Don’t force it
Why labor over traditional bulbs when you have these easy options
Many gardeners know that November and December are prime months for planting spring-flowering bulbs such as crocus, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips outdoors. Some gardeners want a taste of that springtime event a bit earlier, and so they opt for forcing bulbs indoors.
The traditional springtime bulbs — daffodils, hyacinths and tulips — need what’s called a “pre-chilling” period before the stems will lengthen and the bulbs can bloom on taller stems. Traditionally, we say they need at least 12 weeks of temperatures in the 40-to-50-degree range before stems will grow and produce a flower stalk.
If you were to buy daffodil or hyacinth bulbs and, without chilling, pot them in soil and give them sunlight and water indoors, the stems would never stretch or grow more than an inch or two. Some companies sell pre-chilled bulbs ready for forcing, but they are not the normal bulbs we see for sale in big-box stores or nurseries.
If you want to have a bit of an early bloom, you can store loose bulbs for 10-12 weeks in an extra refrigerator (not exposed to other fruits and vegetables, which can give off ethylene gas that can negatively affect the bulbs). Afterward, you can pot
them up and move them into a sunny room.
You can also pre-plant the bulbs in soil for storage in that extra refrigerator. Or you can store the pre-planted pots outdoors, if the weather stays in the 40s to 50s then you can bring them inside after 10-12 weeks. Pre-planting in soil allows the bulbs to begin growing roots, which can speed up the blooming process. With the roots in place, they can bloom a few weeks to a month before their outside relatives.
ONE AND DONE
Once bulbs have been forced into an early bloom, we recommend tossing them into a compost pile. Planted outside in the ground, everything but a tulip will come back every year, with little work on your part, but forced bulbs don’t get the needed light exposure to be viable the next season.
To be honest, forcing spring bulbs into early bloom is a lot of work for a home gardener. I just buy spring bulbs and plant them outdoors. I can expect crocus, daffodils and hyacinths to come back every year, while I treat tulips as annual plants and replant new bulbs every fall. But that is an easy task. You plant them when it is cool outside, forget about them and then enjoy beautiful flowers in the spring.
EVEN EASIER
To give yourself a quick taste of spring indoors without the hassle of chilling, consider paperwhite narcissus and amaryllis bulbs. Neither needs pre-chilling and can be in bloom in as little as 6-8 weeks indoors.
Paperwhite narcissus should be considered an annual plant, while amaryllis can become a permanent addition to the home garden with just a minimal amount of care.
Just like with spring-flowering bulbs, the size of the bulb determines the size or the number of blooms.
PAPERWHITES
For the once-only blooming paperwhite narcissus, choose firm, blemish-free bulbs. Three or five bulbs are a good number to plant since odd numbers look more pleasing in a pot. Paperwhite bulbs can be planted in soil, rocks or decorative pebbles or glass beads. Pot the bulbs in whatever medium you select so they are half exposed and half covered. In a soil-less medium, fill the container with water three-quarters of the way up the stones or material.
Once exposed to sunlight, the bulbs will grow quickly. Turn the pot every 3-5 days to keep the foliage from leaning toward the light.
If your house is hot, the bulbs will grow taller. A cooler, bright location will help limit height. If you are growing them in water, a little vodka added to the water will also limit height — alcohol limits growth.
Once they begin to grow, you should have blooms within 4-6 weeks. Enjoy them for as long as they are in bloom and then discard.
AMARYLLIS
Amaryllis bulbs are everywhere this time of year. You can buy the loose bulb and pot them up or buy a kit with bulb, pot and soil-less media all together.
Pot them in soil in a somewhat small container — you don’t want too much space around the potted bulb, or it will be hard to have even distribution of water.
Plant the bulbs half in soil and half exposed. Water and place them in a sunny window. When they are ready to grow, they will.
The flower stems can grow before the leaves appear, much like their cousins the naked ladies or lycoris. Most will produce leaves after the flower stalk appears.
Once you see growth beginning, you should have a flower within 4-6 weeks. Just as with paperwhites, you need to turn the pot. Otherwise, they will grow toward the light and be even more likely to topple over. They can be topheavy while in bloom, so it’s helpful to weight the pots with rocks or use stakes to support the top growth.
Flowers on amaryllis are huge and show-stoppers. The color ranges from white, pink, red to bi-colors.
After bloom, cut the flower stalk off but allow the foliage to grow. Once all chance of frost has passed, move the plants outdoors. You can plant them in the ground or leave them in pots. Fertilize them monthly and water.
As fall approaches, reduce the amount of water and move the pots indoors. Let the plants go dormant. Many gardeners have started leaving the bulbs outdoors in the ground with good success, but a severely cold winter may alter that.
Indoors, let them lie dormant until they begin to sprout. Once you see life returning, move them to a sunny window, increase watering and begin the cycle over again.
Whether you plant bulbs outdoors or indoors, they add color and interest to a garden or home.