unhappy daffodils near maple trees

About 8 or 9 nine years ago, I transplanted dozens of daffodils from our cutting garden where my grandfather had planted them to the drip line of some maple trees. They come up, but they haven't been performing very well. Last spring I gave them bonemeal after flowering, but they don't look much thicker this season.

Are the maple roots sapping the daffodils energy? Did I somehow get them too deep (hard to believe I dug all the holes too deep, but maybe so). Any ideas what I can do to get more blooms?

Thanks.

Here are some ideas that may help you remedy the situation-- (I just went to a daffodil lecture today that talked about this problem! So I'm just recounting what the lecturer mentioned!)

1. Your post bloom daff foliage is not getting enough sun to produce good bulbs for next year because the maple has leafed out. Remedy: You need to plant daff varieties that bloom six weeks before the garden space is shaded by the leaves. The foliage has to stay on for at least 6 weeks to make the new bulb, but you already know that, I'm sure.) Or 'limb up' your maple to let in more sunshine which did wonders for mine.

2. Not enough water for the daffs during bloom and regrowth (spring) season. (The maple may be sucking up all the water.) Remedy: Set out sprinklers---Make sure your daffs get at least 1 inch of rainwater a week in spring time. Dryer in summer, though.

3. Fertilizer could be an issue. Try a 'potato' fertilizer--something with low Nitrogen and high Phosphorus and high Potassium to foster bloom, root and plant health. I use liquid diluted 'Miracle Grow for Bloom' when the daffs break through the ground and again when they are in flower. Sometimes I can find a granular 0-10-10 or so (at my feed store) which I will water in. Of course they say the best time to fertilize is when you plant because the nourishment is placed down near the roots where the daffs can get it.

4. They may not be a daffodil variety that likes to perennialize. Some are better at it than others. (I can't find my list of good perennializers now, but if it turns up I'll edit in the link. Here are a few from Scheepers:

http://www.johnscheepers.com/catview.cgi?_fn=Item&_recordnum=6621&_category=Website%20Specials )

5. If they are crowded together and only leaves are shooting up, you will need to divide the little bulbs to give them more space to grow (a good time to add compost and fertilizer to the daffodil growing garden.)

Just some ideas the daffodil lecturer mentioned that were helpful to me. And I hope to you.

Good luck! I always love to see daffs planted under trees in springtime!

Fabulous tips! Thank you!!!