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Gardener cut back my daffodil and crocus foliage after flowering. How to keep bulbs going next year?

Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
edited April 2021 in Problem solving
Had a gardener do some weed clearing, but unfortunately he cut back my daffodil foliage by about half (and deadheaded them, but they were only half dead), and just pulled out a lot of the crocus foliage, pretty much decimated the crocus foliage really.
I don't blame him, he did a very good job with the rest of the work he did. I think he misunderstood when I said 'leave all this'. Language barrier and wearing a mask! Anyway, it's done now.
My question is, what should I do now, if I want to keep these bulbs going next year? I've been reading online about how important it is to leave the foliage until it goes yellow, so the bulbs get all the food they need for flowering next year.
Or am I better to dig them up and start again with new ones next year?
I am very much a novice gardener so any help is very much appreciated.
I've attached some photos. Photos 1 and 2 are the crocus. There was much, much more greenery covering most of the soil before. I think a lot of it was pulled clean off. Photos 3, 4 and 5 are the daffodil bed.

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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Scatter some pelleted chicken manure or BF&B and; if it's dry, water it in then leave them to do their thing.  With any luck, there'll be enough leaf left to feed the bulbs for next year but consider ordering some extra to plant in autumn just in case.
    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
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    Thank you so much Obelixx. I would have been sorry to see them go. I will try that - I think I have some chicken pellets around. I will plant some more bulbs in autumn too.
    Do your comments apply to the crocus too?
  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    edited April 2021
    Also sack the gardener. He is a garden maintenance person and not a gardener. You shouldn't have to tell a gardener how to be a gardener! Proper gardeners should know enough about plants not to do that. The foliage needs to be left on to feed the buibs for next year. The current bulbs may produce more foliage, but whether or not that's enough to provide more than leaves next year, who knows.
    I'm not rich, old or infirm enough to have a gardener and I've ruined my own tulips. They dried out and foliage browned. They may or may not decide to give me flowers next year, and they may or may not grow some more foliage this year to try and feed the bulb for next year.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It's unfortunate but not necessarily the end of the world. At least he left some foliage ! 
    As @Obelixx says, a feed for all of them should help. I have been known to reduce the foliage on some of mine by around a half. l use tomato food.
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    I expect those crocus flowers have been gone quite a while too so they've probably had a fairly decent chance to regenerate for next year - some of my crocus foliage is already brown

  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited April 2021
    I should have said garden maintenance, that's more accurate. I definitely don't have a gardener! It was a one-off thing to get some clearing done - the first time I've done this.
    I guess I have to weigh up how likely it is that it will be only foliage next year vs. blooms. But it sounds hopeful, if AnniD reduces her foliage by half sometimes.
    So I think I'll either use chicken pellets or tomato feed, and hope for the best. Is that just one feeding you do AnniD, or many?
    Crazybeelady, that's very true actually, the crocus flowers did die down a good while back. Hopefully they'll be OK!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Liquid tomato feed is an instant tonic and a good idea.  Pelleted chicken manure is slow release so will feed them longer and yes, both crocus and daffs and any other bulbs you have in the garden.
    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
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    That sounds good, I will try using both of them.
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited April 2021
    Thank you Songbird-1, that makes me feel much better :)
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I usually do the feed as a one off, l think that's all that's required  :)
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