Will This Work?

[DeborahJane]

I find it hard to leave the daffodils unti they turn yellow because it looks so yucky.
The other day I had an idea but i just bet it's been thought of before. Rather than cut them back early which I havebeen known to do , I thought maybe I could flatten them, looks a bit like a tornadoe has been through, and then cover them with mulch and even thinking of putting down newspaper first.it just maybe a bit bulky. This seems to me to be the best of both worlds, the daffodils get to keep the nutrients for next years flowers and I get to look at a nice garden . Has any one tried this. Im sure I'm not the only impatient gardener in the world surely. (You understand don't you MaryMary)
This is the first stage, we've had so much heavy rain i think it's helping flatten them even[/ATTACH]

more after I tucked them under plants and trampled on them ever so gently.

 

[marlingardener]

DeborahJane, I wait until the daffodil foliage starts to show yellowing, then make loose braids of it, tuck it under other plants, and let it become mulch. This works for the paperwhites, also.
I'm a lazy gardener, not an impatient one!

 

[DeborahJane]

But you don't cover them with mulch marlingardener.? You don't sound like a lazy gardener to me, braiding the daffodils sounds very dedicated

 

[marlingardener]

The "braids" are really just twists of the foliage, intertwined just enough to keep them together, and not covered with mulch. The leaves are still feeding the bulbs, so they need air, light, and water.
You are too kind--I've figured out many ways to get out of work! I figure if I'm helping Mother Nature, she shouldn't work me to death.

 

[zigs]

I think if you mulched them the leaves would rot rather than feed the blubs. Try doing one plant and see what happens.

 

[DeborahJane]

I think if you mulched them the leaves would rot rather than feed the blubs. Try doing one plant and see what happens.

Yeah zigs. I haven't done it as I had my doubts. That's why I asked my wonderful world wide bank of gardening knowledge.Thanks