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Gardening

Where to plant.

(14 Posts)
gmelon Wed 30-Jan-19 13:01:15

I, like some others on here, have purchased some Snowdrops.
Mine are in a plant pot.
I don't know where to plant them.
I could have them planted at the edge of my lawn. It would mean digging in to the lawn?
Or can they be started off in a larger pot? The size you use on a patio.
I have few flower beds as the garden is mainly low maintenance evergreens.

loopyloo Wed 30-Jan-19 13:40:53

Yes a larger pot or under deciduous shrubs. So they say.

shysal Wed 30-Jan-19 14:02:02

I think they would be happiest amongst your evergreens. I have not had much success with leaving them in permanent pots and planting in the lawn isn't always practical if the leaves remain when you want to start mowing.

merlotgran Wed 30-Jan-19 16:44:48

Plant them under deciduous trees or shrubs. They spread easily so if your tree is on the edge of a lawn they will spread happily into the grass. You won't need to dig into the lawn.

Telly Wed 30-Jan-19 17:05:41

It has taken me years to get some established. I have bought bulbs, pots and 'in the green'. I would go near the evergreens. Of course they are going to need a bit of room so not actually under them. According to an article I read recently buying them in pots is the best way to get them to grow so you are doing the right thing. Good luck!

merlotgran Wed 30-Jan-19 18:03:08

Sorry to disagree but I would avoid evergreens. It's advisable to mimic woodland conditions so at this time of the year deciduous trees allow the snowdrops to enjoy winter sunshine which helps them thrive.

Tartlet Wed 30-Jan-19 18:34:52

My snowdrops don’t seem to mind whether they’re near evergreen or deciduous shrubs and seem equally happy. Some have spread into the lawn as merlotgran says but I wouldn’t have planted them deliberately. Mine were planted ‘in the green’ and came from a local nursery wrapped in small newspaper bundles many years ago and have thrived. I always have done to give away. They’re exceptionally early this year.

J52 Wed 30-Jan-19 18:45:19

In the past, I thought I had a few peeping out from under a huge hardy fuchsia. Last summer I had to severely prune the fuchsia and its neighbouring forsythia.
To my amazement, this year loads of snowdrops have popped up where the two shrubs were overhanging. They were either dormant or I just couldn’t see them.
So I’d plant then somewhere between your shrubs.

SpringyChicken Wed 30-Jan-19 20:09:48

Merlotgran is right, avoid planting under evergreens where light levels are poor and soil is often dry. Snowdrops are native to deciduous woodlands. They flower in winter when plants around them are bare of leaves so they are not competing for the available light.
Open beds are also suitable. The leaves have disappeared by summer when summer bedding takes over. Snowdrops quickly become overcrowded and need splitting and replanting regularly ‘in the green’ to keep them flowering well.

Izabella Wed 30-Jan-19 20:14:36

As Merlot says but don't do anything with them until the flowers fade.

HildaW Wed 30-Jan-19 21:33:50

In nature they grow near the base of mixed hedgerows - not right up against the base but in the shelter of it. So find areas in your garden that reproduce that. It can take a few years for them to spread so as soon as a clump develops wait till the end of the flowering season and then lift and divide them returning each new plant to a similar area.

Vonners Wed 30-Jan-19 22:03:37

I think at the base of deciduous shrubs is probably best, this is where you tend to see them growing wild in hedgerows.
I've only ever planted bulbs in potsand have had no success so will try buying 'in the green' as suggested.

gmelon Wed 30-Jan-19 23:33:43

Thank you all for answering.
One of the hedges around the garden is Laurel.
Near or under the front of it, would that be a good position?

Grammaretto Thu 31-Jan-19 06:30:53

Snowdrops thrive beneath the weeping ash tree in our garden, spreading out to the lawn but the ash tree is now just a stump after storms took its crown and the surgeon "tidied" it.
I hadn't thought about the snowdrops until now and wonder if we should plant another tree and if so, what?