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Snowdrops

mchuamchua Posts: 210
Hi I planted snowdrops early December in the lawn.  Do you think that is too late and if they’ll appear soon? Has anyone ever planted them that late before?

Thanks :smile:
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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Were they dry bulbs? 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210


    Yes just these. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They may take a while to show. If they're Feb/March flowering, it's unlikely you'd see much growth yet, assuming they've been planted correctly, and haven't been dug up by squirrels etc. Your location may also mean they'd be later. 

    Ordinary snowdrops are only just showing through now in my garden - they don't flower until next month here.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210
    I’m in the south east. Haha yes I discovered the squirrel pest with chionodoxa and bluebells as this is my 1st time planting anything like this. But the snowdrops are toxic I found out recently.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Planting from dry bulbs can sometimes be a bit more hit and miss, but as long as they don't get dried out, they should come away for you - it just might be later. 
     
    They look like nice ones too. Fingers crossed they thrive.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210
    Hopefully. I took into account their aspect regarding sunlight and cultivated the holes a bit so it wasn’t too compact. Fingers crossed. 
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Sadly, generally speaking the bulbs sold like that are dead. Galanthus absolutely hate drying out and bulbs in packets like that have been out of the ground and drying for months.
    Sorry. Hope you are lucky.
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210
    Fairygirl said:
    They may take a while to show. If they're Feb/March flowering, it's unlikely you'd see much growth yet, assuming they've been planted correctly, and haven't been dug up by squirrels etc. Your location may also mean they'd be later. 

    Ordinary snowdrops are only just showing through now in my garden - they don't flower until next month here.  :)
    What did you mean by ordinary vs dry bulbs?  Did you plant yours from already established ones?
  • mchuamchua Posts: 210
    Palustris said:
    Sadly, generally speaking the bulbs sold like that are dead. Galanthus absolutely hate drying out and bulbs in packets like that have been out of the ground and drying for months.
    Sorry. Hope you are lucky.
    Ok, I guess I should expect the worst.  Why would they be on the market if that’s the case?  For the unknowing like me I guess. 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited January 2022
    The most reliable way is to buy snowdrops 'in the green', which means they have been lifted after flowering but with green leaves still attached.  The usual way to do that is via mail order.  Yours are a different variety than the Common snowdrop (G. nivalis) and are known as the 'giant snowdrop'.  The main thing is to get them planted or potted as soon as you buy them, whether bulbs or 'in the green'.
    I planted bare bulbs of this variety a few years ago and had about 50% success rate, so I would recommend you plant them in pots so that you can see which ones are still viable.  You can then separate and plant them out (in groups for the best effect) as the leaves start to die-off later in the year.
    Edit:  I've just noticed you have already planted them, but hope the rest of the post is useful! :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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