Blogs

These are today's hyacinths, 16-12-2019.

Wedgwood hedgehog with crocus bulbs. The crocus are getting nice and fat and I hope there will be some nice flowers soon.

I don't like appearing in photos but this is just about acceptable, hidden by hyacinths on the mantelpiece in my living room. Those Jan Bos are obviously the earliest bloomers this year.

first hyacinths in bloom, 14-12-2019, Jan Bos

Pacific Ocean, a variety of hyacinth I have not used before but trying it this year for the first time. It looks a little small so far. First photo above shows this in bloom a couple days later.

another small sparse hyacinth, this one from Sainsbury's, in a small vintage glass jug, also more in bloom in first photo above

I got the printout of the spreadsheet I use to keep track of the hyacinths to update but Victor promptly decided to sit on it - so that wasn't going to be possible!

Bulb bowls have their pros and cons. The first bulb bowl I took out of the dark end of November looked pretty good with all the bulbs at a similar stage of development (see below). These bulb bowls have hyacinths that vary quite a lot. Some of the hyacinths really need to come out of the dark, some could do with longer in the dark. Difficult if they're in the same bulb bowl. A lot of the roots were growing outwards rather that through the hole into the water. I tried to push some back in but they just broke so only did that with one bowl.

That one bulb in the green Davidson bulb bowl that is not growing is soft and rotten so I disposed of that and examined the other two bulbs from that bowl and see that the roots are rotting, soft and transparent. Usually hyacinth roots are white and brittle. I removed the soft rotting roots and there are still some white brittle roots left so thought they'd be worth planting in compost.

checking the bulbs that aren't very well developed in the other bowls reveals they don't have roots

this pot had 3 bulbs but one not growing so removed it - it's soft and oozing

I decided to just leave the roots however they were after the failed attempt to push them into the water. Below they are growing into one of the small ventilation holes, sure the hyacinth will bloom just fine with the roots as they are.

I have never seen hyacinth roots like this with brown on the tips of the roots. Intriguing as I've been forcing hyacinths for years and thought I'd seen it all.

The crocus are still looking a bit pale but guess it's the inner leaves that are green,

some small tulips in the Shorter and Sons trough, lots of roots growing from the crocus bulbs in the vases

some more pale yellowish hyacinths out of the dark, easy to see the difference with the green ones that have been out for a week

I will be at the Castlehaven WinterFest on December 13th selling some of the hyacinths to benefit Mama Cat Trust Fox Rescue

Things are happening quickly now with all the crocus vases and 30 hyacinth vases out of the cellar. The hyacinths need to be out of the dark by December 1st to bloom for Christmas so I have many well on the way.

Growing Amaryllis in Vases

the amaryllis have stages they go through

1. bulbs into vases with the initial dry roots

2. those existing roots rot and turn the water black, the bulbs have new green shoots

3. I rinse out the vases, remove the rotting roots, add fresh water

I only started these 10 days ago and already I can see roots! Note they are sitting in water. Crocus bulbs seem to need that whereas hyacinth bulbs do not.

I also found these 2 vases I'd forgotten about and put some crocus bulbs in them. They aren't "official" crocus vases, unlike those above, but seem a suitable size and shape to hold the bulb above (and half-in) the water. Typical Italian (Venetian?) painted vases of the 50s/60s ? Think they both have labels that say "Italy" on the bottom. I have a stand for the size of the one on the right which came with the 3 amethyst vases a few photos below. I've bought the odd one singly. Not sure how they'll look in a stand with a crocus but will try them and see. I do prefer the blue to the amethyst colour.

The hyacinths are finally all started and in the cellar in the dark so it's time to press on with the smaller bulbs, crocus and muscari. I'll get to the tulips last. The first step is to get all the crocus vases out.

I find the large Dutch crocus bulbs are the best for forcing, although the small species crocus are sold at Sainsbury's so often fall back on them in case I run out. I started out with the large bulbs from Peter Nyssen. The crocus vases need to be filled with water touching the bulbs, unlike hyacinths which mustn't sit in water.

I forgot about my Wedgwood hedgehog! I thought I'd take some bulbs out of those clear vases which, let's face it, are rather boring.

I also found a few leftover large crocus bulbs so I managed to plant up the hedgehog with all large bulbs except for a couple smaller ones. I only bought this earlier this year (on ebay) so haven't used it before. It was rather difficult to plant up, keeping the crocus bulbs sticking out the holes and filling it with compost. Now the challenge to keep it well watered.

I need to put the muscari bulbs in pots in compost or on top of pebbles or shells, etc. They will NOT grow in a vase with water alone like the crocus bulbs.

The bulbs I started a couple weeks ago are rooting well (and one bulb was mouldy and had to be discarded).

The bulb deliveries did not go as planned (will explain later this week) so I had to resort to the garden centre - so disappointed. At least there were some bulbs left, if not the largest and best. (I had ordered bulbs to avoid this!)

some tall 19th century hyacinth vases and 2 modern Broste Copenhagen hyacinth vases, was going to try the smalll hyacinth bulbs on the crocus bowl but they are still too large, will just use crocus bulbs for that

I love cobalt blue glass, whatever vintage

vases and bowl with the largest openings needing the largest bulbs

September is the start of the forcing season, especially if you want hyacinths in bloom on Christmas day. The prepared bulbs are available for sale. I ordered mine in August (and received them 11-9-2019) but I believe some bulb companies have them in May (Chelsea time) in their catalogues, but still to be delivered in September.

Firstly, I printed off my spreadsheet of vases where I note which hyacinth variety I put in each vase and got some spare labels for any vases not labelled. I do like to think of which hyacinth might look best in each vase but it can get a bit haphazard but I do know I used Woodstock in that small uranium vase with the prongs.

fill the vases with water to just below the hyacinth bulb then put the vases in the dark, check them regularly after about 8 weeks

I usually have lots of cats appearing when I start organising my hyacinths but only this sweet boy with the massive paws (he's polydactyl) came and started playing with the bulbs

I bring out about 6 vases at a time (from boxes in the cellar). I remembered Sainsbury's have a new hyacinth vase for sale so of course, I had to try one.

I disagree with the instructions that say have the water touching the bulb; I think the bulbs would rot.

I only have 1 of my bulb orders so I don't have the largest bulbs I ordered so cannot start some of the vases with larger openings (3 on the right).

the Woodstock hyacinth bulbs are a bit smaller so suitable for some of the smaller vases and some vases that are suitable for different size bulbs

continuing the next day (this is going to be days of work), my one female cat, Polly Pocket came out, guess she's more comfortable if the boys aren't there

I do love the tall cobalt blue vases, probably they're my favourite, but I also like the short also Victorian vases in jewel colours, the Victorian terracotta vases and the odd modern ones. The clear engraved ones are from Cox and Cox and have labels on their bases. I only got them recently on ebay so didn't know for sure about them. Someone had told me the engraving was just a clear sticker applied to them but these are actually engraved, slightly different sizes. My one "Mary Gregory" hyacinth vase above, very tasteful IMHO, compared to some Mary Gregory designs.

I had to get the torch to look for all the "x-shape" vases (don't know a better term for them) as I thought they'd be nice with the same variety.

Scarecrow showing his massive polydactyl paws. I've put the catnip on the table for him.

I think I might have too many bulb bowls. I think some of these will be on ebay soon. The 4 on the left at the back are all the same, as are those two large ones back right. I didn't count these properly as hyacinth bulb requirements so I need to buy more bulbs.

Apricot Passion hyacinth

Crocus in bloom mid-January 2019

hyacinths end of January 2019