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Feb 25, 2018 8:53 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: UrbanWild
Kentucky (Zone 6b)
Kentucky - Plant Hardiness Zone 7a
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Vegetable Grower Spiders! Organic Gardener Native Plants and Wildflowers
Hummingbirder Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Butterflies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Has anyone tried growing snowdrops from seed? I am trying to get decent coverage and don't think I can afford to get there the more expensive bulb route.

Thoughts?

Yet another amazing snowdrops shot
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik...
Always looking for interesting plants for pollinators and food! Bonus points for highly, and pleasantly scented plants.

"Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." [“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”] -- Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ad Familiares IX, 4, to Varro. 46 BCE
Last edited by UrbanWild Feb 25, 2018 9:42 PM Icon for preview
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Feb 26, 2018 9:01 AM CST
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
The seeds would need to be fresh, and kept moist at 40 ºF for 3 months. Then shifted to 70º F for the first leaf to show.
Hypogeal germination. ( Dr. Deno)
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Feb 27, 2018 4:38 PM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
What a pretty photo of them. I've not grown Snow Drops but if they multiply like Snow Flakes, you could naturalize them in a matter of a few years. How large an area are you wanting to cover?
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Feb 28, 2018 7:09 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: UrbanWild
Kentucky (Zone 6b)
Kentucky - Plant Hardiness Zone 7a
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Vegetable Grower Spiders! Organic Gardener Native Plants and Wildflowers
Hummingbirder Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Butterflies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Basically, I am getting rid of as much lawn as possible. So, outside of what the dog needs or navigation, it is all up for modification. However, I think even that left in lawn could be used for something which might attract pollinators.
Always looking for interesting plants for pollinators and food! Bonus points for highly, and pleasantly scented plants.

"Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." [“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”] -- Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ad Familiares IX, 4, to Varro. 46 BCE
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Feb 28, 2018 4:50 PM CST
Name: Neal Linville
Winchester, KY (Zone 6a)
Bulbs Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises Roses
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
Have you found a source for seeds? I'm interested in this idea as well. I love snowdrops, particularly G. nivalis, but for some reason they've become really pricey over the years! And I don't often see the regular form of G. nivalis offered either. I would so love to recreate this:


I have some little clumps of the double form increasing nicely in a few spots of the garden, but unfortunately they seem to be sterile. I also feel they lack some of the charm of the single bloom.
"...and don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It's quiet, but the roots are down there riotous." Rumi
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Feb 28, 2018 9:40 PM CST
Name: Rj
Just S of the twin cities of M (Zone 4b)
Forum moderator Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 1
I purchased mine from Colorblends, thought they were fairly reasonable. They seem to be multiplying fairly rapidly.
As Yogi Berra said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
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Mar 1, 2018 5:17 PM CST
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Seeds or bulbs at ColorBlends ?
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Mar 1, 2018 8:16 PM CST
Name: Rj
Just S of the twin cities of M (Zone 4b)
Forum moderator Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 1
CarolineScott said:Seeds or bulbs at ColorBlends ?


Bulbs
As Yogi Berra said, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
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Mar 20, 2018 5:08 AM CST
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
I'd say harvest whatever seed you can get from your own and sow asap in well draining but moisture retentive soil in a deep tray/pot and keep it outside. They need cold to sprout in spring.
They need to be sown deeper than you'd think 'cause in nature it's ants that drag the seed in their tunnels to eat the little 'thingie' (don't know the english term haha) that's on the seed.
Or you can just leave them to their own devices and let them self seed. They're really good at that though it takes a number of years to flower ofcourse.

After that you can split every reasonably sized clumps you have. In a few years you'll really start to bulk out this way alone!

A third way of getting alot of bulbs is twin scaling: dig up a few bulbs, cut off the top (growing point) end and any too long roots. Put the bulbs upside with the basal plate on the bottom and, using a sharp knife, cut the bulbs in half. Cut the halves again. You can do this as many times as you like. Ofcourse important thing is that every cut piece has a bit of the basal plate, otherwise no bulblets will form.
Put the cut pieces in a freezer bag with a moist medium (sharp sand, vermiculite, potting compost....), shake to cover and put them away something dark and warm for a few months. If done correctly little bulblets will have formed that can be potted up individually. They'll take a year or two to flower also.
Thoroughly sterilize any equipment you use, especially the knife.

(Google for more info Thumbs up )
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Mar 20, 2018 11:48 PM CST
Name: Sue Taylor
Northumberland, UK
Amaryllis Region: United Kingdom Houseplants Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Annuals Bee Lover
It would probably be quicker to increase from bulbs. A single bulb can clump up fairly quickly. If you can get them "in the green" rather than dry bulbs they will do better.
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Mar 21, 2018 4:23 AM CST
Name: Neal Linville
Winchester, KY (Zone 6a)
Bulbs Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises Roses
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
I wish I could find a source for the plain G.nivalis. Brent and Becky's offers a hybrid form, but at over $6 each I don't see that happening! I've never seen the sold in the green.
"...and don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It's quiet, but the roots are down there riotous." Rumi
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Mar 21, 2018 8:33 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: UrbanWild
Kentucky (Zone 6b)
Kentucky - Plant Hardiness Zone 7a
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Vegetable Grower Spiders! Organic Gardener Native Plants and Wildflowers
Hummingbirder Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Butterflies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Never saw them sold in the green here either.
Always looking for interesting plants for pollinators and food! Bonus points for highly, and pleasantly scented plants.

"Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." [“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”] -- Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ad Familiares IX, 4, to Varro. 46 BCE
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Mar 21, 2018 11:06 AM CST
Name: Sue Taylor
Northumberland, UK
Amaryllis Region: United Kingdom Houseplants Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Annuals Bee Lover
Ah that's a shame, they do establish better when planted out in the green, but if dry bulbs are all you can get go for it. They are readily available here but perhaps more popular? Once established they will possibly seed around themselves. Some of the snowdrop displays over here have taken generations to establish. The National Trust garden at Wallington Hall which is nearby has planted 400,000 snowdrop bulbs since 2015! My sister has lots of different named varieties as well as the common nivalis and from single bulbs she now has several well established clumps.
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Mar 21, 2018 11:57 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: UrbanWild
Kentucky (Zone 6b)
Kentucky - Plant Hardiness Zone 7a
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Vegetable Grower Spiders! Organic Gardener Native Plants and Wildflowers
Hummingbirder Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Butterflies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
I planted 60 in December. So far I have seen 3 in flower. However, since yesterday afternoon we have had 9 inches of snow and it's still falling. Should melt soon. 40F and sunny on the way tomorrow.
Always looking for interesting plants for pollinators and food! Bonus points for highly, and pleasantly scented plants.

"Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." [“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”] -- Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ad Familiares IX, 4, to Varro. 46 BCE
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Apr 1, 2018 5:46 AM CST
South (Zone 8b)
I do not have snowdrops (too hot where I live) but do have summer snowflakes. We let them make the seed pods & drop the seeds naturally. I think maybe if you could afford to get a few snowdrops they do multiply pretty quickly & you can divide.
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