Galanthus in September

[freddyvl]

Here just a few pictures of G. reginae-olgae ssp. reginae-olgae to refute the false opinion that the distinction between G. reginae-olgae and G. peshmenii can be seen on the shooting leaves ! (Hagen  )

[Hagen Engelmann]

Wish I had a bigger garden to plant these big and fabulous snowdrop groups/clumps too !

[Oakwood]

Here just a few pictures of G. reginae-olgae ssp. reginae-olgae to refute the false opinion that the distinction between G. reginae-olgae and G. peshmenii can be seen on the shooting leaves ! (Hagen  )

WOW! Fred! So magic showy pics - such impressive snowdrops!!! do GRO grow outside in Belgium or in green-house??

[freddyvl]

дубрава ? 

All the snowdrops are outdours in the open garden all year round. Winters in Belgium can be very severe especially in the region where we live (soil is very sandy) with temperatures below freezing for a few weeks normally each year. The temperature can drop to -10°C or sometimes even lower. This usually happens without snow. For most of the snowdrops there is no problem. Only for the snowdrops from the warmer regions is this a problem (cold and rain/wet together) and must be grown inside (cold frame are something). Some pictures to show how they grow in the garden:
1. Young galanthusborder
2. Older galanthusborder
3. Snowdrops with Cyclamen and Crocus
4. Snowdrops with Hamamelis and Helleborus

[johnw]

Freddy  - Great looking new beds and some spectacular cyclamen there.  Can you tell us which Galanthus require coldframe treatment in Belgium?

johnw

[freddyvl]

G. peshmenii, G. fosteri and G. cilicicus (most frequently grown in pots under glass) have the name to be more or less tender. This is due their natural distribution in warmer regions: Greece, S.Turkey and Middle East. From the three, who stand outside all year round without protection in our garden, we have always problems with G. peshmenii (autumn flowering). G. fosteri and G. cilicicus (in a more or less sheltered position in the garden) stays alive outdours but their growth is less than the other (less tender) snowdrops. They produce, until now (!) no attractive clumps.

[johnw]

Thanks Freddy that's good to know.  I suspected peshmenii from what others have said yet saw one on John Lonsdale's web page growing nicely around rocks.  G. fosteri I grew along time ago from AGCBC seed, in my ignorance I put it outdoors amongst the roots of a greedy scotch elm. It surprisingly survived for a time then gradually dwindled to zero.

johnw

[Oakwood]

G. peshmenii, G. fosteri and G. cilicicus (most frequently grown in pots under glass) have the name to be more or less tender. This is due their natural distribution in warmer regions: Greece, S.Turkey and Middle East. From the three, who stand outside all year round without protection in our garden, we have always problems with G. peshmenii (autumn flowering). G. fosteri and G. cilicicus (in a more or less sheltered position in the garden) stays alive outdoors but their growth is less than the other (less tender) snowdrops. They produce, until now (!) no attractive clumps.

Thanks, Freddy! Showy garden views and very interesting info on tender species snowdrops overwintering outside in your Belgian climate... apparently, you're growing GRO outside with any problem in winter as I made a note....

[freddyvl]

Indeed, we grow all the species and cultivars from G. reginae-olgae normally without problems in the open garden. As said we have a very sandy soil which we mix with a lot of 'older' leaf mould from especially beech and oakwood(what's in a name  ) and 'older' compost (from garden- and kitchen waste) for the Galanthusborders. Each year in autumn the Galanthusborders get a new toplayer of the same 'older' leaf mould. Until now it works very well !

[Melvyn Jope]

I grow all of my Galanthus reginae-olgae under glass and they all get similar treatment re potting mix watering etc. so strange that a bulb left on pure sand among cyclamen 3-4 years ago seems to thrive on neglect. Others of the same selection in pots are nowhere near as advanced.

[Melvyn Jope]

Galanthus peshmenii with a nice inverted heart inner mark.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Happy plants in your glass house, Melvyn.

Here is a very airy G peshmenii.

[Oakwood]

Thanks, Freddy!! Interesting drops' culture tips en Belgique!!
Melvyn! So nice fat and neglected GRO shoots!!! niam-niam!  
Hagen - very elegant peshmenii clone, really. Love it!

[johnw]

so strange that a bulb left on pure sand among cyclamen 3-4 years ago seems to thrive on neglect. Others of the same selection in pots are nowhere near as advanced.

Melvyn - Are these reginae-olgaes getting any fertilizer leached out from nearby pots?  I've wonder if stagy bulbs could be treated and then isolated and grown in pure sand for a few years to observe recovery.  Is the sand as fine as masonary sand deeper down or gritty + sand ?

johnw - +26c here yesterday and very steamy, 22c at 11pm, 24c today predicted.  

[Melvyn Jope]

Hello John, yes the G.r-o's are almost certainly benefiting from the seaweed based liquid manure that I use to feed the plants in pots, I checked the length of the scape today on the mature flower and it is 20cms.
The sand is builders sand which we know as 'sharp sand'and I think it would be interesting to use as a growing medium when isolating a sick bulb.