Snowdrop worries in Kent

[Alan_b]

There is a really good article on growing snowdrops by Chris Sanham in the Daffodil, Snowdrop and Tulip Yearbook 2008-2009, good not least because he starts out by saying there is no agreed perfect formula for growing snowdrops.  

I have been successfully growing at least some snowdrops in pots since 2004.  It all started when my precious single bulb of Wendy's Gold managed only the tiniest of tiny shoots, late in the season.  The reason why is shown below.  I figured (correctly, it seems) that the bulb might be safer in a pot.  I use a John Innes compost or similar, sometimes with some sand mixed-in, and big 3 litre pots for maybe 3 to 5 snowdrops at most.  I have been known to feed the pots with Tomorite, but never frequently or consistently.  In summer the pots get dumped in a shady location, say underneath a hedge, and completely neglected.  If a snowdrop remains potted long-term I will change the soil every three years or so but this is mostly to thin-out the snowdrops rather than from the certain knowledge that this is necessary.  Surprisingly the snowdrops have done quite well under this regime.  The main threat seems to be squirrels trying to bury chestnuts in the pots in autumn and disturbing the contents.  I have taken to labelling the actual pots with a silver paint marker pen because labels in the pots are too easily lost.

That's about the sum total of my wisdom on growing snowdrops but what I do know is they can be grown in pots.  The snowdrop below survived and prospered.

[KentGardener]

Hi Jennie

I've just been out into my Kentish garden and had a look for the ones you mention  (my small garden has a wall all the way around it and I am in the centre of a town).  Trymlet is only just above the soil (1cm), Diggory hates my garden - I have tried it twice and it just goes into decline and this year I am down to one tiny leaf, Trumps is about 3 inches high with flowers heading skyward,  Marjorie Brown same as Trumps, Heffalump is only just above ground (1.5cm).

I am sure some of yours will be showing soon.

p.s.  if you fancy visiting one day please PM me 

[Maggi Young]

Sandy Leven, who has a large collection of snowdrops, grows them all in pots. Anyone who has seen the display he brings to the Early Bulb Day at Dunblane can attest that those plants are growing well!

[Brian Ellis]

Hello Jennie, I think it has just about all been said.  I've planted tulips in January before now and they have been fine   One thing to remember is, that if the worst comes to the worst and you have lost something, don't throw the pot contents away, check for remnants of a bulb which will, in time probably make a new bulb and give you the snowdrop you wanted.  All is not last, as Maggie said they are survivors.  Last year I was really annoyed to find that a rabbit/squirrel/something had scooped out the contents of a lattice pot in the ground and eaten the bits of the bulb and shoot that it could get to.  The remnants were put in pure silver sand and it seems to have survived, although flowering will be a couple of years away.  Good Luck, don't panic, that's what happens all the time to all of us

[Alan_b]

This, I think, is my Trumps (although I'm not yet certain because there is another cultivar still to emerge in the same pot).  It came by kind courtesy of KentGardener last year, so not yet well-established.  It's about an inch (2.5 cm) out of the ground and surfaced around 14^th January.   

[kentish_lass]

Had another check on the snowdrops today - no change!  John - I am concerned now that you say your Trumps is almost flowering and mine is not showing at all.  I was so pleased to manage to get Trumps from North Green as the rest of my order was sold out.  I just got Trumps and Primrose Warburg - which is thankfully showing through the ground.  I took photos of Trumps from every angle when it arrived and will be very sad if it is gone.  I think if I lose all the bulbs (amounting to over £200) I will be reluctant to invest in an expensive cultivar again.  Apart from this year as my orders have already gone through!

However John, you say your garden is quite small and walled which would make it more sheltered than mine.  Hopefully yours is ahead of mine.  I would love to visit your garden when the snowdrops are in full bloom as Gillingham is not too far from me as long as I use my Satnav.  I am not sure of the term PM?

Alan - that is very interesting how you grow your snowdrops in pots especially using John Innes which is a heavy soil.  I had a bad experience growing my snowdrops in pots about 10 years ago.  I ordered some lovely cultivars and potted them up - they flowered beautifully.  I left them outside all summer and when I finally found a place to plant them I discovered most of them had rotted away.  Among them was Sandersii, Three Ships, nivalis Virescens, Walrus etc etc.  I was still busy designing my garden so decided NOT to buy any more bulbs until I could put them straight into the ground.  Now here I am potting them again - for different reasons though.


I

[kentish_lass]

Me again
When I think back to some of the bulbs that have not shown yet - Boyd's Double, Diggory and Heffalump were very small bulbs and I was nervous about planting them at the time.  Another that was very small was Wasp....and that has not shown yet either.  I am hoping it is not my very heavy soil which is less than ideal.  However, I planted Hunton Giant in a hurry adding no grit and not much care and that is coming up nice and strong.  It does not make sense.

We do have a small wooded area which we only use for walking the little dogs.  I am wondering if the snowdrops would be better up there.  We tried to establish some nivalis years ago and had to plant them with a kango as it was so root bound!!  They are in dire need of splitting now but I dread the job.  I wonder if I could make some raised beds around the trees using logs as edging.  Does anyone have any idea how deep the beds would need to be?  There is the problem of wildlife digging them up in the woods though.  Problems, problems.

Has anyone seen G. E A Bowles on ebay?  It is up to £180 with a day to go 

Jennie

[Maggi Young]

Jennie... what kind of little dogs?  .......http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6476.90

[kentish_lass]

Hi Maggi
We have Milly a Chi-poo (toy poodle mum x long haired Chihuahua dad) - she is pure white with curly fur and is adorable.  She suffered spine damage out of the blue last year and lost use of her back legs.  She is on all fours now but walks badly so walking is her therapy.  We also have a short haired Chihuahua - Lola - got as a friend for Milly    Then we took on my uncles smooth haired Pomeranian when he died, did not really want a male dog with two females but so far so good.  We also have Tansy who is a fourteen year old King Charles Spaniel (flat faced variety) but she does not walk much   I take it you like little dogs?
Jennie

[Alan_b]

John, ...  I am not sure of the term PM?

Stands for Personal Message.  If you click on the contributors name you will see their personal profile.  Under Additional Information at the bottom, click on "Send this member a personal message"   

[Maggi Young]

Jennie, I love all dogs!! Please post some photos in the thread I gave the link for... there are a lot of animal lovers on the Forum.

 To follow up on Alan's meassage about the Personal Message.... I'll send you one now..... soon you should see a number in brackets e.g. (1) beside the My Messages icon in the list at the top  of each page, under your details, fifth from the left.

[Brian Ellis]

Jennie my Trumps in the ground has only just come through and Heffalump this week so all is, hopefully, not lost.

[daveyp1970]

Brian can i ask if your blewberry tart is up the is no sign so far of the bulb you gave me last year,also Hayden i got from Paul Christian doesn't want to show its face either but like everybody has said there's plenty of time yet.

[mark smyth]

Davey my Haydns arent up

[Sean Fox]

Brian can i ask if your blewberry tart is up the is no sign so far of the bulb you gave me last year,also Hayden i got from Paul Christian doesn't want to show its face either but like everybody has said there's plenty of time yet.

If it's any conselation my Hadyn and Handel from Paul Christian are not showing either. My Blewberry Tart which I planted last August is also not showing through, but after the weather we've had I'm not too worried yet.