Galanthus February 2010

[Maggi Young]

As we saw from some photos of award plants from the show at the RHS halls in London last week, there does seem to be a more lax attitude to giving awards in the south.... in Scotland it is not easy to get any award.....
Also, the awards are not meant to be given for the plant just being different to look at, but for general vigour, robust health and likely ease of propagation for spread of the plant in cultivation.
Most awards are given to a "plant for exhibition".... further trials are usually called for for the Award of Gardne Merit, of course.

[Martin Baxendale]

is it true there are over 600 named galanthus, if so that is funny and I like the damn things. Pat.

From what I've heard, it's more like 1,500 named snowdrops - a great, great many of them no doubt not worthy of being named.

[johnw]

Chris /  David

I dug up Mary Biddulph.  The main bulb had rot around the neck but the bulb itself is firm. There is a very small offset under the tunic with no roots and it has a tiny shoot poking out about 1/16".  I suspect the main bulb neck had stag that was curtailed by benomyl.  No sign of rot on the main basal plate but also no sign of roots on the main bulb either.  I have re-soaked the bulb and will plant in a fresh mix to avoid possible contamination.  The offset is too tiny to remove.

Now how to treat it from now until next autumn is the question?  Damp, barely damp under the bulb or dry.

johnw  

[Alan_b]

is it true there are over 600 named galanthus, if so that is funny and I like the damn things. Pat.

From what I've heard, it's more like 1,500 named snowdrops - a great, great many of them no doubt not worthy of being named.

But the point is, I can walk down to the woods, pick a 'wild' snowdrop at random and call it "Fred", and that would be another named snowdrop.  So what?  It doesn't mean that the snowdrop called Fred has any intrinsic merit (except in my eyes) and it doesn't mean anybody else would want it.  In a way the ridiculously large number of named snowdrops is a good thing because it makes it impossible to "collect the set" so one is forced to discriminate.  Only a few people suffer, mainly those few people who are trying to write a book about them all!   

[Alan_b]

....Now how to treat it from now until next autumn is the question?  Damp, barely damp under the bulb or dry.

I have seen snowdrop bulbs (often newly formed offsets) that 'take a year off' without producing any visible growth yet appear as normal the following year.  So my feeling is that there is no reason to vary your normal growing conditions.

[johnw]

Paddy, Mini Me is in a trough.

And it is an utter delight.  What a superb little trough plant.

johnw

[johnw]

....Now how to treat it from now until next autumn is the question?  Damp, barely damp under the bulb or dry.

I have seen snowdrop bulbs (often newly formed offsets) that 'take a year off' without producing any visible growth yet appear as normal the following year.  So my feeling is that there is no reason to vary your normal growing conditions.

Alan - Don't you think with no roots at all I should keep the bulb out of the general watering regime and with just enough moisture to prevent shrinking (between now and September)? I also thought about re-lifting and severing that tiny offset in August if I can do that without damaging it, it may not come off with its own basal plate.

johnw

[Martin Baxendale]

Now how to treat it from now until next autumn is the question?  Damp, barely damp under the bulb or dry.
johnw  

John, when this sort of thing happens with me, I pot in a very gritty compost, with the top half of the bulb exposed, then I can see that the bulb is staying plump and healthy. I'd water sparingly, just keeping the compost moist enough to stop the bulb dessicating, and adding fungicide to the water if available. I would keep lifting the half-exposed bulb out to check the base is still okay, and to give it some air if it's not rooting. When the time comes for snowdrop leaves to die down, I'd transfer the bulb to a bag or pot of bone-dry compost or composted bark, or some dry vermiculite, and keep it dry for the summer, replanting or repotting in late summer as normal.

[mark smyth]

My Mary Biddulph is on the way out also.

[Alan_b]

Alan - Don't you think with no roots at all I should keep the bulb out of the general watering regime and with just enough moisture to prevent shrinking (between now and September)? I also thought about re-lifting and severing that tiny offset in August if I can do that without damaging it, it may not come off with its own basal plate.

johnw

I should clarify that:

• I live in the driest part of the UK (Mexico is wetter, apparently).
• All my snowdrops live outside, although many are currently in pots.
• My normal watering regime, winter and summer, is not to interfere with nature.

This probably isn't too far off Martin's moist then dry in summer recommendation.

 

[/list]

[cycnich]

is it true there are over 600 named galanthus, if so that is funny and I like the damn things. Pat.

From what I've heard, it's more like 1,500 named snowdrops - a great, great many of them no doubt not worthy of being named.

But the point is, I can walk down to the woods, pick a 'wild' snowdrop at random and call it "Fred", and that would be another named snowdrop.  So what?  It doesn't mean that the snowdrop called Fred has any intrinsic merit (except in my eyes) and it doesn't mean anybody else would want it.  In a way the ridiculously large number of named snowdrops is a good thing because it makes it impossible to "collect the set" so one is forced to discriminate.  Only a few people suffer, mainly those few people who are trying to write a book about them all!   

I did not realise there were quite that many. What beginners like me need is a little help from the group of experts on here whos collective knowledge is vast. Because it is such a minefield how about you guys posting a few pictures of some of your favourite plants that are really distinct and telling us novices why you would not want to be without it. Try to stick to things that are not too hard to get hold of as I realise the new and rare stuff gets passed around among the top growers for a few years before it becomes widely available and rightly so. I would be interested how many of my 40 or so if any turn up on your lists as I have tried to be really selective. I am glad a few people agree that the naming of galanthus has become a little silly but I doubt anything will change. What I find hard to accept is that as soon as a plant is named its value doubles, give it a pc or an am and you can double it again and it seems galanthus get more awards from the joint rock than a lot of other plants maybe I am wrong.

[KentGardener]

What beginners like me need is a little help from the group of experts on here whos collective knowledge is vast. Because it is such a minefield how about you guys posting a few pictures of some of your favourite plants that are really distinct and telling us novices why you would not want to be without it. Try to stick to things that are not too hard to get hold of as I realise the new and rare stuff gets passed around among the top growers for a few years before it becomes widely available and rightly so.

Try this thread for a start.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2756.0 

If you do some searches on SRGC you should find other such lists if I am remembering correctly.

[cycnich]

What beginners like me need is a little help from the group of experts on here whos collective knowledge is vast. Because it is such a minefield how about you guys posting a few pictures of some of your favourite plants that are really distinct and telling us novices why you would not want to be without it. Try to stick to things that are not too hard to get hold of as I realise the new and rare stuff gets passed around among the top growers for a few years before it becomes widely available and rightly so.

Try this thread for a start.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2756.0

Thanks John for the link, I have around 30% of the top 20 so I must be doing something right.

If you do some searches on SRGC you should find other such lists if I am remembering correctly.

[Alan_b]

............What I find hard to accept is that as soon as a plant is named its value doubles, give it a pc or an am and you can double it again and it seems galanthus get more awards from the joint rock than a lot of other plants maybe I am wrong.

In order to distribute a plant, be it selling or giving it away, you really ought to give it some sort of designation because it may get passed on again and if it hasn't got a name it becomes very difficult to trace the plant back to its point of origin.  So a plant needs a name in order to be sold, thus when you name a plant its value goes up from zero to something.  That an infinite-fold increase in value, not just doubling!  I actually think people who collect snowdrops pay very little attention to awards.  An award may give the snowdrop a little extra kudos but I don't think it does anything for the price.

The best way to decide what snowdops you like is to visit some gardens where they are growing; there is still time this year.  Find some that catch your eye, if possible talk to the garden owner about how rare (and therefore pricey) they are and how easy they are to grow.

For gardens to visit, try http://www.ngs.org.uk/news-features/press-releases/winter-openings-for-2010.aspx    

[Brian Ellis]

The best way to decide what snowdops you like is to visit some gardens where they are growing; there is still time this year.  Find some that catch your eye, if possible talk to the garden owner about how rare (and therefore pricey) they are and how easy they are to grow.

An excellent piece of advice Alan, well said.