Galanthus in January 2017

[mark smyth]

In 2015 I decided to start chipping snowdrops again. Bulbs were cut in 4, 6 or 8. I might have cut very big bulbs in to 10. Very happy to see 'Maidwell C' and 'Wind Turbine' have flowers this year. I think I'll remove these. I didn't chip in 2016. My list was too big and I couldn't make up my mind what to do from not

I'm down to only 1 'Maidwell C' in the garden. I'll have to chip it.

[Alan_b]

I suspect that part of the reason chipping frequently outpaces natural division is that the chipped bulbs put all their energy into growth and none into flowers.  Does removing the flower bud also help to focus energy into growth or is it too late by then? 

[mark smyth]

I suspect that part of the reason chipping frequently outpaces natural division is that the chipped bulbs put all their energy into growth and none into flowers.  Does removing the flower bud also help to focus energy into growth or is it too late by then?

Chips have more energy to put in  to a new larger bulb. Good question about removing the flower. Ian Young, Anne Wright and Brian Duncan will probably know

[Cfred72]

In 2015 I decided to start chipping snowdrops again. Bulbs were cut in 4, 6 or 8. I might have cut very big bulbs in to 10. Very happy to see 'Maidwell C' and 'Wind Turbine' have flowers this year. I think I'll remove these. I didn't chip in 2016. My list was too big and I couldn't make up my mind what to do from not

I'm down to only 1 'Maidwell C' in the garden. I'll have to chip it.

I think I have read that this cutting of the bulb occurs when the plant comes to rest? Is not it? Can you remind us of the protocol to do that? Or maybe we redirect to a link?

[Maggi Young]

Search the forum using the "search " button, near  top LEFT hand side of each page , Fred - using  chipping as your search and you'll find quite a lot of information.   Most  relevant perhaps, are these :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2042.00

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=14013.0

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9912.msg265366#msg265366   etc ! 

[Cfred72]

I certainly use too many terms in research. I had put: "scaling bulbs". Can we write in French or do it in English?

[Maggi Young]

The language of the forum is English.

[Cfred72]

Yes, i see that in english it works better 

[Maggi Young]

In the opinion of Ian and myself - there is no point in removing a flower from a bulb to "save" it energy - by the nature of a formation of a bulb flower during the previous season, the bulk of the energy needed has already been used by the time the flower is visible. It has been there in the bulb over the previous season.  The flower and the stem will add to the bulb's capacity to make chlorophyll and so store energy for the next year. There is a chance that cutting a flower off  allows pathogens to enter. 
It is then a matter of choice whether  one wishes to take that same chance when removing a spent flower to prevent seed set, if one believes that  making seed is a big drain on the bulb.  Many of  us believe, in the light of  the fact that bulbs ripening seed will keep their foliage green for far longer than those not setting seed, that the benefit  in setting seed to the building of a new  bulb  is  greater than the "strain" of making seed.  So it is possible to have a flower, seed and a nice fat new bulb!   

I believe Ian will have covered this before in Bulb Logs.

[mark smyth]

Thanks. I will enjoy the flowers

[annew]

A favourite species, and looks like it's increasing! Galanthus koenenianus, with the distinctive ridged backs to its leaves.

[mark smyth]

Has anyone heard from Paul Tyerman recently?

[mark smyth]

They're gorgeous

A favourite species, and looks like it's increasing! Galanthus koenenianus, with the distinctive ridged backs to its leaves.

[Cyril L]

I was thinking the mark is too big for Colossus

The inner mark can be variable.
http://www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/Plant_Profiles/plicatus/colossus/colossus.htm
 

[Maggi Young]

Has anyone heard from Paul Tyerman recently?

He's regularly on Facebook -  recovering from a couple of motorbike accidents, but fine.