The slow months

In spite of their generally crappy weather, November and December fly by; you have the holidays, their accompanying social events, and possible travel. You’re busy.

No, the months we tend to dread in the Northeast are the slow months of January, February, and part of March. Other holidays and travel possibilities surface in March and by April we’ve begun to believe that outdoor gardening is once again possible.

One of my ways to get through these months is to force bulbs, lots and lots of bulbs: narcissus, hyacinths, tulips, amaryllis. But even the bulbs sometimes seem too slow. This year, I have decided to check for myself if a watched hyacinth will bloom, by bringing 6 of my hyacinth vases to the office (top), where I will be looking at them many, many times each weekday. This doesn’t happen at home; the bulbs are in rooms that get sun, while we spend most of our time in the warm, cosy den, which has permanently drawn shades (the windows face another building).


I don’t see much of a difference since the last time I posted about hyacinths, except that the tips are greener. Even the specialty narcissus are taking their time, though some are emerging. These are the Grand Primo, from Old House Gardens. I am not sure what is so urgently pushing to be released in the buds, below. Could it be the Golden Rains? Time will tell. They will definitely be out by next GBBD. Notice how short these stems are—surely the result of the lights in the plant room.