When Crocus and Tulip Flowers die, Can You Just Lop off the Leaves?

[Highlander]

My neighbour said you should leave the leaves to die naturally to nourish the bulbs.

Also, in the summer, can I lift the bulbs for my Aliums to split them?

No, leave the leaves on. You can twist the leaves and tie them around themselves (v bad description) to make them look tidier but the leaves are needed for photosynthesis so that the bulb is nourished and survives for the following year.

Don't know when you split alliums.

Gardening mags say don't tie up the leaves because it limits photosynthesis. It's OK, though, to chop off the flower stalks - in fact a good thing, as the plant doesn't waste energy on making seed. The leaves can be cut off once they're yellow and withered.

I guess you can split alliums once they've flowered - that's generally the rule.