February is probably the grimmest month in the gardening calendar, with low temperatures and flowers being in scarce supply. However, there is hope in the air. For many of us, the first sign of spring and the promise of milder weather just around the corner is the sight of a clump of brave snowdrops poking through the cold earth of a woodland, churchyard or town garden.
If you want to grow snowdrops in your garden, plant them ‘in-the-green’ later this month after they have finished flowering, but before the leaves have died down. This helps them absorb moisture quickly after they have been planted, as dry, rootless snowdrop bulbs do not re-establish well. You can buy them from garden centres, or, if you have a friend with some to spare in their garden, ask for a clump. They won’t take long to establish themselves if you choose the right spot in your garden.
Snowdrops enjoy a well-drained spot in light shade, similar to their natural woodland habitat. If you are planting your bulbs in a heavy soil, as many of us have in Oxfordshire, add a little sharp sand or grit to the planting hole to improve drainage. I think a great combination in the garden is to plant them under the red barked Dogwood – Cornus alba ‘Sibirica Variegata.’ All snowdrop species are endangered and wild snowdrops are protected under law, which means that they must never be picked or lifted from their wild or existing habitat.
It’s too early to apply synthetic or chemical fertilisers – these are useful later in the season to act as a quick tonic for getting plants off to a quick start – but organic fertilisers release goodness into the soil at a slower rate and now is the perfect time to apply them. Blood, fish and bone, seaweed meals and pelleted chicken manures have some soil conditioning properties, are available to plants over a longer period than chemical products and ensure plants grow steadily and sturdily.