fertilizing old bulbs

does it help to throw some bulb tone on old clumps of daffs. that are blooming very sparcely? they just come up alot of green and almost no blooms. I heard that this time of year to throw some on and they will begin to bloom again and no need to dig up and separate (which I am not going to do).......thanks

A couple of bulb care websites say yes you can fertilize now, since they are putting out roots and preparing for next spring. One also says that you should follow up in early spring with more fertilizer as well. I have the same situation. I have several large old clumps that I don't have the energy to dig up so i will be fertilizing those spots in the beds this fall with Bulb Booster, which is what i like to use. We'll see what happens next spring!
Martha

thanks Martha

My dad always said it was time to dig up and replant when they stopped producing a lot of flowers. I have limited experience with daffs and only a small amt of bulbs. Year 1, they bloomed well, year 2, hardly any blooms. Dad said they probably had split and in a year or two would have lots of blooms again. It was year 4 this spring and I had a lot of daff blooms. If I was you, I would dig them up next spring and replant next fall if they have a low flower show again.

Thanks Koog! All I lack this fall is the energy. I am going to spread the bulb booster out in the sections where these daffs are and see what happens. I should be better next spring and able to get them out if they don't respond to the fertilizer. They have been in the ground for 23 years and are the first daffs I planted when I moved into my house. We'll see what happens. I bought a bunch of new ones this fall and it's all I can do to get them in the ground. I put some in every year, sometimes only a dozen or so and that keeps my daff stock up! this year about 30-40 or so not including crocus and muscari.
Martha

Interesting what your Dad said...because I never realized that they split and stopped flowering for a while and then started up again...I think this is what has happened to me over the years but never knew why. I am not going to dig them up and replant them however....way toooooo many....thousands. I am tooo old. I will just get some more.

I found out by accident that if you cut into the clump with a spade in a few places they will often start blooming again. So many times I've forgotten where they were and cultivated the spot a bit. Seems like I always get more blooms where I've done this.

oh, good tip, Neal -- thanks!

Yes very good news...thanks.