Snowdrop worries in Kent

[kentish_lass]

Hello everyone
This post has nothing to do with the conference but I could not work out how to start a new subject.

I am in a state of panic after going into the garden today with my checklist to see which snowdrops are in flower.  Firstly, none are in flower yet - not even the early season ones.  I garden in Kent on quite heavy soil (dare I even say clay).  I have been growing snowdrops for years but only the common varieties - many bought from Washfield Nursery many years ago.  Two years ago I decided to get more adventurous and ordered many from Beth Chatto and a few on ebay (at realistic prices).  Last year I went bananas and spent a small fortune on some very desirable and very expensive snowdrops.  I carefully worked our heavy soil adding grit, sand and leaf mould and planted each bulb on a bed on sand and grit.  Most are showing through now BUT I cannot see any sign of the following:-  Trymlet, Diggory, Trumps, Boyd's Double, Heffalump, Marjorie Brown and I am sure there will be more.  There is absolutely NO SIGN of them above ground.

My question is - am I panicking too soon?  Have they probably rotted.  Are they difficult cultivars?  Surely everyone starts with one bulb at some point - they just seem so vulnerable as a single bulb and it is most of the singles that are missing.  I feel very anxious and am wondering if maybe my soil is not suitable for snowdrops.  I hasten to add that I have many many cultivars that seem to be thriving but it is the expensive treasures I invested in that seem to be missing.  Any help/reassurance/guidance would be very much appreciated.

Jennie in Kent

[Maggi Young]

Jennie, I'll move this to its own thread.... very easy to start a new thread... at the top  right hand side of each main section page there is a "New Topic" button ... that's in the main areas, not every page.... click it and off you go!


 Since I have precisely nine snowdrops with their flowers properly turned down at the moment in my garden up here in Aberdeen    (... and by that I mean nine individual blooms, not nine types of 'drop!) I wouldn't be too worried at this stage of the year.... but we have Kentish members who will be better able to tell you what is happening in their gardens.... 
I do hope there is no need for stress at this point....

[mark smyth]

yes you're panicking. No sign of my Majorie Browns or Heffalumps. Some of my early flowerers are only just in flower

[emma T]

I would have a very gentle poke around to see if there are any signs of life.

[Paddy Tobin]

Jennie,

I think you are worrying too soon. Wait a while and best wishes. Paddy

[Alan_b]

I suspect all snowdrop growers suffer some attrition, whether or not they like to talk about it.  That said, surely the fact that your early season snowdrops are not yet in flower is a good sign.  It means your garden was hard-hit by the cold weather and everything is delayed. 

For various reasons, most of my snowdrops are currently in pots.  Of my primary set of 74 pots, 11 still are showing no signs of life at all and not all the bulbs have appeared in the others.  But today two more pots produced shoots and there were also shoots (much delayed) from Green Light in its garden location whereas the ones I have in pots are almost in flower.  So I'm sure it is too early to despair.  Also, in the current colder weather we are experiencing, I believe snowdrops will out-perform their diseases and predators so no need to act in haste.           

[kentish_lass]

Thankyou everyone for your speedy replies.  I may sleep tonight now    I dare not poke around too much yet as the bulbs are quite near each other.  I will give them another week.....and then start panicking.

In Kent we have had rain for so long now that I cannot remember a dry day.  I still have Narcissus & Tulips to plant as the snow came down just as they arrived and it has rained most days since the snow melted.  I have more snowdrops arriving soon as well.  Would it be best if I potted them until the ground dries out & would they be best in the net polytunnel or outside in the rain?

thanks again - I hope to post some photos at a later date 
Jennie

[mark smyth]

I still have Narcissus & Tulips to plant as the snow came down just as they arrived and it has rained most days since the snow melted. 

This is very late to get bulbs planted. They should have been in the ground in September. Bulbs dehydrate and when planted moulds can get them

I have more snowdrops arriving soon as well.  Would it be best if I potted them until the ground dries out & would they be best in the net polytunnel or outside in the rain?

In the ground

[kentish_lass]

I know its late Mark and I am very concerned about them. I asked for a late delivery for middle of November to give me time to prepare the ground.....and then it snowed.  They are hanging in net sacks in my potting shed with good air circulation but I have noticed some have got mould on them.  I just do not know what to do with them.  Will they root if I plant them now?  I have to do something with them.  Our ground is so muddy and wet.

Sorry for deviating as I know this is a snowdrop forum but I know you are all knowledgable on bulbs in general.

[johnw]

but it is the expensive treasures I invested in that seem to be missing.

Jennie - How many times have I said that this year?  We all lose bulbs and over here they are all very expensive by the time they arrive.  If you've had a blast of winter I am sure they will poke up later. Ones away from the house here are frozen stiff now and will not surface until late February or more likely late March.  Ones close to the house are showing flower buds between the leaves, the ground is bare and hard as rock, we are to go to -14c for the next few nights. Then 35cm of snow on Thursday which means the ground will stay frozen for months. Still I bet those buds will sruvive just fine. Galanthus are tough.

Yours are probably making a good solid root system before they surface.

Fingers crossed.

BTW a few friends have planted Narcissus and Tulips as late as March and sometimes they do well but flower later.  Our very cool wet springs probably assist rooting.

johnw

[Alan_b]

Last year my local garden centre was selling crates of 500 tulip bulbs for £10 in late October.  I managed to give away about 100 but that still left 400 to plant.  I was still planting tulips in January and the ones I planted last flowered first! 

[Martin Baxendale]

Jennie, if your ground is wet and waterlogged and you don't feel it's suitable for planting when the new snowdrops arrive - in the green obviously - then I would pot them up until the soil drains and is more suitable for planting. Nothing will benefit from being shoved into cold waterlogged soil at this time of year.

[Sean Fox]

Hi Jennie,

I would concur with Martin, planting in pots is much better than planting in soggy wet soil when your snowdrops arrive (also a good tip if the ground is frozen). I would also suggest you plant your Narcissus in pots also if you can't get them in the ground soon although you may have losses now.
Your Tulips should still be OK as Alan says these can take a later planting more than other spring bulbs can.
I must add that I'm no expert and just speaking from my experience. I like you are rather new to the world of Galanthus (other than the common ones) and it can be a rather addictive and exspensive pass time but very rewarding all the same.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Jennie... I'd think it would be a good solution to get all your bulbs planted in pots as soon as you can  in this weather... no point at all in trying to force the poor things into soggy clay to get frozen again anytime!

We've got frozen potting compost here at the minute but I would hope you might be able to get some from the garden centre to get the dry bulbs potted now.... they'll keep in the potting then till the weather is better and they can be hardened off.
Give them a spoonfull of bone meal mixed through the potting compost to give them a wee treat when they grow.... I'm sure they'll be fine. Bulbs are survival experts!

[Martin Baxendale]

Sorry Jennie, re your other query, once you've potted the new snowdrops they'd be best somewhere sheltered, so the net polytunnel would be a good idea at least until they've had a couple of weeks to settle in.