think a little "bulb food" would be as good idea too.

[thy]

Most plants love a rich soil
Daffodils love some fertilizer when they have finished the bloom time and start to go to sleep
I love daffodils.. they get better and better every year

[isadora]

I have many old clumps that I try and divide some of each year, and I've found that the bigger bulbs will bloom the following spring but the small ones take three to four years to get to blooming size. I just stick them in and forget about them, and in a few years, I'm thrilled with the display I get!

[jerryshenk]

Oh, 3 or 4 years! I'm glad I'm hearing that now 'cuz I would have been wondering if I did something wrong or if I got bad bulbs or something.

I guess it would also make sense to plant a few of the larger bulbs and the middle of a grouping and then plant some smaller ones on the edges.

[thy]

Do not separate the small bulbs from the big ones, they bloom faster that way, just give them some space. They give up blooming for lack of space.
The small Tete a Tete you can bye now will often have small bulbs by the side and they will mostly bloom next year...
if watered well and givin some fertilizer
Tazettas is an other thing, they can take yeaars for blooming, still wort the wait