Snowdrop seed pods

[alp]

I have one or two galanthus seed pods. One has turned a bit yellow. I am concerned that ants or slugs might have a field day. What should I do? I really want to pot them up instead of leaving them to chance.

Please see this seed pod

Thank you for your help in advance!

 

[Owdboggy]

You really need to wait until the pod begins to split. then sow the black seeds about 1 cm deep in MPC and leave them exposed to the elements. 7 years on you may have some flowers.

 

[alp]

7 years on you may have some flowers.

I'm going to have a go at twin-scaling.

Thank you for the enlightenment!

 

[Silentrunning]

You really need to wait until the pod begins to split. then sow the black seeds about 1 cm deep in MPC and leave them exposed to the elements. 7 years on you may have some flowers.

The phrase “ 7 years on” and the word “ may “ used in the same sentence to describe the same event would definitely make me think twice.

 

[Owdboggy]

Most bulbs take a fair while from seed. the trick is to sow some every year so that in the future you see the results, year on year.
Never tried twin scaling so cannot help there.
Read this.
http://www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/Propagation/Twin-Scaling/twin-scaling.htm

 

[alp]

Thank you owdboggy! I have read it many a times and saw the video on youtube. For this reason, I also joined another forum and have been given very encouraging advice. There was a photo which says from twin scaling to flowering several months. That must be a very fertile and plant. I'm not afraid of trying something new. But as I can see the pod from my Wendy's Gold, it would be silly not to seek advice on how to harvest the seeds.

I have seen a Pacific ??? educational group showing several seed pods splitting open in a video. And I emailed this Judy lady who told me that I had to go out every day to catch the seeds! Haha! I hope I don't forget! Fun!

 

[Owdboggy]

Glad the link was useful.

 

[MaryMary]

I had to go out every day to catch the seeds! Haha! I hope I don't forget! Fun!

I'd take the bag off if it was going to rain, but here's an idea!

To collect seeds from pods that may split or "explode," bag the pods or seed heads in organza bags with tie-strings. Old panty-hose or nylons work too. Just don't crush the stem when you tie them on.
https://garden.org/ideas/view/RickCorey/650/Bag-Seed-Heads-To-Catch-All-the-Seeds/

 

[alp]

Last time I tied a bag over the hellebore seeds, they all rotted. But I will try it as they are Wendy's Gold and don't know what I will be getting, but one Wendy Gold can fetch £15 to £18 in probably 7 years' time! LOL! Fools' gold! But fun! All gardeners are patient gamblers.. just to steal @Tjohn 's wonderful thunder!

 

[Medievalmum]

I was told that if I planted seeds collected from Freesias they would take years to flower but they grew and flowered a few weeks after planting. I have seed pods on my Snowdrops so am hoping to try the same with them once the seed pods turn yellow. I am in Australia so the bulbs took me years to find here so I want to try the seeds as well as dividing the bulbs once they die down.

 

[alp]

I think it COULD be growers persuading or manipulating opinion. They make more money selling you plants rather than seeds. Once the snowdrop seedpods turn yellow, please collect them and sow. You might need to be quick or put a tight or a muslim bag round the pods to capture all the seeds. Ants will be your greatest competitors. They also have a penchant for hellebore seeds. They just eat the content. Any way, back to snowdrops, you must get them because the pods split totally open or the ants will have a field day. Quite a few times, my snowdrop seedpods snapped right at the top, probably because the pods were too heavy, adverse weather .. They stems thinned and the pods were on the floor. I read that you can sow up (don't know if you need to wait till they become drier) Sow them properly and in a few years' time, you will have flowers. If you're interested in cross pollinating snowdrops, have a look here.