digging up tulips for construction

by Ann Hofer
(St Louis, Missouri)

I usually let my tulips bulbs remain in the ground and only cut the leaves away when they are brown. However, this year we are having some concrete work done near the flower beds and I'm sure the concrete labor will have to walk over the plants. The flowers are just about spent, but I think the leaves will be trampled before they turn brown. Should I remove the bulbs are can I just cut the greens to the ground level? Any ideas?

Doug says it's six of one and half dozen of the other. If it were mine, I'd wait till the day the crews get there and then cut them back. Lay cardboard or plywood over the bed to help stop compaction or simply dig it all up and restore after construction.