How to Grow Snowdrop

The snowdrop is the tiny treasure of spring, blooming while snow still covers the ground. The 6-inch tall snowdrop bulb produces a single, long-lasting white bell-shaped bloom on an arching flower stalk that rises above gray-green foliage. The snowdrop's faint honey-like fragrance is also a welcome reminder that spring is not far away. With little care, the snowdrop provides great reward during the last gray days of winter.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Snowdrop bulbs
• Garden trowel or bulb planter
• Water
• Mulch or other organic material (optional)

1. Choose a planting location. The little snowdrop will grow well in almost any light condition, but the sunnier the location the earlier they will bloom. As with all bulbs, the soil should not be consistently soggy. Any location with moist, well-drained soil is suitable.

2. Position the bulbs. Plant snowdrop in early fall before the ground freezes. Snowdrop is most effective when planted in clusters. Dig several larger holes about 3 inches deep and place several bulbs in the hole 2 inches apart. Cover with the original soil and water well. Mulching is not required, particularly when the bulbs are planted within groundcover, but can be spread for cosmetic purposes on bare ground.

3. Provide maintenance. Snowdrop has few maintenance requirements. A good all-purpose fertilizer may be applied in late winter or early spring when new growth is visible. After blooming, allow the bulb's foliage to die back.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on their planting location and region of the country, snowdrop can bloom anytime from December through April. They are considered a hardy bulb in Zones 3 to 9.
• Snowdrop naturalizes well and mixes well with ground cover. The bulb's small size makes it easy to lose track of them when adding additional plant material to beds. Mark them or keep a record of their location. This is particularly helpful when division is necessary.
• The snowdrop's scientific name is "galanthus nivalis."