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brian12

By Brian12

limerick, Ireland Ie

ive grown 200 pots of snowdrops from dry bulb.i know you should only plant them in the green but could only get bulbs.anyhow they have all popped their heads above ground(22 january today) but i realise that ive only put 3 bulbs in a pot and they look skimpy.can i take 3 from one pot and carefully (so as not to damage the roots)insert into another pot so as to have 6 in a pot .how hardy are they to handle .will they still flower this year if i do ?
thanks for any info.
brian




Answers

 

Hi Brian I'd leave them alone for this year. Presumably you are going to plant in the ground once they have finished flowering and before the leaves go yellow...

22 Jan, 2011

 

I agree with MG. That is a lot of snowdrops and you will probably double the amount of flowers next year. They bulk up quite quickly.

22 Jan, 2011

 

I agree with Mg and Gran they'll do better in the garden but for my own interest and as you've so many pots I'd have a go with just 2 plants into one-- as you say carefully-- then we'll know!

23 Jan, 2011

 

I would also advise against repotting at this stage. You could try plunging the pots into the ground until they have flowered or packing the pots into a container and dressing the lot with grit. This should make an effective feature.
Btw, there are a number of us who do not agree that you should only plant snowdrops 'in the green'. You have just demonstrated that the bulbs grow perfectly well on their own!

23 Jan, 2011

 

I planted a load of "dry" bulbs, and they seem to be doing fine.

23 Jan, 2011

 

hi all thanks everyone for the comments. the reason i grew so many was i was going to sell them at car boot sales next month.but they look o skimpy with 3 to a pot. i am not going to keep for myself as i have enough in my garden. There is a time i know for dividing snowdrops after flowering and was wondering if i can do it then and sell next year instead.(if they will be ok untill then.)will they multiply by next year or will the bulbs split into smaller non flowering ones ? i was worried about dry bulbs ...but you cant believe everything you read on the internet as ive found out. better to ask people who might have grown them on these forums.
thanks
brian

23 Jan, 2011

 

Well I have been known to dig up clumps from the garden in flower, pot them up, take them to a show and then put them back in the ground afterwards with no apparent distress to the plants. Cannot see any reason why you cannot de-pot and re-pot as you wish.
Just been down the garden and the £$^%£$ mole has turfed a large number of mine out of the ground I replanted them and expect they will be ok and that is all you are doing really.

23 Jan, 2011

 

I have unpotted sprouting bulbs of different types and repotted or planted in the garden, and they have not deteriorated at all. I just made sure I was careful, and did not pot any damaged roots up.

Just my experience.

23 Jan, 2011

 

As most people think you should buy in the green you can repot immediately after flowering with as many as you think will sell for a reasonable price and then you will not need to hang on to them for a year. No work looking after them either. They will take up a lot of gardening space if you hang on to them.

23 Jan, 2011

 

I have worked in two garden centres & plant nurseries where I have transplanted thousands of bulbs like this without a problem.
Compromise & double up some of your bulbs. If as you say they have only just popped their heads up they will transplant now no problem. I have dealt with bulbs like this for years & they dont mind abit as long as you are gentle.

27 Jan, 2011

 

thanks bampy .i have done nothing with them yet but will proberly start in the next 2 days.i feel abit more confiident now in doing it as even if they dont flower they will survive untill next year.
thanks
brian

27 Jan, 2011

 

dont touch them if it's frozen round your way & I would do some not all as everyone has made good points re your situation. I'd hate you to lose good bulbs on my say so. Here in the Fen's we are frozen solid again so that's put a halt to my outdoor plans - - - drat !!! :-)

29 Jan, 2011

 

How did your snowdrops fare Brian. We do not seem to have heard much from you of late. I bought what I think are Elwesii snowdrops in Chippenham last week at a farm shop. I paid £1.99 for 3 flowering bulbs because they were different to the nivalis i have in the garden. I think there are more in the pot but one of the flowers had gone over and the small bulblet was waiting to plant itself. so i should have at least 4 next year.

9 Mar, 2011

How do I say thanks?

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