Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Too many snowdrops?

office 699office 699 Posts: 1
in Problem solving
Snowdrops have grown exponentially in parts of my garden in the last two years. Their leaves are now covering whole flower beds where I want to start planting out perennials or bedding plants. Do I have to dig most of them out or will they not be doing any harm when they die down? I find it hard to believe there will be any soil available!

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    They'll be fine when they die down. If you have so many it won't hurt to dig out a clump here and there when you want to plant something, and it won't hurt the snowdrops to be disturbed or moved around due to planting other things amongst them.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I have borders that have perennials such as Hellebores, Astrantia and  geraniums planted in amongst snowdrops and they work well.  The perennials stay put. The snowdrops flower amongst  them while most of them are still dormant and then reappear next spring. I have split snowdrop clumps to spread them even further and some  are under trees where nothing much else will  grow.
    Bedding plants could be trickier, as you would be planting them later and planting patterns might vary from year to year according to your choice of plants. Then you would be removing them in the autumn. It might be easier to have snowdrop-free  beds for these :)
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2022
    Welcome to the forum! Clumps of snowdrops will flower better if they are divided and planted elsewhere, with some space, every few years. Now is a good time - when they still still have green foliage, so you can note easily where they are. You can also divide and move clumps in January, in the green, before flowering.

    Remember to water them in well and keep an eye and keep make sure they are moist for a few months after re-planting in their new home. You don't want them to dry out and disappear.

    If you have too many plants for your garden, people on local swap groups, and maybe neighbours and family might love to recieve plants in the green. Freecycle, Olio and Facebook swaps are good places to hand on plants.
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    You can never have too many snowdrops!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's what I was thinking @Cambridgerose12!
    You can always lift them when you plant the annuals, and just put them all back in the hole, if there's still foliage visible by the time you put them out. Not terribly likely though. As @JennyJ says, you can always lift the snowdrop clumps and pot them up too, for planting back out later. 
    My snowdrops are in among other permanent planting, as @Buttercupdaysdescribes.
    I'd agree though - might be better to have completely separate areas if you like having annuals in beds.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • owlladyowllady Posts: 15
    Can you transplant alliums at this time of year before flowering but when they have lots of green leaves?  Some need to be moved as they are now being swamped by a neighbouring shrub. I know the best time to move them is after they have flowered so will I lose the flowers this year if I go ahead and transplant them?
    I would appreciate your advice.  Many thanks.
  • ErgatesErgates Posts: 2,953
    I’ve transplanted snowdrops when they’ve been in flower, and it’s worked fine. Advised by a gardener friend that it was quite possible, and had the advantage of being able to see what they would look like in their new homes. Works for me in that I remember to do it, whereas if I leave them until they are just green leaves, I usually forget about them until the following spring.
Sign In or Register to comment.