snowdrop bulbs when to plant

Jo&Greg sun-coast-pearl@telus.net
Sat, 15 Jul 2017 10:36:00 PDT
Our experience here on Vancouver Island, BC (at Latitude 50 N) it is much the same. The bulbs survive best in the ground during their dormant time, especially if they are planted where the ground stays moist. We get about 2 months of temps over 20, and the soil can get bone dry as there is little summer rain. I've noticed the bulbs that stay in moist ground (where I'm watering the shrubs once a week) seem more vigorous, with the clumps expanding. I don't know about moving the bulbs while green. I never have, and they've always done well as I've moved them only when the tops are fully dried down. Our winters are not considered cold ... although we'll get a deep snow that stays for a couple of weeks every 20-25 years, most winters barely freeze at all, and as my beds are heavily mulched, the ground is rarely frozen.

If those were my bulbs, I'd plant them now in moderately rich soil with lots of worm casting for the humic acid and mycorrhizae, and just make sure they don't get bone-dry. If you can't plant them out, put them in plants or planters to stay moist, just so the bulbs can stay healthy. Then plant them out in autumn. Both these strategies have worked well for me.
Jo Canning,
Vancouver Island, British Columbia

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net] On Behalf Of David Pilling
Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2017 9:30 AM
To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>; Repurposing <repurposing@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [pbs] snowdrop bulbs when to plant

Hi Elaine,

On 15/07/2017 06:08, Repurposing wrote:
> I'm a newbie to bulbs. I just received some healthy snowdrop bulbs.
> Should I keep them as bulbs till Fall?
> -in a cool dark place or in fridge


Snowdrops have a reputation for not surviving being dried out - as when sold in bags in shops.

The story always is to move them "in the green", i.e. with leaves. I don't believe that is a good thing.

But where they thrive (here in England) they will spend Summer in moist ground, which never gets above 20C.

You may have the another problem with Winter not being cold enough.

Over to the California natives - doomed enterprise?


--
David Pilling
http://www.davidpilling.com/
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