Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Eblana on May 16, 2013, 10:26
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I have planted a load of Alliums around my garden. I want to get the effect of the pompoms above the plants below but the leaves are huge and are drooping everywhere (they appear to be starting to die). Does anyone know if I should cut off the leaves or should I leave them be.
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leave them be - they are the plant's food factory.
The goodness from the leaves dies back into the bulb for next year, rather like daffs. On some varieties the leaves disappear completely before the end of summer ;)
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The leaves do wilt a bit and look unsightly but its normal. plant something in front if it bothers you.
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We have dwarf lavender planted in front of our alliums in the front garden. The flower heads are just starting to break out of their skins, and I hope we get a really good show :)
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I hadn't noticed the leaves until reading this post but I've just looked and mine are large and yellowy too - I have to say, I really hadn't noticed because I have been waiting for the flowers to come out!
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Allium leaves are up really early and on most types the leaves do die off fast once the flowers are out. Like MoS says, they won't be around for long, so leave them to feed the bulbs.
Some types self seed pretty well, so bear this is mind if you leave the flowerheads. I have Purple Sensation seeded all over the garden now. I'm happy with this so I leave the seedheads to do their thing, but if you aren't sure about the leaves on alliums, you may not want more ;) :)
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Thanks folks, I was away for the weekend (typical we had glorious weather when I could have been doing something in the garden rather than sitting in a house all day!!) and I must say that either the leaves died back much more or the other plants have grown up around them more during the good weather but they don't look near as bad - there is just one that has ended up at the front of the bed and it will have to be moved as it doesn't look great.