Blogs

first crocus in bloom 28-12-2022

the day before buds are thick with whitefly as all the crocus are

I've been trying to remove them but they come back

couple days later, another crocus in bloom and colour showing in other buds

crocus in Wedgwood hedgehog just coming into bloom, sadly lots of whitefly

Jan Bos on Christmas Day

3 days later buds are opening

Jan Bos on Boxing Day

Boxing Day hyacinths

Blue Eyes hyacinths just starting to open

I do try to keep track of which variety of hyacinth is in each vase but in my rush to start them in October, sometimes the spreadsheet doesn't get updated. The two hyacinths on the left with pinkish buds and colouring on the leaves look like the same variety but not sure what yet.

pink hyacinths, left to right, Jan Bos, not noted, Jan Bos, not noted, Pink Surprise, Jan Bos

left to right, Blue Eyes, Blue Eyes, Delft Blue (tall at the back), Delft Blue, Delft Blue, Delft Blue (tall at the back), Delft Blue, Delft Blue, Delft Blue

in reviewing the hyacinths this morning, I discovered that this bulb had fallen through the opening into the water so I needed to put it into another vase

when I lifted it out, saw just how extensive the roots are, I put the bulb in the blue vase shown to its left

Blue Eyes hyacinths with the moved bulb above in the blue vase in the centre

all flowers in bloom Christmas Day 2022

closer view of the hyacinths, although I have lots of fat buds on my hyacinths, these are the only ones in bloom

I need to remove the bulblets from these hyacinth bulbs using a craft knife. I grabbed a pot of compost from the garden to plant them in.

If you can get some of the basal plate of the bulb attached to the bulblet, the bulblet will have a better chance of developing. If there are roots there's basal plate; the ones without roots, I'm not sure.

I planted the bulblets in a pot of compost (from the garden - lots of seedlings in it)

On December 23rd, reviewing the hyacinths, I can see I'm only going to have 1 in bloom for Christmas. I had high hopes with dozens out of the dark. I do have lots and lots of fat buds but not many ready to open.

Delft Blue hyacinths

Blue Eyes hyacinths

the two at the front are Blue Eyes

Aiolos hyacinths

Blue Star hyacinths

Aqua hyacinths

Sky Planet

close-up of the hyacinth right above

Miss Saigon hyacinths

Caribbean Dream hyacinths

Jan Bos hyacinths, the only one I'll have in bloom on Christmas Day

Gypsy Queen hyacinth

Sky Jacket hyacinths

Pink Surprise hyacinths

Blue Eyes hyacinths have been an early variety this year. The buds are large and look to be some of the earliest flowers.

I discovered a few problems when I checked the hyacinths in the cellar today (21-12-2022). The vase on the left was cracked and had leaked all the water out. I wonder if it froze but none of the other vases seemed to have froze. The hyacinth on the right did not grow roots (pictured below the amber vase below).

So I removed the hyacinth bulb from the amber vase and put it in the green vase. Hyacinth roots in water are very brittle so there was some breakage moving the bulb but I hope enough survived to allow the hyacinth to continue growing. The bulb on the right has a problem. Don't think I've ever seen one exactly like this.

Closer view of that bulb. I doubt it will flower properly. I'll have to dispose of it.

all the vases that came out of the cellar today

Jan Bos buds from a double-stemmed hyacinth

I try to remove the bulbets when I start the hyacinths but found these bulblets I missed when I took these vases out of the cellar. I'm going to try to remove the bulblets in a way that they can grow and develop - keeping some of the basal plate of the parent bulb. These bulblets are preventing the hyacinths from sitting in the vase properly.

I haven't checked each of these which variety they are but will try to tomorrow

The White Amadeus amaryllis are spectacular. The buds opened the last couple days. The Minerva amaryllis flowers are tiny by comparison but still beautiful flowers. Scarecrow on the windowsill, Rocky on the table in the foreground.

The hyacinths included to show the difference in sizes.

Wedgwood hedgehog with crocus bulbs. I just brought it out of the cellar today so the crocus shoots are looking very anemic but they will green up in a few days. As I recall every bulb flowers, unlike the crocus in vases below.

I  have had variable results forcing crocus in vases. So far this year, they are looking good and the roots are growing well. I never get flowers from every bulb but enough to make me keep trying. I'll see how many flowers I get this year from 12 bulbs.  Cranberry vase back right is by glassroots and matches a hyacinth vase by glassroots in the same colour and style that I have.

my first amaryllis bloom, Minerva, a variety I have not tried before but very happy with it

I took this photo of Rocky in the morning, the amaryllis bud was not open; in the photo above, taken in the afternoon, the amaryllis bud was open

huge fat buds on the White Amadeus amaryllis - looking forward to flowers very soon

I've heard that forced hyacinths need to come out of the dark and cold by December 1st if they are to bloom by Christmas - but some bulbs grow faster than others - certainly a better chance of Christmas blooms the sooner they come out into the light and warmth.

these have been out for a couple days and have started to green up, initially the stems are yellow after being in the dark

a closer view of some of those fat buds

this one has two stems

Sainsbury's usually has a hyacinth vase and some bulbs for sale every autumn. I didn't see any hyacinth bulbs this year but I finally saw the hyacinth vase (which comes with a bulb) yesterday and of course had to buy one to try it - even though I have too many hyacinth vases  already and it's only £3. Today's helper, Jeffrey.

standard instructions on the back

the bulb it came with doesn't look great but still viable

it's a bit late to be starting hyacinths (must check the others in the cellar, some probably ready to come out) for forcing so wanted to start this immediately, fill the vase with water to just under the bulb then into the dark for a few weeks

amaryllis starting to grow

As I'm home sick with covid (after a booster vaccination in October!) I organised my crocus bulb forcing. I positioned crocus bulbs with their stems through the holes in the Wedgwood hedgehog. I then filled with compost. It got a bit dirty while trying to organise that so must wipe it off.

if the crocus bulbs had stems sticking out the sides, I removed them

without those extra stems, the energy can go into the main stem

I filled each vase with water. Unlike hyacinths, crocus bulbs need to sit in the water to kick-start them into growth. Those two vases on the right have the colour painted on and it's flaking off. I decided not to use them as I have enough other vases. Rocky came to sit on the table.

when I got a box to put the hedgehog and vases in to put them into the cellar, Rocky, being a typical cat, had to investigate the box

I guess I'm going to need another box

a couple days later, I was in the cellar and thought I'd check the bulbs and saw the crocus bulbs already have roots starting - bulbs are magic - give them water and they grow