Forced Bulb Care for Snowdrops

Storage

• Choose snowdrop bulbs that are not soft or show signs of rotting. If they cannot be planted right away, store them in an area with temperatures between 35 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the bulbs in a mesh or paper bag with ventilation holes. Store them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Do not place the bulbs near fruit or vegetables in the refrigerator. These food items give off ethylene gas, which kills the developing flower inside the bulb.

Planting

• Snowdrop bulbs should be planted in containers with drainage holes in mid-September, and they will produce flowers in December. Use a soil mixture made up of equal parts of potting soil, peat moss and perlite. Cover the bottom of the plant pot with a couple of inches of soil. Place the bulbs with the pointed tips upward and loosely cover the bulbs with an inch of soil. Water the bulbs thoroughly, allowing the moisture to drain out the bottom of the container.

Cooling

• It is best to chill the bulbs for 12-to-18 weeks at 35-to-40 degrees. Include the time the bulbs were held in storage. For example, if the snowdrop bulbs were stored for two weeks before planting, subtract two weeks from the overall cooling time. Check the bulbs each week and mist the soil if the top begins to dry out.

Forcing

• When the cooling time is up, move the snowdrop containers into a place with bright indirect light and temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees. This triggers the growth of leaves and flowers. Within three or four weeks, the green shoots appear, followed by the blossoms. Keep the soil moist and the plant cool to prolong the flowering period. Once the plant is finished flowering either throw the snowdrop bulbs on the compost pile or let the foliage die back naturally and plant the bulb outside in the garden.