Galanthus in November 2016

[johnralphcarpenter]

Galanthus reginae-olgae 'Tilebarn Jamie', a few weeks after the others.

[Brian Ellis]

Bart, you may be interested in the Field of Blooms list:
http://www.fieldofblooms.ie/galanthus/

[Leena]

I bought my first named cultivars  five years ago, now I have 76 different named ones  , plus nameless nivalis, elwesii and some woronovii, which I have grown longer. Last summer I thought that this is enough, but somehow ended up buying some more (because of brexit).    For me the important thing has been that if I buy, I will do it from sellers which have good reputation for selling the snowdrops which are true to name. I don't have money to waste to wrong plants, even if they seem as a bargain.
Most of mine have started as one bulb, and I'm waiting for them to multiply so that I can divide them and get more lovely clumps, and I have already been able to do so with the first ones. Of the 76, 15 have been swaps or gifts from friendly forumists, which I'm really grateful    I have tried to build up my collection of snowdrops so that I have different types and ones which would be recognizable from each other. Now I wait for them to cross with each other and produce seeds, so that someday I would have a lot of seedlings and hopefully there will be new interesting ones if my original snowdrops are different enough and have a wide gene pool (though I don't do pollinating myself, bees can do it for me), and perhaps those snowdrops are even more adapted to growing here than the mother plants. Five years have gone quickly, and I'm so happy with my snowdrops, and how they are (and will be in the future) in the spring garden, which has been my main aim in the first place. To some day have a lovely spring garden with lot of interesting plants.

[ashley]

Yes hopefully the bees can weave some magic with this wide gene pool and give you vigorous, well-adapted seedlings Leena. 
Then to choose beautiful Finnish names for the best of them, maybe from the Kalevala

Here Galanthus cilicicus and reginae-olgae 'Tilebarn Jamie', both in pots.

[Rick Goodenough]

I continue to enjoy the terrific photos of autumn blooming drops by so many of you. I have a source for a G. 'Tilebarn Jamie' and on seeing these photos, I am doubly amped about adding it. 

I am happy to have this un-named G. reginae-olgae in bloom this week in SE Massachusetts, US. The season is underway!

Rick

[Leena]

Yes hopefully the bees can weave some magic with this wide gene pool and give you vigorous, well-adapted seedlings Leena. 
Then to choose beautiful Finnish names for the best of them, maybe from the Kalevala

 
It will still be many years before I can start thinking about Finnish names.

[johnw]

The first Galanthus reginae-olgae 'Tilebarn Jamie' came out yesterday or the previous day.

john

[Rick Goodenough]

Nice to see your G. 'Tilebarn Jamie', John. Someday! Rick

[johnw]

Rick - We have an awful time with these r-os, counts go up to 50 and then rot sets in - one poorly timed watering mid-winter - and the counts go down to the 20s.  'Cambridge' is at the lowest ever at 6 whereas r-o Vernalis 'Alex Duguid' seems to be marching forward.   G. corcyrensis count is 45 so Roma was spot on with that one as a good-doer.  Best is a cross of G. corcyrensis x 'Cambridge' which is bulking up nicely to 35 already, no flowers yet.  You're welcome to any r-os if out east.

I now pot singly or at least in modest numbers per pot, avoid peat/bark and up the pumice in r-o pots.

The incessant dampness here may be a major factor though this year is the exception and the ground is still parched down 10-15cm.


john

[Brian Ellis]

You're doing well with Alex Duguid John, the year before last I had two leaves, last year a crop of flowers and this year. so far, nothing...but they are out in the garden!

[Paul Cumbleton]

A nice potful of Galanthus peshmenii has been cheering this week.

[johnw]

You're doing well with Alex Duguid John, the year before last I had two leaves, last year a crop of flowers and this year. so far, nothing...but they are out in the garden!

I should be documenting flowering more precisely Brian but seems to me it is an on-again-off-againer.  Certainly a good one though.  Here a shot from 2012, may flower yet this year.


johnw

[johnw]

A nice potful of Galanthus peshmenii has been cheering this week.

Paul - I'd certainly be cheered by a pot like that, as always pure perfection.  Do tell us your magic mix.


johnw

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi John,
I should say this pot was actually grown by my other half Colin. No magic mix I'm afraid, just a 50/50 mix of John Innes 2 and grit. Colin says he tries to keep it evenly moist through the growing season, and feeds it regularly with half strength fertiliser (high potash type). Towards the end of the growing season he gives an extra potash boost by substituting half the regular fertiliser with pure sulphate of potash. This clone came to us originally from the late Kath Dryden many years ago. We got two bulbs from her. It increases very well - last year Colin was able to sell over 80 spare bulbs.

[Rick Goodenough]

John,

Thank you for your culture tips and insights on growing G.r.o. My in ground plantings have returned for a second year, but have not started to bulk up. I would love to see your snowdrops someday.

Regards,

Rick

Rick - We have an awful time with these r-os, counts go up to 50 and then rot sets in - one poorly timed watering mid-winter - and the counts go down to the 20s.  'Cambridge' is at the lowest ever at 6 whereas r-o Vernalis 'Alex Duguid' seems to be marching forward.   G. corcyrensis count is 45 so Roma was spot on with that one as a good-doer.  Best is a cross of G. corcyrensis x 'Cambridge' which is bulking up nicely to 35 already, no flowers yet.  You're welcome to any r-os if out east.

I now pot singly or at least in modest numbers per pot, avoid peat/bark and up the pumice in r-o pots.

The incessant dampness here may be a major factor though this year is the exception and the ground is still parched down 10-15cm.


john