Allotments 4 All
Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: lorna on February 16, 2006, 19:25:46
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This afternoon Lorna jnr and me went to the cemetery. The crocus bulbs had produced lovely flowers (mostly yellow) but I was so disappointed that there were just THREE little snowdrops. They were bulbs that my daughter-in-law bought for me and I had planted them in a little group near the headstone.. I wonder what the trouble is? Dodgy lot of bulbs? Will have to try again next year. ..Lorna.
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PM me your address and I will send you a clump 'in the green' and hopefully they should flower for you next year.
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Eric. Thank you so much PM on it's way.
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Actually, having seen where you are, there are dozens of places selling snowdrops in the green in your part of the world.
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Snowdrops planted in the Autumn as dry bulbs often don't flower in the first Spring but they will in subsequent years.
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Eric do you mean Garden Centres or other means? Maybe I should have a ride round the lanes. Regards Lorna.
jeanaustin. I intend leaving them where they are so maybe next year they will produce. Lorna.
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my inherited snowdrops (out the front by the hedge) were very late in flowering and the bulbs i planted (in tubs out the back) haven't shown at all.
i, and others, were thinking it was because we hadn't had a cold enough spell to get them to "do their thang".
my 96 year old nan (bless her wee sox) said they took their time and not to worry. the younger ones would probably come up next year,
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Mrs KP I will definitely leave them where they are but will also plant some more. I really do love them. Regards Lorna.
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Drying out weakens them badly; I've had such bad results with dry bulbs that I won't buy them any more unless I'm sure they've only been out of the ground a short time. In the green is the commonest way, but a nursery I greatly respect refuses to sell them in the spring, saying that it weakens them. They only sell them in the autumn, but they're freshly lifted, unlike many of the bulbs you see.
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the trouble is that it will be by process of elimination which are the snowdrops i.e. when everything else fades and i lift them, whatever is left will be the snowdrops ! :o
i won't be leaving them in the tubs as that was really only a temporary measure, and now i know i've got some in the front, they'll be transplanted out with them.
they are such delicate little things and so strong ! my yellow crocuses took a right bashing in yesterday's hail, but the snowdrops just keep swinging. it was a lovely surprise to find i had any at all and i'll forgive the previous owner for my leaking lounge window because of them. ;D
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Robert Hopefully I have learnt a lot more about buying snowdrop bulbs.. I also bought some from a well known company. (mail order) I put those in my garden and I have yet to see any results.
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Will send some now and in Autumn if necessary. There are a lot of places advertising bulbs in Cambridgeshire, Eurobulbs for one.
Agree with Robert, but I say get them when you can!
This way your snowdrops will be doubly memorable (and anyway, you cannot buy this form of G. nivalis).
;D ;D
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Eric. I have been googling for firms, found one or two but Eurobulbs is definitely the best site. I reckon they are about 12/14 miles from me.. Thanks again for the info. Lorna.
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I had to lift some of mine at the wrong time last year and after storing the bulbs in compost, replanted dry last autumn. Whilst the bulbs have grown and flowered, growth has been poor and some way behind those planted in the green in the spring. I am hoping that this year is just a one offand things will be better next winter. Just goes to show though the different methods of planting make.
I read somewhere recently advice from a grower of snowdrops who reckons lifting and replanting in the green does the plants harm and that dormant bulbs stored in damp compost or peat and then planted out is better for the plant. Maybe it is but i personaly feel better results are gained (particularly with the basic 'Galanthus nivalis' snowdrop) by planting in the green.
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Lorna, if you are ever down near Cambridge, Anglesey Abbey is a good place to get snowdrops in the green - and you can have a look at their winter garden while you're there! They grow (& sell) a lot of unusual (& expensive) varieties but you can get standard galanthus nivalis too.
I had trouble getting any snowdrops to grow in our garden for the first couple of years we were here, & wondered whether the soil might be a problem (as well as having planted them as bulbs) as it's boggy clay - then I bought some from Anglesey in the green a couple of years ago and just planted the pots so they weren't disturbed & stayed in the compost they came in - they have thrived and flowered every year, & I have such dense clusters of them this year I'm thinking I'll need to divide them soon.
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Juliet. Thanks for that info. I don't think it is a soil problem with me, as you probably know the soil round this way is super.. I am sure once I get some established I will be fine. Lorna (jnr) has got just a few (next door) and I thought when her garden was cleared and tidied up they would be lost.. However.. up they have come again.. She told me to dig them up and put in my garden but there are only a few and they are just outside my dining room window so I am going to leave them there.. I don't think she realizes how they appeal to me, I just love them, so delicate and pretty.. Lorna.
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Lucky you, with super soil! - wish mine was :( . Hope you manage to get some snowdrops established soon - they are lovely when they finally perform!
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They can be slow to establish, whatever form you plant them in. I had very poor results from bulbs planted in the green - about 3 years before they settled - and have found the ones sold dry fine, but I do plant very quickly after buying.
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I do agree they can be slow to establish. For many years I had an established patch in an old raised bed by the patio (been growing there since before we moved in). I regularly thinned and divided this patch to establish other colonies. then a couple of years ago the bed they were growing in had to be demolished to make way for a conservatory and larger patio. The snowdrops were salvaged and planted elsewhere temporarily. I have since worked on getting them reestablished where they would be seen at their best.
Ironicaly the best display this year has been the result of some hasty moving around to make way for a new pond, some of the more deliberately planned plantings have been less than impressive.
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Have to say that mine are not only thriving after being transplanted in the green but transplanted while in flower. Took enough soil around them that the little beauties didn't even know that they had moved house ;)
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It appears from all the comments that they can be little toughies!! As I said I thought Lorna would lose her few after the front garden being cleared/dug/weeded etc. but bless em they are still there.
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Have to say that mine are not only thriving after being transplanted in the green but transplanted while in flower. Took enough soil around them that the little beauties didn't even know that they had moved house ;)
Been thinking about doing similar with a couple of clumps i have that are hidden away and not very visible (you have to look for them). They wre the first in flower yet i never noticed them!
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Move them while they're visible. As long as you do it with as little root disturbance as possible, and replant immediately, they'll be quite happy. It's when they're sent through the post and spend a while out of the soil that it weakens them.