If it were me: I'd remove the weed cloth now. I've not seen it do anything good for the development of a good soil structure in clay. Gravel: I'd be thinking a mix of sizes rather than a single screen size. My preference would be for 2,5,7mm which can be useful when it gets dug through the soil/clay. As I'm using it as a mulch I wouldn't put it on any thicker than 2". Less could be better.(Sand is a no-no. It's like uncreamed butter and sugar in an angel cake...). As I'm planting into clay, and if I didn't have too many bulbs, I'd dig out circular shapes for my patches of colour to the depth for my zone and a little extra. Into the extra I'd put a layer of about an inch of the 2mm grit so the roots can get started into a better-drained area. If I could, I'd get a grit that stood out in colour from my soil. Later, when I come to lift the bulbs, I'd be able to see when I've 'hit bedrock' and I'd know to move carefully so I didn't harm my bulbs. Because I'm wanting to improve my soil over time, I'd add some agricultural lime - about an ounce to the square yard. Once I'd covered my bulbs I'd ensure that I stayed off that ground to prevent it from compacting. That's particularly important over times in the year when it's wet. The sad-looking bulbs: I'd plant them up in containers and I'd plant them quite shallowly. Barely covered, and in a free-draining mix - even 50:50 small grit and potting mix with no peat. I wouldn't want the water to stay close to them and I'd want whatever roots they can produce to have lots of encouragement to forage. (I'd even rescue the ones I tossed and give them a go, too.) Those containers I'd put where they get not much more than a couple of degrees of frost, moderate water, and good sunlight. A bit later on, when I see green noses above the soil/gravel (yes they DO come up through gravel) I'd feed them at the prescribed amount with either some potato or tomato food - powdered so it slowly breaks down, and lightly stir it in to the surface of the soil/gravel. Just once. With the damaged bulbs - some might flower. Some will die. Some might only put up leaves and split into smaller bulbs. Which is fine, because I can grow on those daughter bulbs for a year or two to give me 'free bulbs'. Any with streaky leaves I'd dig up and burn because they might have a virus and I'd rather be safe than sorry. All it needs is one travelling aphid and it could spread. No thanks. And next year, when the bulbs are finished for the year, I'd be putting my grass clippings onto the garden strip with a light sprinkling of lime, followed by as many autumn leaves as I could scrounge. Welcome mats for the earthworms. As an aside - if you do use the smaller grit sizes you can plant into it. The small 'johnny-jump-up' pansies, florists' anemones, verbascum, dianthus-pinks, linaria, eschscholzia, and a good range of other annuals will grow there - especially if you can provide some water over the summer. They may not be huge/lush but they will be sturdy and colourful. When it comes to weeding over the gravel (yes you DO have to weed...:-( ) use a two-tine hand fork or weed hook rather than anything conventional. If you use a knife, that will work, too. Forget spades - and rotary tillers. They're often not good for the health of the soil structure on clay.

I do find the selection at van englen great! I am going to try out several smaller daffodils this year as the foliage of some if my bulbs is just now dying down. I am hoping to find varieties that have less noticeable dying leaves through the summer. Last fall was my first with costco bulbs and all went well. Those bags just find a way into my cart...I try to be sure I actually count the total number of bulbs I am buying as a reality check! Last spring I tried some spring bulbs but they were dried up in the bag. Costco has always been good about returns though. Not sure how they'd deal with the wrong fall bulbs though...hmm. When I have had wrong items from van engelen, they have sent replacements, resulting in now hundreds of odd ball daffodils in my woods. I kind of wish now I had just received a refund.

Hey Seramis, Good to hear that yours are doing so well! They surgery, while major, usually results in getting at least a few bulbs out of the mother bulb. It will take them a few years to mature and bloom, but it's a good feeling knowing that you've saved that variety in your collection. I hate it when you buy what seems to be a healthy bulb and you get home and start peeling layers away and you find rotten layers in between good layers, that's what led to this weird hollowed out bulb. It's recovered now, and probably will bloom next year...this year it's just busy growing. You don't indicate a zone. Where are you located...what part of the world/country! It's always great to have new members! Kristi

Bunti, Do as Kristi and Liza wrote, or if you don't have captan powder available you can use powdered cinnamon just try not to get too much on the root as it will inhibit root growth. After cleaning and dusting it let it dry a day or two. Not only does cinnamon have anti-fungal properties but it smells nice!! Also only cut away until you see clean bulb, not too much. Its what I would do, learned it from the group here! good luck, Chaz