Galanthus 2006

[mark smyth]

I'm having problems with my newer, legitimate, version of Frontpage. When it is sorted I'll get to work on the web site and add a top 20 page.

[mark smyth]

Anne Wright asked recently about deformed Narcissus leaves. I said it could be Stagonora curtsii. As I cant find her photos I'll show here on one of my bulbs before it gets dosed tomorrow with a systemic fungicide.

Anne's post is here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=78.msg1742;boardseen#new    Maggi

This an early season plicatus

[mark smyth]

I hate cats! Every year a cat dumps a deposit on my clump of 'Castlegar'. This year is no different. It's only just recovering from a major attack a few years ago when all the leaves were damaged

[mark smyth]

On a happier note I received this Galanthus collage Christmas card

[Maggi Young]

Great Card, Mark. 
Perhaps you should make little mesh covers to keep the cats off your flowers... has to be worth a try, or you're going to get damage all the time. then there's water pistols, but I know you have to go out to work and can't sit in ambush all day and night!

Re the Stagno wotsits.... Yeuch! I don't think we get anything quite like that... thank goodness! 

[mark smyth]

Maggie it isnt nice and can spreads at all Amaryllids. I'll dispose of the bulb tomorrow and soak the whole pot including flowers in fungicide

[snowdropcollector]

Finally I found my way back to this forum. Sorry for disappearing. Because of my work ( Cymbidiums, cultivated) i was not on the internet for a while. Our company sells these flowers all over the world, specially with Christmas. And in the mean time the forum was moved, renewed.
Today I took a quick look at my collection, and 'Mrs McNamara is already flowering. Some more earlier flowerings ?

Wish everybody a Merry Christmas !!

[mark smyth]

Richard 'Mrs McNamara' always flowers now

here is a photo that shows the affect of Stag in leaves. This leaf is badly affected

[mark smyth]

Flowering now but nothing special is an early flowering Galanthus plicatus. A useful addition to a collection for those who want a species collection or to extend the season

[snowdropcollector]

Than last year was special for my 'Mrs McNamara, the first time I had it. It did flower at the end of febr. than.
Thanks for answer mark.

[snowdropcollector]

I will have a good look at my collection tomorrow and see if anymore are flowering.
Will inform you in this forum about it.

[mark smyth]

Richard a good collection, not saying yours isnt, will have some flowering now and some over.

Here are some leaf types for thse unfamiliar with Galanthus
1. The leaves grow with their upper surface facing each other, Applanate, as in G. nivalis
2. The leaves have the edges folded back.  They flatten with age. Explicate as in G. plicatus
3. One leaf wraps around the other until they seperate, Supervolute, like G. elwesii. Hooded on leaf tips

[Paddy Tobin]

Richard,

I am delighted to read of Mrs. McNamara's thoughtfulness in flowering at this early season for you. It's always a pleasure when these plants we treasure come into flower for our delight. Like yourself, I look forward to the flowering of those which especially interest me year after year. Those which have come to me from a friend's garden are the ones I especially watch for each year. Another area of interest for me in snowdrops are those which originated in Ireland and these are especially important to me and are again carefully watched. Of these, Galanthus 'Castlegar' is now in flower for here. I haven't a photograph from this year but will, if memory still serves me well, post one in the next few days.

Looking forward to further postings from you keeping us updated on the progress of flowering within your collection. As you are a little distant from us in the Netherlands, it is interesting to compare the flowering times of mutually held cultivars.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

One (probably more) of my local garden centres (OK, I'll name and shame - it's Dobbies) is selling dozens of pots of snowdrops labelled "Galanthus nivalis", but they are all G. elwesii. Is this ignorance or deception, and if the latter, who is being deceived: the customer or the seller?

[Andrew]

I said it could be Stagonora curtsii. As I cant find her photos I'll show here on one of my bulbs before it gets dosed tomorrow with a systemic fungicide.

Mark, what fungicide do you use ?

Anybody, is there such a thing as a solid systemic insecticide (sorry Anthony  which can be mixed in the compost when repotting ?