How do you Grow Snowflakes?
This can be a difficult question to answer for beginner gardeners because of numerous factors including climate, soil, and experience level.
This article will help solve this problem and give beginner gardeners Easy-to-Follow Steps on growing snowflakes ANYWHERE.
And I recommend scrolling to the bottom of this page to find answers to the 7 most frequently asked questions most gardeners have when growing snowflakes.
[toc]
Step #1. Plant One of These 5 Types of Snowflakes
When buying and planting one of these 1 specific type of snowflake you should make sure that the bulbs are firm, unblemished, with few or no tears to the outer coating.
I am recommending one specific type of Snowflake that is simple to grow and care for regardless of your experience.
Best of all is that this Snowflake is a perennial and beautiful!
My recommendation is to grow the original or “plain” SnowDrop.
The reason I recommend planting this snowflake is that it is easy to grow from seed or bulb, care for, and grow. Best of all is that it requires little or no work for it to come up every year.
This type of snowflake smells lovely, is a perfect complement among other perennial flowers, and does not grow very high.
Add this flower to your raised garden beds, pots, or other fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers you grow.
Step #2. How to Grow Snowflakes from Bulbs
Snowflakes are a beautiful flower that blooms in early to mid-spring.
Unlike conventional thinking, Snowflakes are perennial flowers.
Most flower gardeners think Snowflakes are annual flowers because hybrid snowflakes can become weakened perennials over time.
Step 1 – Plant Your Snowflake Bulbs in the Fall
First, make sure you buy your appropriate Snowflakes on Amazon or from another reputable garden vendor.
Plant your snowflake bulbs in the fall when your soil has cooled off & the temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant your bulbs before the first frost!
Take the temperature of your soil and ensure that it will stay below 60 degrees for 12 weeks or think about planting your snowflakes in pots.
- Hardiness Zones 3 – 5: Plant in September
- Hardiness Zones 6 – 7: Plant in October
- Hardy Zones 8 – 9: Plant in December
*Find Your Hardiness Zone HERE*
Step 2 – Prepare Your Soil THIS Way!
Locate the area of your flower garden or yard where you want to plant your snowflakes.
- Snowflakes do best in an area that receives partial to full afternoon sun.
- The soil should be well-draining and should be neutral to slightly acidic (6.0 – 7.0 pH level).
- The flower garden should be well protected from wind and heavy rain.
Mix 3 inches of Flower Garden Soil to the top 6 inches of your garden soil.
Step 3 – Simply Plant Your Snowflake Bulbs
To have the most success planting your bulbs you should simply dig a hole 8 inches deep and plant 10 snowflake bulbs next to each other.
*Make sure the Snowflake Bulbs “pointy” part is facing up*
Then mix flower fertilizer (that has a 10-10-10 NPK ratio) in the hole (according to the the instructions). And then fill the holes with your flower and garden soil mix.
Next, water your snowflake bulbs for 15 seconds. This will help promote the start of root growth. Continue to water your bulbs for 15 seconds once a week for the first month.
Then continue this process for as many bulbs as you want to grow. Make sure to spread each set of 10 snowflake bulbs 4 inches apart.
Step 4 – Do THIS in the Winter
In the beginning of winter you will want to mulch your flower garden bed.
After you mulch the flower garden bed do nothing else to your snowflake bulbs the rest of winter.
Step 5 – And do THIS in the Spring
Once the year becomes spring and your snowflakes grow leaves then you should add flower fertilizer again.
Then water your snowflakes once a week until your snowflakes bloom.
As soon your snowflake petals fall off the flower deadhead it.
And make sure to keep your leaves on the flower for 6 weeks while your flower absorbs and retains energy for next year’s bloom.
Step 6 – Maintain minimal maintenance in summer
Once it becomes summer you should cut the stem and leaves of your snowflakes where it meets the soil.
Do not water your snowflakes in the summer. Do not fertilize your snowflakes in the summer. Simply leave your snowflakes in the ground all summer.
Frequently Asked Questions (9 Questions)
#1. How Do You Grow Snowflakes in Pots?
If you are not able to plant your snowflake bulbs in an area your garden or yard, or if your soil will not stay below 60 degrees Fahrenheit then you should plant your Snowflakes in a container.
To have the most success planting Snowflake Bulbs in pots you should do the following:
- Bury your bulbs in a container with 8 inches of Flower Garden Soil over it.
- Make sure the “pointy” end of the bulb is facing up
- Immediately water your snowflake bulbs for 15 seconds
- Before the first frost of the year move your container to an area of your property that is cool and dry. Keep it here throughout winter
- Once you notice green growth emerging in the winter move your container into a sunny area and begin watering it once a week.
- Once your snowflake petals fall off you will want to deadhead your flower.
- Let the green growth of your plant remain for 6 weeks. Then cut it and your stem where it meets your soil.
#2. How Do I Water My Snowflakes?
You should water your Snowflakes three different ways.
- Immediately after you plant your snowflake bulbs you should soak the soil for 15 seconds
- Continue watering your snowflake bulbs once a week for the first month and then don’t water until the spring
- Begin watering your snowflakes once a week once green growth returns in the spring
#3. How Do I Feed My Snowflakes?
To properly feed your snowflakes with the fertilizer you should wait until the snowflake flowers have faded and begun falling off your flower.
To have the most success use Snowflake Fertilizer. This will help your snowflakes store nutrients properly for the next season.
For best results, simply follow the instructions on your fertilizer product.
#4. How Do I Cut Snowflakes?
If you want to display your snowflakes indoors then cut snowflakes when the flowers have grown, but not blossomed. It is okay if the flower bud is slightly green, but should have color.
Place the cut snowflake in a vase with water at room temperature. Every few days change your water.
If you want your snowflakes to last longer in the vase then you should add Miracle-Gro for Fresh Cut Flowers.
#5. How Do I Protect my Snowflakes from Pests?
The biggest threat to your snowflakes is deer, squirrels, and chipmunks. This is both when your snowflakes are growing and blooming.
To prevent your bulbs from digging up place bird netting over the ground where they are planted.
If you are trying to prevent deer then you should use deer repellent. If this does not work then grow your snowflake bulbs in pots and containers out of the deer’s reach.
#6. How do I Prevent Common Snowflake Diseases?
The most common snowflake diseases and harmful insects are gray mold, slugs, snail, aphids, nematodes, and bulb rot.
You can help prevent these diseases and harmful insects by using a fungicide spray and an insecticide spray in early spring as green growth begins to emerge.
#7. What are the Best Uses for Snowflakes?
Snowflakes are best used for indoor display, but can also add color to raised garden beds, container gardening, or even in your traditional flower garden.
Snowflakes can complement columbines, azaleas, lilacs, daffodils, crocus, and even hyacinths.
#8. What types of Bulb Should I buy?
Purchasing Snowflake Bulbs is a much easier task than say vegetable or herb seeds, where you have to worry about GMOs, Organic, Heirloom, etc.
When buying snowflake bulbs you should stick to hybrid or heirloom. These will give you the best success in growing Snowflakes.
Hybrid Snowflake Bulbs are weakened perennials that may or may not come up every year.
Heirlom Snowflake Bulbs are perennial bulbs that come up yearly but have a higher risk of contracting a disease, harmful insect, or fungus.
Just as important is where you buy your bulbs from. I recommend buying your seeds from Amazon. This will provide you with the best price and quickest delivery.
#9. What Type of Gardening Pot Should I Buy?
I recommend buying one type of pot.
Buy a 5-gallon pot.
- This is essential if you want to allow your snowflakes to grow to its fullest. It is also important if you want to continue to grow your snowflakes outside.
