Saturdays at Home

Happy New Year!
With the Rose Parade on this morning, I was inspired to do some gardening... indoors!

Here's how....


How to Force Spring Flowering Bulbs:
to Bloom Indoors in December

Spring flowering bulbs may be potted up to give you an early bloom indoors, however the flowers may also bring with them a bad case of Spring Fever. Gotta get out in that garden......

The Bulb Forcing Process

The best containers for forcing bulbs are azalea pots or bulb pans. (Azalea pots are '¾ the height, but with normal width' pots) However... you can use anything that you'd use for other houseplants as long as it drains well. Since a bulb contains all it needs to bloom the first year, the planting mix doesn't necessarily have to provide any nutrients, but I have found that using a good potting soil makes it much easier to transplant the bulbs to the garden later. The addition of bone meal or bulb food will help the bulbs prepare for an afterlife in the garden. Clean washed sand or gravel may also be used as alternatives to soil, but I don't recommend it.
The pot should be filled to one-half to three-quarters full with potting mix and then moistened. Gently press the bulbs into the soil with the broad base down, and the nose pointed up. They should be arranged as close together as possible without touching each other or the pot. Face the flat side of tulip bulbs toward the outside of the pot. Barely cover the bulbs with additional potting mix and water gently until the soil is thoroughly moistened. Add a little more soil if settling has exposed the bulbs.


Now the pot must be placed in a dark, cool area for 12 weeks or longer. The temperature must remain below 48° F. but above freezing (35°-40° is recommended). Total darkness is best, but if you are chilling the bulbs in the refrigerator don't worry about the light coming on when you open the door. Forcing bulbs brings Spring a little closer.


Growing your flowering bulbs

Once the roots begin growing out of the drainage holes in the pots or the shoots start to grow at about twelve weeks, give the bulbs a gradual transition to warmth. Don't expose them to warm temperatures too soon or the blooms will emerge to fast and will fail before they ever open.
Start them out in the coolest spot of your home and gradually move them to warmer areas. This will make the flowers last much longer. Don't expose pale or white foliage to full sun until it has 'greened' up in a few days. Rotate the pots one-quarter turn every few days to keep the foliage and stems upright. Keep the soil moist, but never soggy.

Once the bulbs have finished flowering, remove the spent flowers and stems but continue to water and provide light for the foliage. The foliage will feed the bulb so it can grow again next year. The bulbs can be planted outside when the weather permits just as with any perennial. Do not remove the foliage until it has turned yellow. The bulbs can be separated by gently and slowly pulling them apart.
Unfortunately, forcing takes a lot out of a bulb so it may not bloom again for many seasons. The bulbs should never be forced a second time, always start with "new" bulbs.

Bulbs that are suitable for forcing

* Amaryllis needs no chilling, start in a warm dark place and move to light when the stalk is 4".
* Hyacinths may only need 10 weeks of chilling and begin to flower in as little as a week or so after moving to warmth.
* Tulips and daffodils will take four to five weeks to be in full bloom after chilling.
* Crocuses and grape hyacinths make a great show when mass planted in large trays.
* Freeesias and Calla lilies may also be forced without chilling.
* Paperwhite narcissus takes no chilling.. they'll sprout just about anytime, anywhere.
* Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) takes no chilling.
* Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majus) will bloom in 3-4 weeks if potted up at 65 degrees
* Dutch Iris (Iris reticulata) takes no chilling, should be fed every 2 weeks
* Bluebells (Scilla) takes no chilling, and little effort
* Fairy Lily (Zephyranthes) takes no chilling, and little effort