At the nature park that I help look after, we have a large number of
snowdrops growing on relatively steep banks.

A lot of them seem to have worked their way out of the ground and rolled
down several feet, and are lying on top of the ground with a couple of
inches of leaf coming out of the bulb.

It's happening so often, that I'm beginning to wonder whether it's
entirely unintentional, or is in fact a mechanism for spreading -
snowdrop rolls loose, then start to put down roots where it lands.
Anyone any ideas? Is it worth going round collecting up the scattered
bulbs and replanting them, or would they sort themselves out anyway if I
left them alone?

--
Kay - who spent the morning covering up about 500 snowdrop bulbsand would be
quite happy not to see another sbowdrop bulb for quite a long time.

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from Kay contains these words:


At the nature park that I help look after, we have a large number
of
snowdrops growing on relatively steep banks.

A lot of them seem to have worked their way out of the ground and
rolled down several feet, and are lying on top of the ground with
a
couple of inches of leaf coming out of the bulb.

It's happening so often, that I'm beginning to wonder whether it's
entirely unintentional, or is in fact a mechanism for spreading -
snowdrop rolls loose, then start to put down roots where it lands.

Yes, I suspect so. They often make a spectacular show on wooded
hillsides where they naturalised.

Anyone any ideas? Is it worth going round collecting up the
scattered
bulbs and replanting them, or would they sort themselves out
anyway
if I left them alone?

--
Kay - who spent the morning covering up about 500 snowdrop
bulbsand
would be
quite happy not to see another sbowdrop bulb for quite a long
time.

They'd have done it for themselves eventually, but by speeding
up
their journey down to richer moister feeding, you've ensured the
clumps will multiply faster.

Snowdrops, like bluebells, have a root-mechanism for pulling their
immature bulbs deeper into the ground. There's a botanical term for
it
which I forget. I know from propagating bluebells that first-year
seedlings germinate right on the soil surface where they fall. Six
years later, the tops of the same bulbs will be at least 5 inches
below ground, where the ground level has not changed. In very old
colonies you can find living bulbs a foot deep or more.

Janet.

"Contractile roots", Janet? I also assume that they put on most of
their annual growth at the bottom, so they'll go down rather than up
even if the roots don't actually pull them down. The ones that pop
out must be the younger ones in a crowded clump, which never really
managed to find soil-room to grow downwards, and whose roots have
died of exposure.

At my last place I had a zillion snowdrops, and they used to behave
the same way. I always used to gather up the wanderers and replant
them away from the overcrowded parent clumps, partly because they got
slug-damaged on the surface, but mainly because I wanted to get up to
seven zillion as soon as possible. I never, therefore, saw any sign
that they were digging themselves in effectively; but I'm confident
at least some of them would have. Had my soil been light, I might
have been less careful about replanting: certainly, many of the
crowded-out bulbs would have a root or two stuck in by the time I got
to them. And certainly the little grassy seedlings always dug
themselves in.

(I can't quite imagine not wanting to see another snowdrop bulb,
though: I was always disappointed when I ran out! My favourite
flower, followed by the wild primrose.)

Mike.

In article , Mike Lyle mike_lyle_uk@REM
OVETHISyahoo.co.uk writes
Janet Baraclough wrote:

Thanks, both of you

"Contractile roots", Janet? I also assume that they put on most of
their annual growth at the bottom, so they'll go down rather than up
even if the roots don't actually pull them down. The ones that pop
out must be the younger ones in a crowded clump, which never really
managed to find soil-room to grow downwards, and whose roots have
died of exposure.

Does wild garlic (ramsons) do the same? I noticed the seedlings were
very near the surface whereas the older ones were at least 6in down.


(I can't quite imagine not wanting to see another snowdrop bulb,
though: I was always disappointed when I ran out! My favourite
flower, followed by the wild primrose.)

Wild daffodils for me. But even so I get fed up planting too many.
Patience was never my strong suit.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Kay wrote:
In article , Mike Lyle
mike_lyle_uk@REM OVETHISyahoo.co.uk writes
Janet Baraclough wrote:

Thanks, both of you

"Contractile roots", Janet? I also assume that they put on most of
their annual growth at the bottom, so they'll go down rather than
up
even if the roots don't actually pull them down. The ones that pop
out must be the younger ones in a crowded clump, which never
really
managed to find soil-room to grow downwards, and whose roots have
died of exposure.

Does wild garlic (ramsons) do the same? I noticed the seedlings
were
very near the surface whereas the older ones were at least 6in
down.

Yes, I think so. The ramsons I had were ones I'd brought in, so I
don't think I ever noticed any big population squeeze even after ten
years; but the bulbs are long and thin, so perhaps the problem
doesn't arise, as they may also be shorter-lived; but I don't know.


(I can't quite imagine not wanting to see another snowdrop bulb,
though: I was always disappointed when I ran out! My favourite
flower, followed by the wild primrose.)

Wild daffodils for me. But even so I get fed up planting too many.
Patience was never my strong suit.

And you a gardener! But, yes, the wild daffodils are the glory of
Gloucestershire. A major contribution to road danger when I'm driving
north.

Mike.

SNIP

"Contractile roots", Janet? I also assume that they put on most of
their annual growth at the bottom, so they'll go down rather than up
even if the roots don't actually pull them down. The ones that pop
out must be the younger ones in a crowded clump, which never really
managed to find soil-room to grow downwards, and whose roots have
died of exposure.


I wonder what time of year does this rolling downhill occur? It seems to me
that if it happened in autumn, they would soon be covered by falling leaves
which would become compost, or at least leaf mould, and insulate the bulbs
from frost until they got established. A pretty good system in my view.

Steve

In article , shazzbat
writes

SNIP

"Contractile roots", Janet? I also assume that they put on most of
their annual growth at the bottom, so they'll go down rather than up
even if the roots don't actually pull them down. The ones that pop
out must be the younger ones in a crowded clump, which never really
managed to find soil-room to grow downwards, and whose roots have
died of exposure.


I wonder what time of year does this rolling downhill occur? It seems to me
that if it happened in autumn, they would soon be covered by falling leaves
which would become compost, or at least leaf mould, and insulate the bulbs
from frost until they got established. A pretty good system in my view.

That would follow. And you'd get the bare ones only where the bank was
bare of leafmould, which is what is happening.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Mike Lyle mike_lyle_uk@REM
OVETHISyahoo.co.uk writes
Kay wrote:


Patience was never my strong suit.

And you a gardener!

Oh, I have plenty of patience in terms of waiting for things to happen,
It's when I have to *do* something that I get impatient. I'm brilliant
at getting an edible meal on to the table in 20 mins flat, but just
don't ask me to do an elaborate dinner party ;-)

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"