Galanthus April 2016

[Rick Goodenough]

I have the privilege of growing G. 'Polar Bear' which is in near full bloom here today April 1, 2016 in SE Massachusetts, US. This was recently registered by its introducer, Patrick van den Berg of The Netherlands.

Best wishes to all for your "off-season" gardening! Rick

[Maggi Young]

'Polar Bear' is a beauty isn't it, Rick?  Quite a lot of 'drops still in good condition here in the cold weather - brrrr!
I suppose we'll soon be into the  Southern hemisphere  autumn 'drops!

 Three  galanthus registered  by Patrick van den Berg  in Spring 2016:  'Beluga'  'Snow Fox' and  'Polar Bear' ....
'Beluga'


'Snow Fox'


'Polar Bear '

[Rick Goodenough]

Maggi, yes, G. 'Polar Bear' is quite nice, a substantial drop which finishes out the season strong. Also, the name is a good fit as it is such a pure white color. Rick

[SusanH]

My 2 Polar Bears arrived from Avon Bulbs yesterday - stunning plants and reduced for end of season - what a bonus!!!!

[Rick Goodenough]

Susan, good luck with them....I bet they will grow vigorously for you. Rick

[SusanH]

Thanks Rick - missed out on them first time round from Avons catalogue so to get them at just over half price was a real bonus. Will keep you posted on their progress.

[kentish_lass]

Yes Rick, Polar Bear is slightly different in many ways and I just had to grab a couple from Avon in their sale despite being a snowdrop crisis here!

I have been religiously digging, washing, fungiciding and potting a large area of my woodland area which seems impossibly infested with Swift Moth larvae.  They had all become very large clumps so the job has been huge.  Most were nibbled, some only slightly and others beyond hope....but anything badly damaged has been given a last chance in vermiculite in the dark as if chippings.  Will be interesting to see what happens to them.

I was so relieved to find my clump of Gloria, Rogers Rough, Whittallii and Alan's Treat were absolutely untouched.....phew!  I wanted all of those for so long and they were clumping nicely.

Now I have the worry of what to do with them now with this pesty moth all over the garden.  At the moment they are all repotted and safely in my garage near the double frosted window.  Will it be OK for me to let them go dormant in the safety of the garage while I think of a place to put them?  Can anyone advise me please!!??

I have purchased a couple more coldframes but am still working out a way of attaching fine mesh.  I saw very fine mesh wire on ebay but still confused on how to attach to the metal on a coldframe.  I have also purchased fine mesh cloches & pop up tents galore for when I replant into uninfected soil.......not sure where yet!

Any advise or ideas very gratefully accepted.

Also I have a spare 2oz packet of Actinovate imported from the USA - I ordered too much in my panic.  Mine is half the price of what they ask on Amazon UK.  Inbox me if interested.

[Alan_b]

In principle. swift moths will not be on the wing until May at the earliest.  I would have thought outside under some fine insect mesh netting will give your pots more light and rain than inside a garage - but this is what I do so I would think that, wouldn't I?  What I think was my 'Wandlebury Ring', which completely failed to appear in 2009, somehow reappeared with a flower this year after I thought it was long gone.  This probably indicates that badly-eaten bulbs can regenerate, even if left in-situ.

[Brian Ellis]

I would go along with Alan there, and yes

badly-eaten bulbs can regenerate, even if left in-situ

which is why I grow mine in lattice pots in the ground despite the extra work!  I was very pleased this year to see G.alpinus var bortkewitschianus in the garden for the first time flowering after eight years missing!  All the attention it got was weeding and feeding. 

[Josh Nelson]

a couple of late flowering plicatus today

[Leena]

Here is my G.alpinus v bortkewitschianus last week. I planted three bulbs in 2013, they have not increased much but are doing ok otherwise.
In the background there is G.plicatus 'Oreanda'.

[Alan_b]

From my experience, if you can get G.alpinus v bortkewitschianus to flower you are doing pretty well.

[Leena]

From my experience, if you can get G.alpinus v bortkewitschianus to flower you are doing pretty well.

 

[kentish_lass]

Thanks very much Brian and Alan - phew, so relieved to hear the Swift Moth will not be on the wing for another month as it gives me time to get all the netting in place.  I should have guessed it would be a while as the caterpillars I have been finding are big but still active so they need time to pupate etc.  Mine also have a penchant for Hellebores and now potted Hemerocallis - the latter would be difficult to destroy so I am not so bothered about them.

I have spent the last two days clearing an area to put the snowdrops from the garage - some have already gone dormant - be glad when they all do !!  I am praying next year will be better.

May I ask one more thing?!  I am rather confused how to look after the first year chips during the summer months.  Some are rather precious and all I have left of the original bulbs.  I have them in our outdoor conservatory area where they have been regularly fed and watered and are all looking good.  Will they naturally die down at the same time as the others and what do I do to stop them dehydrating after that and where should they be kept - inside or outside?  Damp or dry?

many thanks in advance
Jennie

[Brian Ellis]

Jennie I would have them outside in the shade and, bearing in mind your problems, cover them with one of your pop up cloche nets.  Keep them growing for as long as you can but once they are dormant they should be ok unless there is a prolonged drought, in which case give them a little sprinkling every 10 days or so.