Galanthus - October 2015

[mark smyth]

Gorgeous

[Hagen Engelmann]

Anne is a magician 

[Mariette]

And a woman of taste, too. The pure-white flowers make this r.-o. look like more than just a snowdrop out of time. Highly desirable, this ´Blanc de Chine´!

[Melvyn Jope]

 Checking some of my G.r-o seedlings from Langada Pass today and noticed this one.A real pleasure when you get one with some promise.As you will see from the label I noted that it might be worth keeping when I repotted it, the bulb was significantly larger than the others. Would just like now to produce a fully double one!

[Tim Harberd]

Hi Mark,
   The supplier’s behaviour you report is very irritating.

   I note you don’t name them............

   Perhaps a partial solution is to ‘trumpet’ the names of good suppliers?

   For instance, (I know its not galanthus, but) this week I received these three bulbs from Ringhaddy Daffodils.. The rest of the order was similar AND they included a ‘gratis’ bulb of another variety with three noses.

Tim DH

[ruben]

Galanthus reginae olgae with green tips - From north of Mani Greece

[Leena]

I started watering my G.reginae-olgae's in late August, but there is no sign of them yet. 

[Giles]

..lifted some snowdrops for potting..
..affected bulbs generally lacked both shoots and roots..
...cutting bulbs open didn't reveal any larvae etc..
Any ideas?

[mark smyth]

Narcissus fly grubs make an obvious hole in the base. It could be a case of basal rot and or stag

[Alan_b]

In some areas the larvae of the Swift Moth are a big problem whilst in other areas they appear to be very rare.  I'm pretty sure they would eat roots and shoots as well as eating in to the actual bulb.

[brianw]

I have some G.reginae-olgae in a pot in flower in the unheated greenhouse now. They emerged from the compost as a white shoot, but no visible leaf sheath, or leaves yet. My neighbour has the Cambridge form coming up in his garden but showing an obvious green leaf sheath, first. Is this a varietal difference or growing conditions, or both?

[steve owen]

..lifted some snowdrops for potting..
..affected bulbs generally lacked both shoots and roots..
...cutting bulbs open didn't reveal any larvae etc..
Any ideas?

Giles
A familiar sight! Stagonspora, I think. You should find quite a lot of guidance in previous posts on what your options are. You will need to treat the soil they came from (or throw it away if in a pot).

[Alan_b]

You could be right, Steve, but bulbs that have been chomped tend to look pretty sick; which is hardly surprising with 'open wounds' under the soil.  A few years ago I caught a swift moth larva and put it with a snowdrop bulb in some soil inside a sealed plastic container.  Some months later I opened the container to find the bulb was fine but there was no sign of the grub.  Presumably it did not cope with being held in captivity.  If I get the chance I will try to repeat the experiment so I can post pictures of exactly what eaten bulbs look like (if there is anything left).             

[Giles]

Thankyou, all  ....

[Hagen Engelmann]

the greenish gnoms of G peshmenii are back again.....