August Home-Garden

Garden Gate Forcing Bulbs

Forcing Bulbs

Start planning now and you won't have to wait until spring
for the color and fragrance of these beauties.


"If I had but two loaves of bread," wrote a Persian poet, "I would sell one and buy a pot of hyacinths to nourish my soul." It's easy to understand his rapture, and the florist's prices do make me feel I'd have to go into hock to buy some. But with a little care, you can fill your winter-bound home with blossoms — and not go hungry doing it.

The idea behind forcing is pretty simple. You "fool" the plant by imitating the environmental changes that it would experience if it were planted outdoors. A bulb already has a flower bud formed inside, and most bulbs will bloom in some fashion without cold temperatures. But bulbs need a "cold spell" to put on the best show with long stems and large flowers. When forcing a bulb, that period is referred to as chilling or cold treating.

Different species need different amounts of chilling time, usually stated in number of weeks. Most bulbs do well within a wide range of cold treatment times as long as they get the minimum time they need. This gives you more control over the timing of bloom. If you're not ready for a particular pot to flower or want to delay the bulbs for a special occasion, you can leave them in the cold for a few weeks longer. Just be sure not to wait too long after the plants show strong signs of being ready to grow. See "The basics of bulb forcing" .

So where should you put the bulbs, and how cold should it be? The basic requirement is a dark space where the temperature stays below 40 but above 30 degrees. Some experts recommend burying them in the ground under heavy mulch. This method does closely mimic natural conditions but sounds to me like way too much work and mess. A crawl space, unheated garage or the back room of the basement farthest from the heat are all possibilities. But, remember, bulbs in containers surrounded by open air are more vulnerable to freezing than those planted in the ground outdoors. If it gets too cold, you'll either have to supply some supplemental heat or mulch the pots heavily to protect them from hard freezing.

"The basics of bulb forcing" covers the general, how-to instructions you can use for any bulbs. But, first, I'd like to share some favorites for easy, out-of-season color. Each of these has a specific chilling requirement, as well as a few other tips for success.

Hyacinth | Dwarf Iris | Spring Crocus | Tulip | Daffodil

— Timothy Skeers

Provided By Garden Gate Magazine
(c) August Home Publishing Co.
All Rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.


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