Ghost bulbs

didyw

Every year I get these shoots coming up. They never flower.  They have been doing it for the 18 years we have been in this house and every so often I try and dig down to remove the bulbs but can never find them.  We are on  sand so I think they have simply sunk too deep to ever flower. No idea what they are!  I'll keep an eye on them this year and when they are at maximum height try and pull them up - but there are so many! This picture is just one corner of them.  And I don't want to disturb the creeping campanula that they are growing through at the back.

Dovefromabove

Maybe they need feeding?

justflowers

Do they have an oniony smell? If so, they are probably small 'ornamental' alliums.  I made the mistake of buying what seemed to be a fantastic offer on alliums around 10 years ago and have spent subsequent years trying to eradicate them from the borders I planted them in.  They have never flowered, and , to be honest, even if I fed them and they did, they have been so invasive I just want rid of them.  There are fewer now, but it's still a work in progress. If this is what you have too - good luck!!

didyw

Ah, thank you @justflowers - I bet that's what they are.  They are now covered in snow so I won't be sniffing them just yet. But I will be pulling them up.  Even though I dug up quite a few tiny bulbs in the summer there seem to be more than ever now.  Probably because I planted some asters there and did feed the soil.