mid-October, more bulb forcing preparation

I recently bought this Shorter and Son flower trough with squirrels at the ends on ebay. I seem to be the only one using these flower troughs; something about them caught my interest a few years ago.

Having said that I will try anything that appeals, regardless of pottery company producing it. This little flower trough with a squirrel is just big enough for the smallest bulbs (species crocus). 4 hyacinth bulbs on pebbles in this square vase. One hyacinth bulb on top of pebbles in this rose bowl missing its grill. I'll stick bulbs in anything!

You can see roots just starting on one of the hyacinth bulbs, above, which I'd left on the table outside and I think they got rained on. Hyacinths are so easy to force, they want to grow, no matter what. Tulips and crocus are not so easy. They have to be coaxed. I fill up their containers so the water reaches the bulbs, unlike hyacinths which will rot if in water, their roots will reach down to the water which should be just under the bulb but not touching it.

This truffle bottle (also bought on ebay recently) is just the right size for a dward tulip bulb.

I dropped one of the bottles that go in the holders in this plastic rack and it shattered. It's very old plastic. Another glass bottle I had of similar size and shape just fits. I think this was made for cuttings but of course, to me it seemed good for bulbs.

Having a few bulbs leftover I decided to use these small pots in a rack I got (yes, on ebay!) a few years ago. I forget what I planted, will have to check my notes.