Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Yarden maintenance for April, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
SS--

Yes! Water your garden as needed--even if it is not in its full glory yet. It is growing though.
Spring growth spurts require a lot of energy, so watering is important....Emerging perennials need feeding as well.

Crocus, D-Lilies, Tulips, Daffs, etc are all bulbs. Bulbs need to restore the energy it takes to produce blooms next year.
This is accomplished by allowing the foliage to, naturally, wither and brown off--which
feeds the bulbs for next year's growth.

I hate this phase, which lasts about 6 weeks, when all the dying off foliage lays sprawled all over everywhere.
Have to deal with it, though. The daffs are the worst--they have so many leaves.
Sometimes I cut the tops off a bit--along with the spent blooms.
Sometimes I tie them (while still green) in loose bundles (not actually recommended)....
Sometimes I do all the things they say one must not do--like tying them in knots, or in small bundles.

Why do I cheat? Because by the end of 6 weeks it is time to plant all the annuals, and I have no
room--because of the sprawling foliage. It covers all the spaces.

If you have a free-form garden or a woodsy garden, you may not need to do anything drastic.
I have narrow flower beds all along my house walls and all kinds of fixtures. Space is of a premium.

EX: here is my S. exposure bed. see what I mean? Not much room there.......