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Cutting Daffodil leaf away?

BMLBML Posts: 151
in Plants
I would like to plant some flowers in my front garden.  The Daffodil's are over but their leaf's are not.  I would prefer to leave them in hoping that they will naturalise but the leaf's are not even going yellow.  Will cutting the Daffodil's leaf's away harm them?   

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes.  The foliage on any plant is the food factory.  Daffodils and other bulbs need to left at least 6 weeks after flowering is over so the foliage can feed the bulb for next year's display.

    Either be patient or gather the foliage up and lay it to one side (still attached!) while you plant around it then just let if flop again.   Be careful not to spear or slice the bulbs down below.   Water in well.  The new plants will grow up around it and disguise the daff leaves which you can pull off when they've turned yellow.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’ve just tidied up some of mine , I use plant rings, keeps it all together so I could weed between. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Personally, I braid the foliage of my daffodils and they don't seem to mind. However, a number of sources say that this is bad practise, see e.g. https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/faq/should-i-tie-or-braid-daffodil-leaves-after-daffodils-are-done-blooming
    Pic from my garden

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I think I'd rather have the floppies, hidden by emerging perennials such as hardy geraniums, geums, aquilegias, perennial cornflowers and all the rest.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BMLBML Posts: 151
    Many thanks for all of your advice.  The leave the leaves win. 
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