Re: Browning leaves,

A friend tells me they tie up their bulb foliage at WIlliamsburg, 
too, and I've read differing opinions on this.  Here's what Brent and 
Becky Heath say in their book "Daffodils for American Gardens": 

 ". .. Many old gardening publications suggest that it is acceptable 
to braid the leaves or bend them over and secure them with a rubber 
band to tidy up the garden.  These practices are detrimental to the 
daffodil's growth and storage of sufficient starches for the next 
year's bloom.  The foliage needs sunlight and oxygen in order to 
photosynthesize properly.  Bunching the foliage cuts off light, 
suffocates the leaves, and causes fungal problems."

Since this makes sense and since I don't have Martha Stewart's crew, 
I'll forgo this practice, although I must say the braided or bundled 
bulb foliage does look neat, both in the sense of "interesting" and 
in the sense of "tidy".  (Slight overuse of since/sense in previous 
sentence but you get the idea.)



> > If you have the time, the Martha Stewart approach is to gather the long 
> > dying leaves in bunches, fold them over once or twice and use a few 
> > leaves to tie them with a bow (still planted and all).  Makes neat little 
> > packages and they still get their goodies stored up for next year.
> > Either that or interplant them with something that gets tall quickly...
> 
> I've often wondered about the tying up approach -- even the Master 
> Gardener's plot here at the University of Illinois does that (I think).
> 
> But I wonder...  Wouldn't that cut back on the total exposed surface
> area of the leaves, thus minimizing the total amount of light used for
> photosynthesis?  Or does it really matter that much?
> 
> Anyone know of any tests/experiments along these lines?
> 
> I generally like to plant my bulbs among hostas and groundcovers
> like vinca or sweet woodruff.  Anything that will mask the dying
> foliage somewhat is good -- daylilies, later blooming bulbs, etc...
> 
Kate Lykins

"Had I but four square feet of ground at my disposal,
 I would plant a peony in the corner and proceed to worship." 
                              --  Alice Harding
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