I know bulbs draw nutrients from their dying greens, but-----------?
Question:is it ok to cover them with dirt or mulch? I do know not to cut them, but must they be open to air/sunlight? (Thanks to an earlier question I posted, I've now knotted all the stalks gently together and they look much less messy!)
Answers:
Covering them with dirt or mulch is the same as cutting them back. They reason you don't cut them is because the green leaves are photosynthesizing the sunlight into energy. Cut them off, and they can't do it. Covering them also prevents photosynthesis.
But if they're yellowand dying, they're already shutting the system down and going dormant. Go ahead and cut.
Yes,all bulbs that are becoming dormant after flowering should remain open to air and sunlight. It is also beneficial to feed plants (liquid fertilizer) after flowering. Let them die back NATURALLY, when they have gone `underground`, plant annual or small bedding plants. `Knotting `leaves together is really a total waste of time.
Barbara, Just wait another week,when they start to dry, then you can cover them,or whatever you want. Not to much longer. I live in So. California, and a couple more days is all I can Handle. They be going BYE BYE. If I can wait, you can wait.OK? You don't have to wait until there crispy critters, just until they start to dry, one they have started to dry , than you can go after them.Like I said, just until they start to dry.You'll be waiting a long time if you wait until they get crispy. Bye
no , don't cover with soil. what you have done is fine. they may look a bit untidy for awhile but just remember the lovely dispay they give each spring.
One way of overcoming this problem is planting the bulbs in container that can be moved to another site in the garden whilst the leaves are dying off.
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