Doubles are notorious for this. If they make you mad, dig them up! There are too many gorgeous ones waiting for you to try. (The exercise will work off some of your frustration too. :)

What is bud blast?

I planted 'Precocious' last fall - a db. pink - amazed me with its blooms. Do you use low nitrogen fertilizer? What cultivar did you plant?

Hi Ademink!

Are these some that spent their first season planted in a wheelbarrow? LOL...just had to ask.

Here is my suspicion...that the temps are heating up so much, so quickly, that it is causing the blast. My suggestion...if they are planted in full sun, move them. My later double ones are in a bed where they are shaded a good bit. I have lots of varieties, both single and double, that bloom just great in the woods....the reason being is that they sprout, grow, and most bloom b4 the leaves start to emerge. Geranium just finished blooming in the woods, and now a poeticus variety is just now pretty well finishing up.

I think the shade of deciduous trees and shrubs is fine, where full shade, like from a building where they would get no sun would be harmful.

What do you think?

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Explanations of causes of bud blast.

Last fall, I planted some large double yellow daffodils, and they are in full bloom right now... and are they gorgeous! They are inter-planted with lots of other spring blooming bulbs, in a bed that gets full sun all day. Before I planted, I amended the clay soil with peat, sand and compost. Other than that, I haven't done anything special to the bed, not even mulch.

I suppose next year will be the test... to see what survives and thrives. My only complaint is that the doubles tend to lean over from the weight of their blooms.

I'm not sure of the variety planted... they were a mixed bag from Lowe's or somewhere of that nature.

ROFL...YES Sue! They are! You're so funny and have such a good memory! It makes me happy to see your post. :)

They are all in full sun - you're absolutely right. I have a large shady area that I can move them to. I should wait until the foliage is dead to move them, right?

iris_gal...not sure what cultivar. They were free from a garden here in town. They plant bulbs every Fall and then after they bloom in the Spring, dig them up and do a summer annual planting...pull those and do mums, etc...

Well I just thought your wheel barrow planting was just the niftiest idea...to save them and get them planted to just survive that winter. I wish I had thought of it when I didn't get some planted fall 2006...they just 'went away' in the heated laundry room.....(bad bulb mommy).

I remember when you posted about planting them in the wheelbarrow. I really did bust out laughing...envisioning it.

Wow...that is so cool that you have access to all those free plants.

Sue