Does It Hurt the Tulip Bulb to Cut Down the Dying Leaves?

Nutrient Transfers

• In summer, after the flowering period ends, tulip leaves perform an important function. The green leaves absorb sunlight in the process called photosynthesis, turning the sun's rays into usable nutrients. The nutrients, gathered by the leaves, transfer to the underground bulb. The bulb stores nutrients through the winter after the leaves die back. In spring, the bulbs send up new flowers and leaves to start the process all over again.

Deadheading

• After each flower fades, cut the flower stalk at the soil line from the plant but leave the leaves. This will prevent the tulip from producing a seedpod. Seedpods are important for reproduction in a wild environment, but in the garden, seeds take energy and nutrients from away from the bulb. By removing the flower, your tulips will put energy into bulb development and nutrient storage, resulting in a stronger blooming season next year.

Leave Them Standing

• Allow tulip leaves to grow until they naturally turn brown and die back, usually in late fall or winter after the first frosts. As summer progresses, the leaves can start to droop as they turn brown. To maintain a tidy garden appearance, you can tie the leaves in a simple knot by gathering the dying foliage and twisting it into a knot, or tie them back with a piece of twine or a rubber band. You can discontinue watering and fertilizing in summer after the flowers fade.

Cutting Back Tulips and Fall Care

• In fall, when the leaves are brown and wilted, use a pair of sharp pruning shears or clippers to remove the dead foliage. Follow up by covering the area with a 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of mulch. The mulch will create an insulating layer, protecting the tulip bulbs from frost and frost heave. In spring, brush back the mulch layer to allow your new tulip sprouts to emerge from the soil.

Mid-Season Cutting Back

• If you already cut back your tulip leaves, and it's still midsummer, don't give up on the bulbs. The tulips may not flower the following growing season, but they should survive and send up enough green leaves to harness energy for the bulbs. If, however, you don't see any growth at all in the next growing season, you will have to replant new bulbs the next fall.