Bulbs - Jonquil
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  (March) We have a lot of daffodils at our back fence. There are only a few that bloom. Do you know why that is? Are they planted too deep?

  While the common name daffodil and jonquil is often used interchangeably, and often means the same flower to the people using the name, there is a difference between a jonquil and a daffodil. Daffodils have flat stems, and typically one, unscented flower per stem. Jonquils have a rounded stem, and multiple fragrant blooms per stem. Regardless of the name used, both are welcome additions to the spring landscape and well worth planting.

  (March) I have a question about my jonquil bulbs and their longevity. I have quite a large bed with bulbs I bought about 25 years ago, mostly King Alfred, as I remember. The bulbs were huge and produced large blooms. However, over the years the blooms have progressively gotten smaller. I have not separated them since I moved them to a new bed 16 years ago. I also have some jonquil bulbs that were given to me by an aunt, now deceased, and I don't know how old they were when given to me, however, they have also been in this same bed for 16 years. I am wondering if it would be worth digging them up and separating them to replant or have they lived their life. I have quite a large number and would like to use some warm days this winter to start digging them up if they are salvageable. What is your advise?

  Lifespan of bulbs can be quite long, especially daffodils. Think of all the old abandoned homesites that have bulbs growing annually with little care. To keep your bulbs at peak performance, dividing can help, as can fertilization. Many people get hung up on bone meal when they think of bulb fertilization. However, after planting, bulbs need all three ingredients--nitrogen, phosphorous and potash. Apply a complete fertilizer around the bulbs, and consider dividing them as soon as they finish blooming. Lift and replant immediately, leaving the foliage intact. Give the bulbs a full six to eight weeks of green growth after bloom, and hopefully, by next year, your bulb flowers will be larger and showier. If you don't want to wait until after bloom, you could dig and divide them immediately, but it may interfere with the flowering, which is imminent.

  (April) Someone just gave me yellow jonquils that they had just pulled out of the ground once they stopped blooming. The tops are still on the bulbs (some double). Should I let the tops dry back, then cut off and store till planting in the fall OR do I cut the tops off once they are dried back and then plant now?

  Plant immediately and leave the green tops on them. If you let them dry and store for fall planting, they will not bloom next spring. They need a minimum of six weeks of green growing time following bloom, for them to set a flower for next year. Once the foliage begins to die back, then you can cut the leaves off.

  (November) There was a small evergreen bush in our yard that was severely damaged by the ice storm a couple of years ago. My husband dug it up, and I plan to move some jonquil bulbs that were under it that need to be divided. I know that some evergreens deplete the soil of nutrients, but I don't know for sure what this bush was. What type of fertilizer should I use, if needed, for the jonquils?

  Fertilizing jonquils now would do no good. Once the foliage dies down in the spring, everything is set for the following springs bloom. The time to fertilize is when the foliage is up and growing, and you see a flower stalk emerging. Then use a complete fertilizer. A light application of fertilizer following bloom can also help. Let the foliage grow for a minimum of six weeks after bloom, and you should have great flowers the following year, provided the plants are in the sun. Competition from a shrub should not be a factor once the bulbs are dormant again.

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