Galanthus in January 2018

[David Lowndes]

It’s too large, apparently. Will rethink!

[Maggi Young]

I think the 'drops in our Aberdeen garden have been sensible in not making too much growth too early, as seems to have been the case in some areas-  but they are  getting going  now - showing all over the garden -  how are  others finding the season?

@Steve Owen, for instance - how are  things with your collection?  Early, late,  or  just about spot on?

[steve owen]

Maggi -
Generally the snowdrops seem to be about a fortnight ahead of usual, so our Open Days have come forward to next weekend (Feb.3 and 4, 10 am - 3.30 pm). I visited a snowdrop friend in Kenilworth yesterday and his snowdrops are probably a fortnight behind mine.
Growth-wise the picture is the usual mixture of triumph and disappointment; some varieties have bulked up well whilst a minority have stood still or even regressed.  For example my lattice pot of nine flowering Savill Gold have not appeared at all. To counter that, my Kryptonite and Belle Etoile have both flowered for the first time and produced offsets.

Odd patches of ill-health in the garden, each affecting several varieties, are apparent and being treated.
I am always full of admiration for those SR contributors whose swathes of snowdrops bulk up effortlessly with never a sign of disease; long may they prosper. But I suspect my experience may be shared by many snowdrop enthusiasts.

During last summer I raised every snowdrop lattice pot on my alpine bed (about 300 pots), tipped them out and dealt with every little bit of unhealth I could spot, and re-potted, re-spaced and re-interred; the whole job took nearly three months of spare time. The results are the entire alpine bed population of snowdrops is glowing with health. In the process I replanted not re-using the smallest square lattice pot but the bigger octagonal one, which is also deeper; I do think the bulbs have appreciated this extra depth of potting medium.

Yesterday afternoon the sun appeared for a couple of hours. The snowdrops opened, as did the early crocus, iris and cyclamen, and the alpine bed blazed. It made all that work worth-while. So for me at least, snowdrop success is hard-won and keeping on top of growing 1,600 varieties is limiting the time I can spend attending (and spending at) snowdrop do-s!

[Maggi Young]

You'd be less busy in  full time employment, Steve!

 I saw John Aipassa  posting on FB about  rot in some drops from his garden.
For the sake of beginners I reckon  it's  always worth noting that  growing any plants, in pots or in the ground is liable to  be tricky at times and to require vigilance and effort on our parts. 
When things do go  /grow well, though, the pleasure is  tremendous so that's why we do it!   

[Blonde Ingrid]

Today's morning patrol saw the turn of the 'blobs' as I christened them.

First is Philippe Andre Meyer AKA 'The Weed'. Last year I lifted this as it was breaking out of a large pot in the ground. I sent some clumps to friends and kept two small clumps and re-potted them separately. This season BOTH are back to where i started. I will again have to re-pot in the dormant period.

Next Green of Hearts. This is a lovely drop and clumps very vigorously.

Next Phil Cornish, slower than the other blobs but striking nevertheless.

Next Lucy, very quick to increase.

Finally for now for the blobs, Trymlet another vigorous clump former.

[Leena]

Very lovely all of them. How would you compare 'South Hayes' to them? Not so vigorous?

[Anne Repnow]

Philippe André Meyer is the most prolific of them all, I think. South Hayes is a lot slower

[Anne Repnow]

I am rather taken with G. 'Kenkot Ivy' - with that pouting Bette Davis mouth

[Leena]

Philippe André Meyer is the most prolific of them all, I think. South Hayes is a lot slower

Thanks Anne.  And I just planted SH last summer thinking that it is the one I want of that type!

Very nice 'Kenkot Ivy', it looks different.

[Anne Repnow]

I think 'South Hayes' probably just needs a little more cosseting. Maybe because this cultivar has virus...

[Leena]

Virus! If I had known it, I wouldn't have bought it. However your 'South Hayes' does look very nice.
I found this thread from 2012
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8612.15
and I see now that I have also other cultivars which have been tested to have virus: 'S.Arnott', 'Diggory', 'Melanie Broughton' and 'Gerald Parker', but the first three ones are all doing well here and also GP is ok, but not multiplied.
So I have virus already here.

[Anne Repnow]

I am no expert, Leena, but don't worry about it too much. No need to cull those lovely plants of yours. The virus doesn't affect them much and who knows how many other cultivars have virus. It hasn't been tested.

[annew]

Today's morning patrol saw the turn of the 'blobs' as I christened them.

First is Philippe Andre Meyer AKA 'The Weed'. Last year I lifted this as it was breaking out of a large pot in the ground. I sent some clumps to friends and kept two small clumps and re-potted them separately. This season BOTH are back to where i started. I will again have to re-pot in the dormant period.

Next Green of Hearts. This is a lovely drop and clumps very vigorously.

Next Phil Cornish, slower than the other blobs but striking nevertheless.

Next Lucy, very quick to increase.

Finally for now for the blobs, Trymlet another vigorous clump former.

A lovely set of 'ipocs' Ingrid!

[Blonde Ingrid]

An excellent feature article on our own Paul Barney (Edulis) in the February edition of Gardens Illustrated!

Well worth a read.

To accompany it G. Faint Heart, one of Paul's flowering today. Delighted with progress as it has clumped superbly and proved to be a great garden plant.

[annew]

That's a nice looking clump