Growing snowdrops?

Hi everyone, I was thinking of buying some snowdrop bulbs get some flowers before my hundreds of daffodils hopefully make an appearance, however, I read that these flowers can be difficult to grow from dried bulbs? I had assumed that all bulbs were dry. Any advice is welcome.

 

I've heard bad things about dry snowdrop bulbs planted in the autumn. Conventional advice is find a friend who has a good healthy clump of them and after flowering ask them to give you some bulbs and plant straight away. You will have lovely snowdrops next winter. That's what I did about 20 years ago and I've never looked back.........they just bet bigger and better.

 

I have no idea - but good questions, esp as I am planning on buying snowdrop bulbs myself this week.

Will be interested to here the answer for this one also

 

Snowdrops are what is known as 'naked' bulbs. They do not have a protective coat like daffodils or tulips to prevent drying out. The difference is that Galanthus evolved bulbous form to avoid the lack of sunlight under deciduous trees in Summer. Narcissus and Tulips and other bulbs evolved to avoid drought in Summer. Hence they have protection against it. Woodland bulbs do not need it. Consequently Galanthus and Flitillaria meleagris do not take kindly to being out of the soil for too long. As said either buy them freshly dug (at any season from gowing to dormant, or already growing in pots.
If you do try them from dried bulbs get them from somewhere where they are sold loose and stored in cool conditions. Packeted bulbs in hot shops are a total waste of time.
Even so, soak the bulbs overnight in warm water with a little fungicide added and you would then stand a better chance of them growing. Plant in pots rather than the ground and plant out when/if they do grow. Best of luck!

 

I've grown snowdrops from bulbs in packets, sold in shops. The result was ok, but not the carpet you would expect.

In early Spring you see lots of offers in gardening magazines and online for snowdrops "in the green", which I always intend to buy and never seem to get round to. Maybe next year...

 

???? Snowdrops. I planted many, they grow and multiply every year.

 

I buy some every year in the hope I will get some lovely flowers and I never do! Its very frustrating. Will hunt for someone who has some good ones!

 

Hello FreedomSpark, what you have heard about snowdrops from bulb packets is largely correct. On the whole they don't do well. Much better to plant snowdrops "in the green". If you can get a clump dug up from someone who has some to spare - lift the clump just after they have finished flowering. Or early next year look at the adverts in the back of gardening magazines for companies who are selling snowdrops in the green. You'll miss out on your flowers for next year but they'll be great after that.

 

You all just reminded me, I have to find the yellow snowdrops I saw somewhere early spring to plant.
Frankly, I was kinda putting off more bulbs, too much other things to do. Not that I need any, LOL.