HANGING ON TO PRECIOUS NUTRIENTS

EARLY bulbs will be over, but if your planting was well-planned, late varieties will look lovely for a few more weeks. Remove seed heads or withered flowers from larger types. Keep the bare stems and leaves untouched so they can transfer nutrients into the bulbs. Small bulbs wither and vanish quickly after flowering. Tall narcissus and tulips take longer, but are best left until fully withered. If you want to increase bulb numbers or move established ones, lift those now. That’s riskier than lifting dormant bulbs in autumn, but the bulbs are easier to find. Replant deeply.