Bulbs

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dipsydoodle Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Mar 10, 2009

I've a quick question - I'm sure I know the answer I just want someone to confirm if I am right or wrong.

I've got daffodils and iris' in the garden. When they are done flowering do I just remove the flower? And when do I remove the flower stalk and leaves? Do I wait for them to die off naturally?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Mar 10, 2009

The flower stalk doesn't matter but the leaves need to be left to die off naturally, otherwise the bulb won't be able to store energy for next year.

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dipsydoodle Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Mar 10, 2009

Thanks. It's the first time I've had bulbs in pots and not the ground so I wasn't 100% sure. The normal ones we have just get cut when the lawn mower goes over the grass haha.

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JasperDale Long Beach, CA(Zone 10a) Mar 10, 2009

I go by the unofficial 6 week rule: After the bulb blooms, I leave the foliage for 6 weeks. If it hasn't died off by then, I cut it off. The bulbs have all done fine for years. I only do this because I don't like all that foliage hanging around for months on end as it looks bad.

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Carolyn22 Athens, PA Mar 19, 2009

After my bulbs have finished flowering, I loosely tie the leaves together. This helps to get the leaves out of the way and keeps them lower to the ground and hidden by other things that are coming up. The leaves can then die off/feed the bulb at their own rate. I have done this for years and have never had any problems.

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