Choosing planting

Why aren't my daffodils flowering?

Reasons daffodils fail to flower

Contents

Modified the 12 January 2026 by Angélique 4 min. Difficulty: Beginner

Widely regarded as very easy to grow, daffodils (narcissi) dot gardens and balconies with their yellow, orange or white flowers from spring, sometimes even from winter. Some also delight gardeners with their fragrance. These bulbous plants are vigorous perennials that reappear each year after winter. They offer great diversity of choice since there are around a hundred species and thousands of varieties. Daffodils bloom as trumpets in a tuft of long, narrow leaves. They grow easily in full sun or partial shade, in any soil type, even heavy clay, with few exceptions. If you’re faced with daffodils not flowering, this can be due to various reasons: bulbs lacking sufficient nutrient reserves, planting or maintenance errors, unfavourable weather, small animals getting at them… Discover why your daffodils aren’t flowering and solutions to help you enjoy them to the full.

Difficulty

Planting mistakes

Selecting daffodil bulbs

Choosing daffodil bulbs is very important, because it is thanks to the nutrient reserves in the bulb that daffodils will be able to flower. If you plant damaged bulbs, bulbs affected by mould or bulbs that are not healthy, you risk not seeing your daffodils flower next spring. A healthy daffodil bulb is firm, hard and not crumbly, without white mould and not too small.

Tip: choose bulbs carefully before planting.

When to plant?

Daffodil bulbs are planted in autumn, from September to November, even December. Planting them in autumn gives them time to establish in the soil and perform at their best the following spring. The earlier bulbs are planted in autumn, the earlier they will flower in spring.

Tip: plant bulbs during the ideal period: in autumn.

Where to plant?

Daffodils are planted in full sun or partial shade. A location that is too shady may prevent them from flowering. These plants will grow in any well-drained soil, including heavy clay, except for Narcissus tazetta and Narcissus triandrus, and small varieties, which prefer well-drained ground.

Tip: choose a sunny or partially shaded spot and respect the soil type best suited to the variety you are planting.

How to plant them?

A bulb consists of a bud that forms a point and a flatter part from which the roots emerge. Plant the bulb with the point upwards. Dig a hole 10 to 15 cm deep, about three times the size of the bulb. Place the bulb in the correct orientation and cover with soil. Firm the soil to remove any air pockets and water. Keep a distance of 10 cm between bulbs so they can develop properly.

Plant the swollen base down and the tip up

Maintenance mistakes

Watering

Bulbs need watering, particularly during flowering and immediately afterwards, as this is when they replenish their reserves and water aids that regeneration. During dormancy from summer to winter, bulbs do not need watering.

Solution : remember to water during flowering and afterwards.

Fertiliser

If you want to help daffodil bulbs replenish their reserves, you can apply a fertiliser high in potash and low in nitrogen during flowering and just afterwards.

Deadheading faded flowers and leaves

After flowering, it is advisable to cut the flower stems so as not to deplete the bulb’s reserves unnecessarily. For leaves, wait until they are withered and dry before cutting them, as they are important for replenishing the bulb’s reserves.

Solution : do not cut withered leaves before they are completely dry.

Be sure to wait until foliage has turned yellow before cutting

Dividing bulbs

Bulbs multiply by producing offsets, which are small bulbs. Again, to avoid exhausting the parent bulbs’ reserves, it is recommended to divide your daffodil bulbs regularly.

Solution : remember to divide your bulbs every 3 or 4 years. This operation is carried out during the plant’s dormancy, in summer.

Bulb regeneration

To flower well, daffodil bulbs must have sufficient nutrient reserves. If they do not receive enough water after flowering or if you cut the leaves too early, before they are completely dry, this can prevent the bulb from flowering.

Storing bulbs

There is no need to lift bulbs to protect them from cold, as daffodils are hardy plants. Leave them in the ground throughout winter, especially as they need this cold period to flower well in spring.

Crop rotation

Check occasionally that your bulbs are not depleted or old, as this could explain why they do not flower or only produce leaves. In that case, replace old or depleted bulbs with new ones.

Other possible reasons

Weather

Narcissi are hardy plants that need a period of cold to flower the following spring. If winter has not been cold enough in your area this year, this may explain why your narcissi failed to flower.

Pests

Because narcissi bulbs are toxic, they are not eaten by rodents. Occasionally slugs nibble at flower petals. But more damaging is the narcissus fly (Merodon equestris). This small hairy fly resembles a small bumblebee and feeds on the pollen of narcissi, on which it may lay eggs. The larvae, when they hatch, tunnel into the bulb and devour it, which compromises flowering.

Solution : mulch the base of narcissi in autumn to hinder egg-laying by narcissus flies. For slugs, see our article on 7 ways to fight slugs naturally.

Narcissus fly

Diseases

Narcissi are not very susceptible to diseases. In overly wet soil, it sometimes happens however that they are attacked by cryptogamous diseases that cause bulb rot.