Urban Gardening for the Urbane: Spring Bulb Basics

It's officially the first day of summer and the unsightly foliage from my spring bulbs is not adding much appeal to my gardens. Luckily, it's about time to give them all a prune. Yeah!!!! As a general rule, you shouldn't cut back the foliage of your spring bulbs before they turn brown or yellow unless you are treating them as annuals. Bulbs gather and store energy for next years show through their green foliage (photosynthesis). That's why one should wait for the foliage to die back naturally before giving a cut/trim. If you cut prematurely, you'll deprive the bulbs of their food supply. How cruel...but real tempting I know!! Also, most bulbs benefit from a little granular fertilizer a couple of times a year; early spring before they bloom and once again in the fall. Here's what I did to tidy up my beds...

Bundle & Tie

My fall planted daffodils were so bright and cheery this spring that I can not fathom the thought of them not rolling out the welcome wagon again next year! I have decided to bundle and rubber band the tops together to keep them out of the way until they completely brown. Here is the finished product...

Before

After

Plant Over for Instant Color

Second to arrive this spring were my fall planted tulips. Shortly thereafter our lake winds blew their delicate petals away, but their simplistic beauty is still worth an honorable mention. At least the squirrels didn't snap their heads off, so I have the satisfaction of knowing they met a dignified end :)

After your tulip flower has wilted, it is helpful to the bulb to deadhead them by cutting or pinching off the tip. In other words, cut the flower stem down about an inch from the top. The goal in doing this is to remove the energy sucking seed pod in order to provide the bulb with as much energy as possible. Let the stalk and leaves die back naturally for the reason stated above, then cut it back near the ground. You don't want to give much of a pull as that may damage the bulb.

I enjoyed planting a few annuals in my tulip bed after they were bundled. With most bulbs you do not have to worry about disturbing their deeply established root system if you are careful. By July 4th, the annuals should start to fill out and the old foliage is definitely ready to get out! I like annuals or perennials that are "drought resistant" to plant over/with my bulbs. Over-watering may cause your bulbs to rot.