A lonely snowdrop in the garden is sweet to look at. But snowdrops work better when planted in groups. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money. Snowdrops can be easily propagated. Find out how it works here!
How to propagate snowdrops?
Snowdrops can be easily propagated by dividing the bulbs or sowing the seeds. To divide the bulbs, dig up the plant in spring, separate smaller daughter bulbs and plant them individually. To propagate seeds, collect ripe seeds and sow them in moist, humus-rich soil.
The easiest propagation method: separating the bulbs
A proven and quick propagation method that is recommended to every snowdrop lover is dividing the plant or separating new bulbs. During or shortly after flowering is a good time to propagate planted snowdrops in this way.
A later division is not advisable. The onions need enough time to root and in the fall there may be initial difficulties as the onions are often already exhausted by then. In spring they are saturated with water and energy. This propagation method is recommended by mid-March at the latest.
How to proceed:
- Dig up snowdrops with a digging fork (€98.00 on Amazon)
- Remove soil
- separate smaller daughter onions from the main onion
- Dig planting holes
- Plant the bulbs 6 cm deep and with the tip upwards
- Minimum distance between: 10 cm
Propagation using seeds
Propagate snowdrops using their seeds doesn't necessarily have to be something you take into your own hands. Ants help spread the seeds. The ants carry the seeds away to eat their nutrient body. This will distribute the snowdrops naturally throughout the garden.
If you don't want to rely on the work of the ants, you can sow the seeds. The seeds usually ripen in April. They are found in the spherical and light brown colored fruit. It is best if the seeds are sown immediately outdoors or in a box.
- Seeds are cold germinators (temperatures between -4 and 4 °C for 4 weeks)
- Seeds are dark germinators: sow 1 cm deep
- choose moist, humus-rich soil for sowing
- ideal location: shady in summer, partially shady in spring
- do not sow near coniferous trees (snowdrops do not tolerate acidic soil)
Tips & Tricks
Since the formation of seeds weakens the plant, the withered flowers of most snowdrops should be cut off. It is enough to harvest the seeds of a handful of snowdrops to obtain many new specimens.
