crocus bulbs in lawn

I have some crocus bulbs in my lawn, the flowers finished about a fornight ago, the grass is now getting quite long and I want to mow it. Will I harm the bulbs if I chop off the leaves with the mower?

It is only a small lawn at the front of the house so it would look a mess if I do that. I may leave it another couple of weeks unless someone has a better idea. C

If you mow the leaves this early on, you will prevent the goodness going back into the bulb in order to enable it to grow and flower next year.

Argyllie's suggestion of mowing round the leaves is the best one if you want the crocus to keep coming back.

The alternatives which occur to me are to dig the bulbs up and heel them in somewhere until the leaves have died back naturally - but that will a) leave holes in your lawn, and b) risk damaging the bulb roots so that they die anyway.

Or to mow the leaves and the bulbs will eventually go blind and not flower (or not grow at all).

It all depends on what the priority is, really.

I have carefully mowed round the crocus leaves, it looks ok, here`s hoping that they flower again next spring.

Now I have mowed the birds are cleaning up my lawn this morning.  c