Greetings, all...
We have a lot of green foliage that never died back over the winter, mostly from bulbs. We're just getting some new sprouts/blooms on crocuses, etc., and I'm wondering if I can cut back the foliage from the old plants in order to make the new blooms stand out, and to just basically clean up the garden.
Thanks for your advice! :)
As a total rule never remove green leaves from any plant, growing from underground, that you wish to retain and flower again.
Foliage from spring blooming bulbs like crocus, narcissus and tulips should be allowed to remain on the plant and ripen and dry before being removed. Unsightly, yes, but necessary to return nutrients back into the bulbs to generate next season's flowers. The foliage of other plants - typically perennials and summer or fall flowering bulbs - can be cleaned up at this time of year, but don't get carried away. Some will retain foliage through winter for added cold protection and others often generate a basal show of foliage that is an early start on the new growing season. Best just to remove foliage that is obviously dead or otherwise disfigured from the winter and leave the rest.
pam - gardengal
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