One doesn't have to wait until spring to enjoy the beauty of springtime blooms - just force some bulbs indoors.
Forcing is the process of speeding up a bulb’s development by simulating the conditions of winter and spring - it's a way of fooling Mother Nature and tricking the bulb to bloom before its time. Hyacinths are excellent for this technique as their flowers are both attractive and fragrant. The bulbs can be forced in either water or soil - we are using both methods here at my Bedford, New York farm. Over the weekend, I started forcing some in water right in my kitchen. Yesterday, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, planted bulbs in three separate containers filled with soil and sand. The hyacinth bulbs are from Colorblends Flowerbulbs - a third generation wholesale flower merchant in nearby Bridgeport, Connecticut. I can’t wait to see these beautiful flowers open.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I am forcing a collection of bulbs in my Winter House. These are on my porch where it is cool – no soil needed. Each bulb is placed into a glass set just above lightly touching the water.
These bulbs are in my kitchen. Look closely at these special forcing vases. They have a wide base to contain the water and roots and a narrow neck to hold the bulb so it doesn’t sit in the water. They will need to root for eight to 13-weeks in indirect light.
Hyacinthus is a small genus of bulbous, spring-blooming perennials. They are fragrant flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae and are commonly called hyacinths. These bulbs are ‘Yellowstone’ hyacinths.
When in bloom, ‘Yellowstone’ shows off a butter yellow color that fades to shades of cream as the flowers age. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
We also have this variety – Hyacinth ‘Etouffee’. When looking for bulbs to force, be sure they are dense and heavy and free from mold, mildew, discoloration, or a peeling outer shell. The larger the flower bulb is, the bigger the bloom will be. These are all in excellent condition.
‘Etouffee’ produces a mélange of hyacinth pastel shades of pink and blue with a sweet scent. Aside from hyacinths, other bulbs to force indoors include daffodils, tulips, crocus, scilla, dwarf irises, amaryllis, and anemones. (Photo courtesy of Colorblends)
When forcing bulbs in soil, first be sure any drainage holes at the bottom of the pot are closed. We save all the shards of broken clay pots for this purpose. Hyacinths look best in shallow containers about four to six inches deep.
Ryan uses a professional medium-weight, medium-coarse textured growing medium that includes a combination of coarse textured, processed southern pine bark, sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite.
Ryan fills the container half way up with soil and then adds sand. Sand adds air space to a potting mix for more drainage. Because it is heavier than other ingredients, sand is a good choice for top-heavy plants that might tip over.
Ryan mixes the soil and sand together and makes sure the container is filled almost to the rim.
Look who is watching from the window. The peafowl love coming up to the greenhouse – they are very curious and very observant birds. And don’t worry, they don’t bother Blackie, our greenhouse kitty, one bit.
And then one by one, Ryan places the bulbs on top of the soil, point up, next to one another. The necks of the bulbs should be level with the rim of the pot.
Here is a closer look at the bulb – it is clear which end should be faced up. Each hyacinth bulb generally produces one flower stalk that stands eight to 10-inches tall.
Sometimes the bulb will multiply. These bulbils or bulb offsets likely won’t flower, but they will create leaves.
Ryan gently pushes each bulb down into the sandy soil mix. These bulbs will help hold one another upright and provide maximum bloom.
Next, Ryan weighs down the bulbs with a layer of pebbles or small stones, leaving the tips and necks of the bulbs exposed.
For the ‘Etouffee’ bulbs, Ryan chooses a long, shallow faux bois planter and tests how many will fit inside. Hyacinths look best when the bulbs are positioned about one to two inches apart.
Ryan places some bigger river stones at the bottom to help with soil drainage.
Then he fills the rest of the container with the sandy soil mix.
And once again, Ryan positions each bulb closely to the next, filling the container.
And then he adds the same gravel around the bulbs. I like to use natural pebbles, such as pea stone or gravel from the driveway. Just be sure it is well-cleaned before placing in the container.
Here is another faux boix container potted up with another six ‘Etouffee’ bulbs. This pot is also shallow – about six inches deep. Once planted, Ryan also gives each pot a good drink.
The bulbs will stay in a dimly lit part of a greenhouse until they begin to grow. Then they’ll be moved to a sunnier location until they begin to open. And forcing needs patience – it can take as long as 13 weeks for the bulbs to come into flower. I’ll be sure to share photos.
And here are our peacocks and peahens resting on the ledge outside the head house. Peafowl are quite loyal and tend to stay where they are well-fed and well-protected. These birds will be guided back down to their coop as night falls.
Cold, damp, late autumn days are the best times for indoor chores such as grooming the many plants in my greenhouse - especially my large collection of begonias.
I have been collecting begonias for many years. With their bold, beautiful foliage and delicate flowers, it’s hard to resist such an amazing family of plants. The genus begonia contains about 1500 different plant species and hundreds of hybrids. They are native to tropical and subtropical climates, so many specimens are kept indoors as ornamental houseplants. Rhizomatous begonias are grown for their interesting and spectacular leaves. They come in many sizes, colors and textures, and can be small or large, smooth or veiny, decorated in bold accents of red, copper and silver or subtle shades of green. Last week, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, carefully inspected each plant, trimming any dead or discolored leaves and stems, and removing any crisscrossing canes. Regular maintenance keeps the plants full and in excellent condition.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
My growing collection of begonias is one of the first you see when entering my main greenhouse. I keep my begonias on a long, sliding table, so each plant is within easy reach.
Some of these begonias were purchased from various nurseries over the years, but many were also grown from leaf cuttings right here in my greenhouse. On this day, Ryan tended the many potted plants. When entertaining, I often bring a selection of begonias inside – all my guests love to see the different varieties, but most of the time, the plants live here, where they can be looked after regularly and maintained in a temperature and humidity-controlled space.
Using sharp snips, Ryan gives the plants a slight pruning to encourage new growth and aeration. Any viable leaves that are trimmed or fall off are always saved for future rooting purposes. Begonia leaves root easily – just push its stem into potting soil, and keep it moist. After a few weeks, new leaves emerge.
Rhizomatous begonias range from small, delicate plants with one-inch wide leaves to large, robust specimens with 12-inch wide leaves or more. Here is one with chocolate and green colored leaves.
All begonias have oval-shaped leaves that can be spade-like with a pointed tip in some varieties. The leaves grow from the main stem in an “alternate” structure. This means they never grow opposite one another, but instead, each individual leaf emerges slightly higher on the stem than the previous one.
This is Begonia ‘soli-mutata’. It is a compact medium-sized species from Brazil. The heart-shaped leaf colors vary depending on its exposure to bright light, which is why its common name is Sun Tan Begonia. Several of my ‘soli-mutata’ plants were grown from leaf cuttings off one parent plant.
This begonia has reddish leaves with dark brown markings along its veins.
Begonias grow best in light, well-drained soil. And any good quality light potting mix will work well.
Here is a bright orange begonia with bright yellow-white veining. Begonias should be fed a general purpose fertilizer every other week during spring and summer.
Because these plants store water in the rhizomes, which are their thick, fuzzy stems, it is important not to overwater them. Only water these plants when the top one-inch of soil feels dry.
The stems of the begonia carolineifolia are exceptionally thick, and show the scars of felled leaves. As a houseplant, the begonia carolineifolia is highly decorative and easy to grow.
Begonias dislike wet feet. Between waterings, let the soil dry out slightly. And for the best results, place pots in a warm room with bright indirect light.
Begonias are considered cool temperature plants and do best in temperatures ranging from 58 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Begonia ‘Royal Lustre’ has small silvery green leaves with tones of green. Upon close inspection, you can see the small hairs that line the leaf margins.
I am always on the lookout for rare and unusual varieties. This one has curled leaves with shades of green on the top and a bold red on the undersides.
Wherever Ryan is, Blackie is always nearby. Here he is on the table watching all the plant grooming.
It’s good to repot or change the soil of a begonia every couple of years – potting mix elements break down over time and lose draining qualities and airspaces to hold oxygen.
Here’s another gorgeous specimen – this one with bright green leaves splattered with maroon markings.
Begonias are remarkably resistant to pests primarily because their leaves are rich in oxalic acid – a natural insect repellent.
This begonia has fleshy greenish-silver leaves that become thick and waxy during winter.
There is no end to the variety of leaf shape, color and texture in the begonia. Begonias make wonderful year-round houseplants. My collection of begonias continues to grow. I hope you are inspired to get one for your windowsill.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, the peafowl are loving their newfound freedom.
Peafowl are very social birds - they usually travel in groups, enjoy exploring, and often play together, especially under the sunlight. They are also very loyal and tend to stay where they are well-fed and well-protected at night. I now have 17 of these magnificent birds. They live in a very safe and comfortable pen near my stable, where they get lots of attention from visiting friends. Recently, I started letting them out of their pen for a few hours during the day to roam and explore the property. And then just before sundown, they are led back to their coop for the night.
Enjoy these photos.
My peafowl are let out of their pen by late morning after all the dogs and cats have been exercised. I always call out to them whenever I drive by… and they always answer.
Here are two of my 17 peafowl in front of my stable. Peafowl are happiest when living in small groups. They often walk around following each other.
Peafowl are members of the pheasant family. There are two Asiatic species – the blue or Indian peafowl native to India and Sri Lanka, and the green peafowl originally from Java and Burma, and one African species, the Congo peafowl from African rain forests.
They are ground feeders. They do most of their foraging in the early morning and evening. As omnivores, they eat insects, plants, grains and small creatures. Here they have found the wild bird seed that has fallen from the feeders above.
Peafowl are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are also quite clever. It is not unusual for peafowl to come running when the food appears. Here is one jumping off a perch and back onto the ground.
The peafowl love coming up to my terrace parterre – they come looking for me every day. Remember, only the males are peacocks. The females are peahens, and both are called peafowl. Babies are peachicks. A family of peafowl is called a bevy. This is a male peacock. The peacock doesn’t grow its first train until three. And even then, it won’t be full grown or have showy ocelli. The train gets longer and more elaborate every year until five or six years old when it reaches maximum splendor.
The train of a peacock is used for mating and defense. Male peacocks attract female peacocks by showing off this array of elaborate feathers. When threatened, they also fan their tails out in order to look larger and intimidating. This peacock is very content resting on this bench on my terrace.
Here is a closer look at the mature male’s beautiful long tail with its elaborately colored feathers. The giant tail feathers are called coverts. They spread out in a distinctive train over more than 60 percent of the peacock’s body length. It has vibrant eye shaped markings in blue, green, gold, and other colors. Microscopic, crystal-like structures in the feathers reflect different wavelengths of light creating the bright, fluorescent hues.
Female peacocks are more dull brown in color.
This peahen has a green neck. As beautiful as peafowl are, they don’t make very melodious sounds. Peafowl have 11 different calls, with most of the vocalizing made by the peacocks. And, with their sharp eyesight, peafowl are quick to see predators and call out alarms. Oftentimes, I can hear them from across the farm.
Both male and female peafowl have a fan-shaped crest on their heads called a corona. It may take up to one year for a corona to reach full size.
And look at its feet. A peafowl’s legs are very strong. They have three toes on each foot facing forward, and one facing backwards. They also have sharp, powerful metatarsal spurs that are used for defense. Also, as they develop, males will tend to have longer legs than females.
Peafowl also have acute hearing, but can be poor at discerning from what direction certain sounds originate.
This one has a gorgeous royal blue neck. Some will be more tame and more friendly than others. Since most of them have grown up here at the farm, they aren’t shy at all. In fact, the peafowl are all very accustomed to all the visits.
And here is an all-white peacock. He seems to be the leader of the group – wherever he goes, the rest will follow.
Here they are on the wall in front of my Winter House kitchen – just watching all the activity around the farm.
Peafowl will look at you in the eye; however, if you stare at them or seem aggressive in your body movements, these birds will feel threatened. Talking softly and keeping eyes averted tells them you are not a predator.
Peacocks are one of the loudest animals on earth, calling out to each other during the morning and late evening. Peacocks make meowing sounds when it is going to rain. They also make alarm calls when they sense danger. This one is looking out over the paddocks from the burlap covered urn.
While peafowl are ground feeders and ground nesters, they still enjoy roosting at higher levels. In the wild, this keeps them safe from predators at night. Here are three perched on the fence of my flower cutting garden.
Most peacocks will do all their exploring on foot. I am so pleased with how happy they are here at my farm. My ostentation of peafowl is growing and thriving. This peacock is heading down the carriage road back to his pen – it must be time for supper.
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