Healthy Bulb Foliage Encourages Next Year's Blossoms

By B. Rosie Lerner
Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist

Spring-flowering bulbs bring a dazzling display of blossoms that help chase away the winter doldrums. But as the flowers fade, the foliage that remains is not very attractive - and in some cases is downright unsightly! Resist the urge to cut those green leaves off the plants.

The health of this year's foliage will determine the amount of carbohydrates that will be stored in the bulb below ground this fall. These stored reserves, in turn, determine the strength of the blooms for next spring.

Some gardeners attempt to "tidy up" the foliage by gathering the leaves into bundles and either braiding or tying them in a knot. Although it is better than removing the foliage, the leaves that are inside the bundle will not be exposed to light, reducing photosynthesis and future blooming potential.

As the blooms fade, you should cut the flower stalk off to prevent seed formation, which uses up food reserves that are better spent on bulb growth. However, help the foliage thrive by providing plenty of sunshine, a pinch of fertilizer, and water when the weather is dry. When the bulb foliage begins to turn yellow or brown, you can remove the leaves and add them to your compost pile. Tulip foliage generally dies back by mid-June, but daffodil foliage can remain green until mid-summer.

You can make the bulb foliage less noticeable by interplanting with perennial and annual flowers. Interplanting also will help keep the bed interesting long after the bulb flowers fade. Select plants that bloom at different times in spring and summer to keep the bed in color throughout the season. Plants such as candytuft, false rock-cress, and phlox provide early color yet stay low to the ground so they provide an attractive background for bulb flowers. Plants such as daylilies and coreopsis, as well as many annual flowers, grow a bit taller in late spring and summer, so they can provide a good screen to mask the bulb foliage.

Last updated: 11 April 2006
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