How to Get Naked Ladies to Bloom

I planted 10 Belladonna bulbs, aka "naked lady", a little more than four years ago. The leaves come up reliably and grow well during the fall and winter. I have yet to get any blooms in the late summer, however. I have them planted in mostly sun, with a little bit of shade from a California bay tree. The area is covered with shredded cedar mulch. I don't give the bulbs any summer water, and have not fertilized them.

Can anyone advise me on what I might do to get the bulbs to bloom? Thank you in advance.

I live right down the street from you in San Pablo. Since you are doing everything right as far as I can see, I only have a couple of suggestions.

They like hot as well as dry conditions in the summer. Do you provide that?

How deep are the bulbs planted? In our area they should have their necks exposed. If you decide to replant them, you will lose a year's bloom because they prefer not to be disturbed. But if you're not getting bloom anyway, it shouldn't matter.

How big were the bulbs when you planted them? If they aren't sufficently mature they won't bloom. They might need some more time to get big enough. I dug up a bunch of them many years ago, and then 10 years later I had more bulbs in the same place I dug! Took them that long to get mature enough to even put up leaves, and several more years to bloom.

While no fertilizer is necessary, a top dressing of 10-10-10 fertilizer as the leaves emerge is beneficial.

Hope this helps.

Time is a big variable when it comes to belladonna blooms. I gave some away years ago and that person was just about to give up on it and it finally bloomed in the 6th year. I have had some bloom 3 years after moving. Never after one year though. Not sure exactly what is the over-riding factor. But, once they start blooming, they will bloom every year after that (and spread rapidly too)

We dug up some bulbs late last summer just as they were finishing with their blooms and planted them on the east side of the house - morning sun mostly. They bloomed this summer even though we weren't there to see them - we sold the house and had to leave them behind. I am hoping the new owner will share in a couple of years when they need dividing again.

denise

Clover - Whatever happened with your bulbs? We never did hear from you. Info, please??

Marilyn

Hi all. I think that I'll just have to continue waiting until the bulbs decide that they want to bloom. The bulbs were large when I planted them, about 2" wide at their widest. They have been growing beautifully, with lots of healthy foliage, every year during our wet winters in California. There have never been any blooms, however. I suppose I just need to be patient.