separated narcissus didn't bloom last year, are they dead?

I have about 25 Narcissus bulbs that had been my grandmother's, and she called them Poet's Daffodils. They have bloomed for me every year until 2007, so I dug them up and separated them and replanted them. The stalks just laid down and turned brown. But this summer, they broke through the soil again and sent up green stalks, but not one single blossom. Have I killed them? I am just learning about all the plants I have taken for granted for the past ten years, as I fear I am losing them due to my ignorance. My iris haven't bloomed for 3 years now, but they do grow foliage. I am simply heartsick. As I said, I got these bulbs and the iris rhizomes from my grandmother, and she got them from her grandmother when she left home to marry in 1918, so they are simply irreplaceable for me. I would like to someday give them to my granddaughter, IF I can keep them alive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I borrowed this picture from the Plant Files Pictures, I hope that's ok.

It may be that you haven't planted your poet's daff bulbs deep enough. Large bulbs need to be planted at around 6 - 8 inches deep and smaller varieties of Narcissus anything from 2 - 4 inches.
Usually the bigger the bulb the deeper it should be planted but some types of Iris need to planted almost on the surface. Confused??? So was I once LOL.
If your Iris looks like it has a rhizome - a rather straggly root type growth, then it probably needs to be planted shallowly. If it's definatly more of a bulb, plant it deep - probably.
Here's a good table of planting depths for most bulbs http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/Planting-Bulbs.id-508.html
Hope it helps
:-)) Rosie

If the narcissus sent up green then don't give up hope, they're still alive or else they wouldn't have done that, either like Rosie said maybe they're not planted the right depth, or they needed some time to re-establish themselves this year and didn't bloom. On the iris--definitely worth checking the planting depth also, but if you've had them for a number of years and they used to bloom but now don't, it could just be they need to be divided

Yes definatly ecrane - forgot to mention that LOL. Rhizomes are the worst. If they suddenly stop flowering even though they have happily been doing so in the same place for years, it is almost certainly due to overcrowding. If you have recently moved them then I would suggest planting depth. But sometimes bulbs just need a season or so to get used to a new position. Drat awkward these plants!!!

All the info given is the right way to go, the only thing I would add is sunlight, Irises need to be baked in the sun and the tuber only just under the soil in no more IF they are the tuber / rhizome type, when you dig those up to divide them, you really just cut off the outer growing bits with a bit of foliage and roots and replant them again, after about four years you would probably have to do the same again, the large clumps of tubers after that time stop flowering and they have by then sent out nice new fleshy tubers. Bulbs as said need planted much deeper than the other type and need sunshine also,
Your Daffi's I would think will still be fine but when they grow without flowers it is normally lack of light, strong sunlight is not a must but good light will help them flower, dont cut off the dying foliage as this feeds the bulbs for the next year, you just tug it away when it has gone dry/brown, good luck. hope you have a lovely display for next spring. WeeNel.

if the foilage is dying cut it off the cells in the leaves have already shut down to them so there will be no use for them , but it can be a great place for insects to get into. The bubls will find their depth. If they are to shallow then they will actually (roots) pull themselves down further in the ground and if their too deep the roots actually push them up. Weeenl is right about the sun. Full sun on those. The iris rhizomes need to be just baove the soil so the sun bakes them as weenel said. Daffs are daffed sometimes they go through this thing when planted or transplanted where they wont bloom. Give them time they will. Witht the iris overcrowding can halt their blloms. Divde and feed with triple phosphate, they love that stuff. Don't worry you wont loose them

Thank you one and all for the advice and the encouragement, it is truly appreciated.

It seems that the bulbs were divided while the leaves were still green. If as you stated the "stalks just laid down and turned brown" that could be the problem. The foliage is what feeds the bulb for the next year and they might not have had enough time to do that after you transplanted. Hopefully the foliage will feed the bulb this year and they will bloom beautifully for you next Spring. Good luck.

Never cut off dying foliage until it is crispy and shatters when you crush it. Otherwise the plant sugars will not have all been transported down to the bulb or tuber. These sugars enable the plant to come to life again the next season.