Snowdrop cultivation advice

[steve owen]

 
Sunshine! - so planting out snowdrops acquired in travels today. Out of 22, five were diseased - over 20%. All had come from sellers who I would guess are well-respected on SRGC, including one who has received favourable mention on SRGC during the past week.

Maybe the pressure on sellers to respond to/cash in on the growing demand is leading to a reduction in quality control (some of these bulbs were also pretty small). Anyway, its brush every new bulb clean in fungicide (removing the outer tunic) and hold it up to the light for me from now on. I used to think that some of the older hands' concern for hygiene was a bit overdone. Now I don't.

If you're reading this and new to snowdrops; don't assume that because you have paid a high price the plant must automatically be sound. Check it yourself, carefully, and ask for a replacement if it isn't a clean bulb with no discolouration.

[art600]

Sunshine! - so planting out snowdrops acquired in travels today. Out of 22, five were diseased - over 20%. All had come from sellers who I would guess are well-respected on SRGC, including one who has received favourable mention on SRGC during the past week.

Maybe the pressure on sellers to respond to/cash in on the growing demand is leading to a reduction in quality control (some of these bulbs were also pretty small). Anyway, its brush every new bulb clean in fungicide (removing the outer tunic) and hold it up to the light for me from now on. I used to think that some of the older hands' concern for hygiene was a bit overdone. Now I don't.

If you're reading this and new to snowdrops; don't assume that because you have paid a high price the plant must automatically be sound. Check it yourself, carefully, and ask for a replacement if it isn't a clean bulb with no discolouration.

Steve

When you buy on EBay you are relying on the reputation of the seller (review Feedback) and buy sight unseen.  You said the snowdrops were bought on your travels, so I must assume you were able to view the drops before buying - what went wrong? 

[steve owen]

Arthur

Simply, the plants looked good in their pots; leaves a good colour with no discoloration, good flowers - and the problems only became clear once the bulb was exposed. I suppose you could stand at the supplier's and do this checking but one doesn't relish the prospect.

[art600]

Steve

Were the bulbs showing evidence of 'stag', or what was the disease you detected?   What are you going to do with the diseased bulbs, and will you contact the sellers?

[Maggi Young]

Maybe the pressure on sellers to respond to/cash in on the growing demand is leading to a reduction in quality control

That could well be the case, but if the problem was only apparant when you tipped out the bulbs to examine them, it is not really a problem which could easily have been detected by the seller, is it? 
Another example, however, of the wisdom of bare-rooting all bought -in plants...... except that bulb roots tend to be more brittle and so a period of quarnatine is often a better idea than disturbing them in growth.

[Alan_b]

...and the problems only became clear once the bulb was exposed....

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Any chance of some pictures of these bulbs to show what the problem is?

[gote]

I do not live in an area where fancy snowdrops are for sale but I do move my own and can see the results.
My experience is that I get as good results by moving them as bulbs when they die down. I.e. without any soil. This makes inspection easier.
Even if the tunic is OK a diseased bulb is often slightly soft to the feel,
This does not mean that I believe that snowdrop bulbs fare well by drying out in a bag in the supermarket until November.
Thus I think that the "moving in the green" is overrated. It is a vast improvement on the wholesale/supermarket/garden center approach where they are treated as Darwin tulips but it is not the only way.
Göte 

[Alan_b]

I do not live in an area where fancy snowdrops are for sale but I do move my own and can see the results.
My experience is that I get as good results by moving them as bulbs when they die down. I.e. without any soil. This makes inspection easier.
Even if the tunic is OK a diseased bulb is often slightly soft to the feel,
This does not mean that I believe that snowdrop bulbs fare well by drying out in a bag in the supermarket until November.
Thus I think that the "moving in the green" is overrated. It is a vast improvement on the wholesale/supermarket/garden center approach where they are treated as Darwin tulips but it is not the only way.
Göte 

I don't believe one answer fits all conditions.  I live in the dryest part of the UK and my garden has more trees than befits its small size so it is particularly dry.  The ground dries out much faster in summer conditions and my experience is that if I disturb snowdrop bulbs in their dormant season they suffer and often die.  I postulate that this is because left undisturbed the bulbs establish a "microclimate" that is a bit more moist and this is lost if they are disturbed.  This might not be an issue in wetter conditions or with moister soils.

[KentGardener]

I postulate that this is because left undisturbed the bulbs establish a "microclimate" that is a bit more moist and this is lost if they are disturbed.  This might not be an issue in wetter conditions or with moister soils.

A very interesting observation Alan.  Not a problem in my damper garden - but an interesting insight of the conditions in your tree filled garden.

John

[steve owen]

...and the problems only became clear once the bulb was exposed....

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Any chance of some pictures of these bulbs to show what the problem is?

Alan
Here are two pics of one of the bulbs.

Arthur
I want to avoid naming the suppliers - they are all reputable and mostly sell me good bulbs. I have asked them to replace; one has already replied agreeing and I expect the other two will too.

Steve

[art600]

UGH!!!!

[Alan_b]

...
Alan
Here are two pics of one of the bulbs.
...
Steve

What do you think has caused that?  Does the hole indicate that something has taken a bite out of it?

[johnw]

I was interested to read these two artiles on Stag. One is on the chemical analysis of the "redness" involved:

http://www.actahort.org/books/430/430_134.htm

The other mentions that the same redness of Stag can be caused by mechanical damage.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP06000.pdf

One treatment is thiophanate methyl (Senator in Canada); from the PBS they say an immersion in 1% Hydrogen peroxide also can work.

johnw

[art600]

John

Would you recommend giving all bulbs, bought dormant, a dip in 1% hydrogen peroxide?

[johnw]

Arthur - I'm not the one to ask as I am just learning about Stag. This past summer I meticulously cleaned all my potted snowdrops and with the first watering I gave them a captan/benomyl drench. Still I lost two new small ones. I suppose a H202 soaking wouldn't hurt.

johnw