Galanthus July 2017

[Blonde Ingrid]

In the last flowering season I jokingly remarked about the 'forest of leaves' in my Elizabeth Harrison pot and said, it will be bursting out of the pot next!

This morning I knocked it out and potted it up to find 22 bulbs and offsets! Sure enough the pot was bulging and out of shape.

Received as a single bulb from Ian Christie in 2015, wonderful progress.

Testimony to great quality bulbs!

[Maggi Young]

Holy Moly! I've always said that finding a swollen pot full of healthy bulbs is one of the greatest satisfactions of bulb growing!  Your success there  with 'Elizabeth Harrison' is  pretty  fantastic, Ingrid-  "she" must really be enjoying life down there. Doing better than mine and I'm pretty pleased with how mine are doing. 

Are you using your standard "yellow" mix on her?

[Blonde Ingrid]

Are you using your standard "yellow" mix on her?

Hi Maggs, yes the usual light yellow mix is delivering well. 

[Maggi Young]

That's 40% JI ericaceous with 20% composted bark with 15% horti grit, 15% Cornish grit and 10% perlite, I think?  You feed a little too?
Perhaps I need to treat mine to some fish and chips!

[Blonde Ingrid]

That's 40% JI ericaceous with 20% composted bark with 15% horti grit, 15% Cornish grit and 10% perlite, I think?  You feed a little too?
Perhaps I need to treat mine to some fish and chips!

Spot on Maggs! I would eat the fish and chips though! 

[Blonde Ingrid]

It has been a bonkers day! Just when I was mulling over the Elizabeth Harrison bulb explosion, I moved on to Philippe Andre Meyer.

The new record for me stands at 32 bulbs and offsets in a single orchid pot from a single bulb in 2015!  Orchid pots also delivering!

[Maggi Young]

.... would have commented earlier - but I fainted!  Are you sure you're not feeding them fish and chips?

[annew]

Rocket fuel, my guess..

[Maggi Young]

Good to know that gems are available for Australian galanthophiles - we have heard elsewhere in the forum about the good bulbs available from this seller...

''A beautiful large flowered 'Tonkin' seedling Galanthus with great green outer markings''



www.tonkinsbulb.com.au

[annew]

Stonkin'!

[Leena]

That's 40% JI ericaceous with 20% composted bark with 15% horti grit, 15% Cornish grit and 10% perlite, I think?  You feed a little too?

I have to remember this mix, it seems to give wonderful results.

Here many snowdrops came up late last spring, but they seem to grow longer in the summer.
These two pictures were taken yesterday, in the first there is 'Gerard Parker' , and in the second the yellow leaves going dormant belong to 'Wendy's Gold' and 'Spindlestone Surprise', they both came up in April when I was already worried that I had lost them, but it was just a result of last winter. Both flowered fine. Between them is 'Lutescens' which has already gone dormant earlier in late June, as did most of other nivalis, too, but also they grew later than usually.

[Maggi Young]

For those interested in snowdrops and wondering about sources for  bulbs of the well-known "older" names in particular, might I suggest  Potterton's  galanthus list?  Not a nursery much mentioned for snowdrops but a good place to buy for all sorts of plants and bulbs...
http://www.pottertons.co.uk/pott/browse.php?folder=215
 Some reliable varieties there to get you started and at  modest enough prices!

[Alan_b]

For ... sources for  bulbs of the well-known "older" names in particular, might I suggest  Potterton's  galanthus list? 

I looked at the list and there is a mixture of the old and the new there.  But a spelling mistake in the first name on the list doesn't build confidence in Potterton's snowdrop expertise.   

[Alan_b]

Here many snowdrops came up late last spring, but they seem to grow longer in the summer.
These two pictures were taken yesterday...

It seems incredible to see snowdrop leaves midway through July.  Yet on my trip to Georgia in mid-March the krasnovii and (most) platyphyllus species snowdrops were still under deep snow.  It might be interesting to try these in your garden, Leena, although unfortunately they are difficult to get hold of.

[Maggi Young]

I looked at the list and there is a mixture of the old and the new there.  But a spelling mistake in the first name on the list doesn't build confidence in Potterton's snowdrop expertise.   

  Alan, it's a typo!  These very pages are full of them - some from the most respected growers around. Potterton's have been in business - and very well respected - for over forty years - new comers to snowdrops - or any other plants, need have no fears.