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cutting back bulbs after blooming

17 years ago

When can I safely cut back the greenery after my daffodils, tulips, hyacynths and others have finished blooming? I have heard answers ranging from waiting until they are completely brown to cutting them back as soon as the flowers are gone. The look rather scraggly and unkempt, but I would like to have them bloom again next year.

Thanks, Joe

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Comments (5)

honeybunny442
17 years ago
The leaves are making sugars to build the bulbs up for next year. I think if you cut the leaves off right away, it will make for less healthy bulbs.
Susan
greenguy1
17 years ago
I generally let the foliage go for six weeks minimum, and have good results as far as blooming the next year. If you can stand it, leave it longer. Many people tie the daffodil foliage up into bunches to make it less floppy, and this doesn't seem to hurt the bulbs. The other thing you can do is intersperse other perennials into your bulb plantings so that as the bulb foliage gets ratty, it is hidden by the emerging foliage of the companion plants.

- Steve
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For years and years I have used 1 part skim milk and 9 parts water - mixed that together and then spray away on the phlox, lilacs, roses (for black spot), asters and so forth - just anything that will get powdery mildew. Instead of going to just specific plants I just start spraying at one end of the gardens and go to the other end - hitting all the plants as I never know where the PM will strike. It is inexpensive and it works - and it has worked for me for many years. I have one phlox that I was given in the spring and I didn't treat it immediately. It (PM) zoomed thru that poor plant before you could say "phlox". I pulled off the dead leaves and sprayed down the plant and soil with the mixture and it put out new growth and is blooming beautifully. I also cut back most of my plants to make them bush out and not get so leggy (just as with mums) and they reward me with tons of blooms. Just a suggestion.
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I fight these things in my garden each year. (inherited from previous owner) If they wouldn't spread I would love them. Instead I pull them and they laugh, I dig them they heckle, mow them with the lawn mower . I think one year I even sprayed them with round up they looked at me and said are you joking, like the cat they just came back. You can't hurt these things. The roots are spread like runners starting new plants as they go. Miss a root when your dig them or pull them and they will re sprout, and of course the seeds spread everywhere. This year I have managed to keep their numbers down to two plants that I have allowed to stay but am vigilant about deadheading them. Fingers crossed they will not come up everywhere next year. Cut them down you really can't hurt them my best advice is keep them from spreading seed and don't let the roots spread. good luck
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Usually if there are more scapes with flowers to bloom I will cut it down to about half just for esthetic reasons. If you don't mind the look of the dying stem, and you don't have more flowers, then what Fred suggests is the best to do; it allows any vigor from the stem to go back to the bulb. If you cut the stem down too low you may not get the chance to pull the dried stem from its pocket in the bulb and it may rot so if you do cut it, leave enough for you to pull it out when it has dried naturally. Donna
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hopflower
17 years ago
Actually, braiding or tying the foliage is not good for the bulb; as the hidden parts do not get into photosynthesis as well as the exposed parts do. Wait at least six weeks before cutting the foliage and if you can, wait until it all turns brown. If it is too hard to look at, consider planting annuals on top to help hide the brown foliage.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
17 years ago
I can agree six weeks is about right. As soon as the bloom is spent the flower should be cut off, do not remove the flower stem only the flower. This will prevent the formation of seeds which uses energy that would otherwise be put into next years flower. Al
wyldflower
17 years ago
I don't cut back the stems until they go brown, and am generally rewarded the following year (this year some of my tulips and daffodils look sad, probably because of a late frost). I "hide" the stems by planting my bulbs in with my perennials as Steve suggested; daylilies work great, as they come up at just the right time. And I agree with not braiding or tying up the foliage. I was very disappointed to see this suggestion recently in my favorite gardening magazine. Al-thanks for suggesting cutting away the flowers, I've never done that and it certainly makes sense.
Vivian

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