Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: David Lowndes on March 09, 2017, 07:51:23 AM
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Does anyone know if, somewhere amongst this incredible library of information, there is a thread about snowdrops that are difficult to grow?
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Have you tried the 'Search' button ??? :P
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Good idea!
Just tried it but it only returned this thread.
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As you have found - there is no specific thread on this subject - there are however numerous comments throughout the Galtanthus pages on certain snowdrops which seem to present some difficulties in cultivation. Problem is that what proves and intractable plant in one garden can thrive like the proverbial weed in others- and, as in other plants, this can be manifested in gardens only a mile or so apart, let alone in different parts of the country or world!
The definition is clouded, I suppose, by the tendency of so many 'drop cultivars to be, to say the least, unstable or long to establish, which adds to any question of species which are more fussy than others!
That said - there will be some which are darned awkward to grow in most places in cultivation, I suspect - and I hope the galanthophiles will not be long in sharing theit opinions with you there on that matter.
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Yes, Maggie, they are definitely unpredictable or even, in some cases, cantankerous!
I asked because I managed to obtain G.gracilis 'Ronald Mackenzie' this year and, as she handed it over the seller said
"You know it's a devil, don't you?".
So now I'm stressing about where to plant it. Internet searches turn up a fair number of failures but not many suggestions. I bet someone on here grows it well though!
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Yes, Maggie, they are definitely unpredictable or even, in some cases, cantankerous!
I asked because I managed to obtain G.gracilis 'Ronald Mackenzie' this year and, as she handed it over the seller said
"You know it's a devil, don't you?".
So now I'm stressing about where to plant it. Internet searches turn up a fair number of failures but not many suggestions. I bet someone on here grows it well though!
Oh you are a sucker for punishment David! In gardens I have seen it grown reasonably well in a raised bed. The preferred method I think is to grow it in a pot in a sand plunge in an alpine house. The thing to remember about gracilis is that they do not like to be wet in the summer. I do know an extremely good grower/seller who covers his gracilis in the summer that are grown in the garden eg Gracilis hybrid 'Swanton' with a flower pot to keep the rain off and this seems to be successful. I would think the best person to help would be Blonde Ingrid as she grows a host of yellow snowdrops.
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But Brian, Ingrid and I all live in the dry southeast of England where too much rain in the summer is unlikely to be a problem. I don't seem to have problems with gracilis in general but "Ronald Mackenzie" is just a miffy snowdrop for galanthophiles who like a challenge.
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I'm in the south east too. My other gracilis, by chance, are in raised beds in places which get some sun and seem to be fine. Something similar for Ronald then? Is 'Daglingworth ' also fussy?
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But Brian, Ingrid and I all live in the dry southeast of England where too much rain in the summer is unlikely to be a problem. I don't seem to have problems with gracilis in general but "Ronald Mackenzie" is just a miffy snowdrop for galanthophiles who like a challenge.
I was trying to be generally helpful as we did not know where David was growing his snowdrops - unless I missed this. It's always helpful to add it to your profile David for future reference.
Do I take your answer to mean that you have lost 'Ronald Mackenzie' then Alan, if so it might have helped if it had been drier.
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No, Brian, I am not even sure I would wish to afford "Ronald Makenzie" and have never tried to grow it. I have just heard the same sort of bad reports that David was given.
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If "difficult" means trying to grow a variety several times in different locations without success, I could suggest upwards of thirty varieties.
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Yes please!
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David
Apologies, I am in the middle of one of the more intensive periods snowdrop-wise when I review the health of each variety in the whole collection.
This issue of "difficult" snowdrops is a moveable feast; some varieties that I find problems in growing produce big healthy patches for others. The converse is probably true. So over a period of time you get into "smarter" ways of cultivating your plants to grow healthily in your location, and on your soil.
The danger to avoid, if I may say so, is becoming a sweetshop snowdropper chasing frenziedly after the latest expensive goodie. When disease or whatever leads to the said goodie turning up its toes, one can be tempted to turn to burning tenners as a replacement activity, or entering a monastery.
If you can get your hands on the Snowdrops book you will find listed many snowdrops that have been around for yonks and are reliable garden plants. And they are cheap. Grow some of them first and meanwhile the expensive goodies will become cheaper - they always do. :P
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David have you considered looking at your question the other way round as in this list?
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2768.msg64148#msg64148 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2768.msg64148#msg64148)
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Aha! Now that's a good suggestion, Brian - lateral thinking!
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Thanks. That made interesting reading. I certainly have favourites which I have grown for several years and which never let me down. Most of them are well-established varieties which have been around the block a few times.
I hadn't thought of it but, of course, the definition of 'difficult ' in this context is highly specific to the immediate environment of the variety in question. Although it is puzzling that all my common nivalis, planted 17 years ago, are thriving on neglect, wherever they are in the garden! I imagine Steve has more light to shed on this having shown such persistence with numerous varieties.
I have now had some great advice about RM so my immediate concern has faded! Still need to learn which ones to avoid though.