Snowdrops

[jadyn]

I have a number in snowdrop bulbs in four pots outside in the garden that are of sentimental value as they were taken from my late mother-in-law's garden.

They flowered well this year but I've just returned from a short break to find that although the flowers have gone, the leaves look just as luxurious as ever.

I want them to flower again next year. Can anyone tell me what I'm supposed to do with them now? Do I need to cut the foliage off to ground level and/or put the pots in a shed or greenhouse until next year or do I need to allow the leaves to wither away naturally? The situation didn't arrive in my MIL's home as they were planted in a garden border.

Thank you.

[woofgang]

leave them alone, let the leaves die down on their own. If they are in a small pot, you might want to wrap it in the winter because if the pot freezes right through then the bulbs will freeze to mush, other wise just leave them alone.

[seekeerz]

I'd give each pot a small amount of bulb fertiliser now, so the bulbs can feed up ready for next years flowering, then let the leaves die right back. Depending on the size of the pots, whether you should lift the bulbs and replant next year or just leave them is up to you.

[bhg481]

The plants need the leaves and sunlight to produce the "food" to store in the bulbs for next year's starting growth. As seekeerz says, a bit of ferti;iser is a good idea too.

[woofgang]

don’t lift snowdrops whatever else you do...they are better planted or transplanted in the green.

[hammerman]

Now's the time to give them a general purpose liquid feed every week. Do the same for all bulbs after flowering

[Chipchopper]

No need to do any cutting back of foliage, just let them die back to allow the nutrients, to go back into the bulbs, to be stored for next years blooms.

If you can provide an area of dappled shade for them, this should simulate the woodland habitat that they naturally grow in, in the early spring.
I have a few drifts of them in my garden, which I dig up some of the tighter clumps, round about this time of year, divide them up and re-plant them to increase the swathes that I already have.
adding some compost or leaf mould at planting time, should also benefit them.

[jadyn]

Thank you all for your advice. I'm very grateful.