Best thing to do with dead tulips/daffs

JonnyM

What's the best thing to do with them at this time of year?

Do you cut them short or what?

I have some in a flower bed out the back and they are just an eyesore.

Thanks

miezekatze

Not an expert, but I watched gardeners world last week and monty said to just take the heads off for now and leave the rest.

HeidiHeidi

Dunno about tulips, but daffs - deadhead when the flowers are gone, and then let the leaves die back. I remember my mother gathering clumps of leaves and tying them down neatly with elastic bands! This sends all the energy back down to the bulb for next year.

Only when the leaves come away from the bulb easily do I pull them up, leaving the bulbs in the window-boxes for next year. I just plant more stuff on top of them for the summer.

Daisy 55

Wait until the leaves start to turn yellow, then cut them back.

JonnyM

Thanks for all the input.

magicbastarder

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I remember my mother gathering clumps of leaves and tying them down neatly with elastic bands! This sends all the energy back down to the bulb for next year.

old wives tale. does the opposite of what is claimed.

HeidiHeidi

magicbastarder wrote: »

old wives tale. does the opposite of what is claimed.

You're right - I placed that comment badly. I don't do the tying-down-with-elastic-bands myself - that was just a memory from childhood. The daffs never seemed to suffer too much from it though!

But deadheading and leaving the leaves till they die back is important.

Sorry for any confusion caused