Galanthus in September

[Gerard Oud]

Just from today 1 elwesii and 3 reg olgae's! Keeps very special such a very early snowdrops!

I managed to buy some of the elwesii's from the owner. Anyone who's in for a swap next year let me know!

[Brian Ellis]

Huge blotches in the first picture Tony.
johnw

Mmm full marks for technical description John

Sorry about that folks, what was I thinking?  My brain must have been in rhododendron mode as have been talking rhododendrons non-stop for 2 days. 

Still the larger markings make for a spectacular snowdrop.

johnw

Only joking John, all is forgiven

[johnw]

Brian - At least I didn't mention indumentum on the leaves.  

My first attempt at twin-scaling should have been ready 12 October.  However only 1 sliver of a very rare Canadian snowdrop remains. Though it is perfectly healthy I only see one extremely tiny bulbil the size of a pin prick, in fact it's better seen with a hand lanes.  To what size should it develop before I pot it up?  Or should I pot the whole sliver and stand back? 

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Brian - At least I didn't mention indumentum on the leaves. 

johnw

Of course you didn't,John, the 'drops have nothing so exciting as that! 

[johnw]

Brian - At least I didn't mention indumentum on the leaves.  ;)johnw

Of course you didn't,John, the 'drops have nothing so exciting as that! 

Maggi - Now wouldn't that be exciting, silver indumentum! 

johnw - 30mm of rain due today, 80mm tomorrow and more on Wednesday when Ophelia breezes through. At least we hope she breezes through.  And no, not the snowdrop.

[Martin Baxendale]

Brian - At least I didn't mention indumentum on the leaves.  

My first attempt at twin-scaling should have been ready 12 October.  However only 1 sliver of a very rare Canadian snowdrop remains. Though it is perfectly healthy I only see one extremely tiny bulbil the size of a pin prick, in fact it's better seen with a hand lanes.  To what size should it develop before I pot it up?  Or should I pot the whole sliver and stand back? 

johnw

John, I would leave it in the bag a while longer. If it's a very thin sliver of scale then it might not make roots this coming growing season and the tiny bulbil may not make a leaf either. So the safest place for it is in the bag, provided it looks healthy. I'd wait and see if the bulbil gets any bigger before potting, keeping it in the bag until say November or maybe even December before thinking about potting it, always providing that it looks healthy and happy. It won't do anything more in a pot of compost than it will do in the bag if it doesn't make any roots, and in the ideal conditions of the bag bulbil development is likely to be faster than in a pot. However, at the first sign of any root development, carefully move it into a pot.

[johnw]

Thanks Martin, I'll follow your advice.  What is strange is that the sliver looks a lot better right now than it did when it went in the bag, I am amazed how white and shiny it is.  The mother bulb came with stag, 2/3 of the bulb had to be discarded and then whilst slicing it up another bit was tossed as there was suspicious brown streaking.  A month later another sliver was rotten, so we are down to one or two.  By the way, the minute bulbil is atop the edge of the basal plate.

johnw

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks Martin, I'll follow your advice.  What is strange is that the sliver looks a lot better right now than it did when it went in the bag, I am amazed how white and shiny it is.  The mother bulb came with stag, 2/3 of the bulb had to be discarded and then whilst slicing it up another bit was tossed as there was suspicious brown streaking.  A month later another sliver was rotten, so we are down to one or two.  By the way, the minute bulbil is atop the edge of the basal plate.

johnw

Much will depend on how much basal plate the sliver has. If there's a reasonable amount then it will probably make roots. If not much then there may not be roots, or not much in the way of roots. If it's looking happy in the bag I'd definitely be inclined to leave it in there as long as it continues to look okay and until there's a sign of root production, then move and pot very carefully. That, hopefully, will give it the max chance to increase the bulbil size before potting has to be carried out.

[johnw]

Of course you didn't,John, the 'drops have nothing so exciting as that! 

Maggi - Just thinking, give me a white flowered rhododendron with a big green blotch and then I will be a happy man.  Can you think of even one out there?    Even an azalea will do....

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Of course you didn't,John, the 'drops have nothing so exciting as that! 

Maggi - Just thinking, give me a white flowered rhododendron with a big green blotch and then I will be a happy man.  Can you think of even one out there?    Even an azalea will do....

johnw

The Rhododendron maddenii ssp. crassum shown by Frazer in July comes close.....http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10.msg208282#msg208282

.... greeny yellow throat could count as a blotch!

[alpinelover]

This G. reginae-olgae subsp. reginae-olgae was flowering in the last week of september.

[KentGardener]

Very nice Frankie.  If only R. O.'s liked my garden!

I think I shall try again - but in pots rather than in the ground.

[Paddy Tobin]

John,

These autumn displays have put the longing on me as well. G. reginae olgae have always simply wasted away in my garden. I put it down to our wet conditions and heavy soil. Though I generally don't enjoy growing bulbs in pots I think I will be tempted to do so with the autumn snowdrops. Perhaps, when I am more interested in the bulbs I will take more care and have more success. That's my hope, at any rate.

Paddy