Planting Snowdrops bulbs in December

RHS have helpfully included something about Snowdrops in the current Issue of The Garden (Jan 2013 pp22) - which saves me going and trying to dig out the Back Issue

The nub of it is:

Everyone seems to think that Snowdrops should be moved / planted "in the green"

Snowdrops do not tolerate drying out. This may be why selling them, "in the green", became commonplace before "containerisation"; plus snowdrops tend not to do well in pots.

Key point is that once roots are broken they do not regrow [that season], unlike (say) a herbaceous plant. This means that the plant will enter dormant state earlier, and potentially with less stored energy reserves.

For the grower, regularly lifting bulbs "In the green" appears to weaken the stock, particularly for the rarer cultivars. Lifting bulbs in dormant season, and shipping them "damp packed" [so they do not dry out], is thus preferred by specialist growers.

If you buy/obtain bulbs in "clumps", in the green, then do not divide them but rather plant them as-is and then lift and divide when dormant (and replant promptly). Similarly if you have clumps of rare varieties that you want to divide - mark their position when in leaf/flower but leave dividing them until dormant / Summer

Re: Snowdrop bulbs offered "dry" in Autumn, e.g. in Garden Centres. Likelihood is that they have been dry/in storage for some months. In this state many will be already dead, or at best will not establish well.

So, in summary, my take is to buy in Summer from a specialist nursery that lifts and ships, preferably "damp ships", without storing.

 

Thank you for all of that good info. Kristen,
Jenny

 

Interested to read your post Kirsten. I lifted and sold 1000s of Snowdrops a couple of years ago in about September and kept the ones I'd lifted in wheelbarrows of damp soil prior to despatch so no chance of drying out. I had zero complaints and lots of success feedback. Not very practical tho for sellers doing the same perhaps on a commercial scale unfortunately.

 

Update: We have life! Some of them are showing their heads! Fingers crossed they continue to thrive.