Forcing Bulbs for Winter Beauty
By Brenda Hyde
If you are like me and go through a little bit of a blue period
in the winter when you can't garden outside, then you may
want to consider forcing bulbs. You can do this with daffodils,
hyacinths, snowdrops, tulips and crocus, among others.
Generally 6 tulips, 3 hyacinths, 6 daffodils or 15 crocus will
fit in a 6- or 7-inch pot. You can make a potting mixture of
potting soil, sand and peat moss-mixed in equal amounts. To
each pot add about a teaspoon of bonemeal for a boost. You
can also use a plastic window box type container that is long
and thin to mix the bulbs and come out with a neat display.
But you may want to have several pots and displays to stagger
and bring indoors for forcing at different times to stagger blooms.
Plant the bulbs with the pointed side up, and don't cover the
neck of the daffodils-just the fat part of the bulb. The smaller
bulbs such as crocus should be covered with just a 1/2 inch
of soil. You soil should be a 1/2-1 inch away from the top of
the container to allow for watering and the bulbs can be planted
very close together. After planting, water well and then they
need to begin their cold treatment. You will need a frost-free
place such as a garage, or a cool attic or cool basement-the
temperature must be about 35-55 degrees for the bulbs to grow
healthy roots. The pots can be placed in plastic bags to help
keep the moisture in. Do check on them during their cold period,
because they shouldn't dry out.
The bulbs will need about 10-15 weeks of this treatment before
you bring them indoors. Bring the pots inside-all at once or a
few each week-depending on what you planted. They will need
a sunny, (indirect sun) but cool spot that is about 55-70 degrees
and the soil must be kept moist at all times. Your flowers will last
longer in the cooler temperatures. If you plant your bulbs now, in
October, they should be ready to force around Christmas, and all
of the pots, if you are staggering blooms, should be inside before
the end of February. They will bloom in about 3-4 weeks after you
bring them indoors. Forcing blooms is such a wonderful way to
bring a little early spring sunshine into our homes. Buy your bulbs
now-it's an added bonus that many stores are marking them down!
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is an avid gardener, freelance writer and
editor living in the Midwest with her husband and three
children.
BULB & PERENNIAL RESOURCES:
Spring Hill Nursery
Gurney's Nursery
Nature Hills Nursery
Pacific Callas
Bloomingbulb
National Gardening Association
DirectGardening.com 
Jackson & Perkins
White Flower Farm
Dutch Gardens
