Narcissus daffodils are perennial bulbs that live for different amounts of time depending on the species and cultivar, the growing conditions, and the amount of care (or lack of care) they get.
If you choose the right Narcissus and take good care of them, each bulb should last for several years. It is common to see their glossy, strap-like leaves come up as lush as ever before a bulb dies, but without a flower. This is called ‘daffodil blindness’, or ‘coming up blind’.
This picture, taken at the beginning of March, when daffodils should be fully in bloom, shows what it looks like when it happens to whole groups of daffodils:
Daffodils are a cheerful sight that heralds the arrival of spring. But it can be disheartening when previously flowering daffodil bulbs stop blooming and come up “blind,” producing only leaves. The good news is blind daffodils can be coaxed to flower again with a little TLC.
What Causes Daffodils to Go Blind?
There are several potential causes of daffodil blindness:
- Insufficient nutrients – Bulbs lack stored energy to produce blooms
- Overcrowding – Too many bulbs crowded together
- Improper planting depth – Shallow bulbs divide excessively
- Drought – Lack of water prevents food storage in bulbs
- Defoliation – Leaves removed too early stops food production
- Pests or diseases – Viruses, bulb flies, and fungi impact bulbs
- Age – Very old bulbs may decline in vigor and blooms
So blind daffodils are often a symptom of less-than-ideal growing conditions. The good news is adjusting care practices can get them flowering again!
Will Blind Daffodils Bloom Again?
Yes, blind daffodil bulbs can be coaxed to flower again in most cases with a little TLC It may take time and several seasons of adjusted care, but blind bulbs can rebuild energy reserves and eventually produce blooms.
Specific steps to get blind daffodils flowering again
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Improve nutrition – Feed bulbs with compost and fertilizer
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Reduce crowding – Dig up bulbs and replant with more space
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Plant at proper depth – Replant bulbs at recommended depth
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Provide ample water – Water thoroughly, especially after blooming
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Allow foliage to die back naturally – Don’t cut leaves too soon
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Treat pests and diseases – Remove damaged bulbs and control problems
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Be patient! – It may take a season or two to regain strength
With persistence and care, those blind daffodils will burst into bloom once again!
How to Feed and Care for Blind Daffodils
Follow these tips to nourish and replenish the energy in blind daffodil bulbs:
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Apply bulb fertilizer or compost before flowering to provide nutrients
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Water thoroughly after blooms fade to support leaf growth
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Allow foliage to yellow and die back naturally over 6+ weeks
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Avoid mowing or tying leaves – Allow food production in leaves
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Dig up and divide congested clumps to improve growing conditions
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Replant bulbs at double their depth and 6+ inches apart
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Destroy diseased bulbs and control pests like narcissus bulb fly
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Continue adjusted care each season until reblooming occurs
Meeting the needs of your bulbs will ultimately allow flowers to reemerge!
When Will Blind Daffodils Bloom Again?
It typically takes at least one to two growing seasons of improved care before blind daffodil bulbs have enough restored energy to bloom again. Results and timing will vary:
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Lightly blind bulbs may rebloom the very next spring
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Moderately affected bulbs may take 1-2 years to bloom again
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Severely impaired bulbs may require 2-3 years of optimal care
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Completely blinded bulbs may never flower again, unfortunately
The more adjustments you make to care, the quicker bulbs will rebound! But have patience – daffodils will bloom in their own time.
Tips to Prevent Daffodils from Going Blind Again
Once you coax your daffodils to bloom again, keep bulbs flowering with these preventive measures:
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Plant in well-draining soil in full sun
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Space bulbs appropriately – avoid crowding
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Plant bulbs at proper depth in fall
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Water thoroughly after blooms are spent
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Allow 6+ weeks for foliage to yellow
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Applybulb fertilizer to nourish bulbs
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Dig up and divide congested clumps
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Destroy diseased bulbs and control pests
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Renew bulb plantings every 3-5 years
With proper ongoing care, your daffodils will continue flourishing season after season!
The Takeaway on Blind Daffodils
Don’t give up on those blind daffodils! With some TLC and adjusted growing conditions, their cheery blooms can grace your garden again. Feed bulbs, space properly, provide ample water, and address any underlying issues. Then let the bulbs recharge their energy for a year or two. With patience and diligent care, blind daffodils can make a comeback!
The Clump is Old, Congested, and Needs Dividing
It’s possible that your bulbs have become too crowded because they reproduced so well in the past, competing for nutrients and space.
You can move your bulbs around the garden in the fall if you know they did well. Just remember to take them out when the leaves die back and store them over the summer.
Daffodils require fertile soil
If you want to make your soil more fertile, you should mulch around your bulbs. If you can’t mulch, a light feed after the flowers is great for naturalizing bulbs in lawns where mulching isn’t possible.
Another essential feature of fertile soil is moisture. Since it usually rains in Britain in the spring, daffodils don’t have to worry about dry soil when they are still in leaf. But if they do dry out before their leaves fall off naturally, it will hurt their flowering about as much as cutting off the leaves too soon.
Daffodils Not Blooming? Here’s the Solution | In Doug’s Garden
FAQ
Can daffodils recover from blindness?
Should I discard blind daffodils?
Will blind daffodils flower again after flowering?
How do you get daffodils to bloom again?
Will blind daffodils come back?
I read that you can feed with tomato feed, and know that we need to leave the leaves until they die back naturally to allow nutrients back into the bulb for next years flowers, but will ‘blind’ daffodils have a good chance, with improved conditions?. Yes! Don’t give up. They will come back. Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member
Are blind Daffs full of flowers?
Have a read here We had a lot of blind daffs that are now full of flowers. They are in the ground and happy now they have plenty of light after felling a few conifers. Mine get tom food and the foliage stays until its turned yellow and withered.
What is daffodil blindness?
Daffodil blindness is the name given to the phenomenon when daffodils come up with foliage but do not flower. The leaves can be healthy and numerous, yet flowers do not form. “Daffodils that grow but fail to bloom because of daffodil blindness might not bloom because of several causes,” says Janet Hickman from the American Daffodil Society.
Why are my daffodils blind?
This is usually the cause of blind daffodils if you just planted the bulbs the previous fall. Bulbs need to be buried at the correct depth to flower. The pressure from the soil above them plays a critical role in creating new blooms and new bulbs. The rule of thumb is that a bulb should be buried two to three times its height.