Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Display
Instructions
Bulbs should be potted up anytime from mid-September to December, depending on the desired date of flowering and the length of storage. In general, plant in mid-September for flowering in late December, around mid-October for flowers in January and in mid-November for February and March flowers.
Most bulbs will do well if grown in potting mix. Always start with clean pots and fresh mix.
1. Plan ahead. In autumn, purchase bulbs from a garden center, nursery, or mail-order source. Plant bulbs of your choice in any type of pot with a drainage hole. Choose a pot that's at least twice as deep as the bulbs to allow for proper root growth. Fill the pot half full of soilless potting mix.
2. Place as many bulbs as possible in the pot, without letting them touch. A 6-inch-wide pot holds up to six tulips, three narcissus (daffodils), or 15 minor bulbs, such as crocuses or grape hyacinths.
For a thick show, layer more than one kind of bulb in the same pot; place larger bulbs on the bottom and they'll grow around the smaller ones. If the two bulbs you want to combine have different chilling and blooming schedules, plant them first in small plastic containers and combine them once they're in bloom.
3. Cover the bulbs with soil-less mix, leaving their tips showing. Do not press the bulbs into the medium. The medium under the bulbs should be loose so rooting will take place quickly. When covering the bulbs, fill only to within 1/4-inch of the top so the plants can be more easily watered. Water the bulbs thoroughly. Label with name and date; loosely cover pot with a paper bag. Place pots in a cool (3 to 10° C), dark, dry area. This can be an old refrigerator (don't store fruit, especially apples, ethylene gas from ripening fruit can cause flowers to abort), a cold basement, root cellar or a cold frame. Don't let the temperature drop below freezing or the bulbs could be damaged. Maintain complete darkness as much as possible.
4. Check moisture in pot periodically. Frost-free refrigerators can make the plants dry out quickly, so pay special attention to bulbs and make sure they have enough water. Keep soil damp but not wet. When chilling is complete, you'll see roots poking out of the bottom of the pot and green sprouts emerging at the bulb tips. It's time to move the potted bulbs into a warm room.
5. When flower buds form, move potted bulbs into a sunny spot. Keep the soil damp. When flowers appear, move the pot out of direct sun to make the blooms last longer. After the blooms fade and wither, toss them (bulbs and all) into the compost. Most forced bulbs have used up their energy and won't bloom again.
Bulb Forcing Timetable
|
Bulb |
Weeks of Chilling |
Weeks to Bloom |
|
Amaryllis/Hippeastrum |
none |
6 to 8 |
|
Chionodoxa luciliae |
15 |
2-3 |
|
Crocus |
8-15 |
2-3 |
|
Galanthus (snowdrop |
15 |
2-3 |
|
Hyacinth |
12-15 |
2-3 |
|
Iris reticulata |
13-15 |
2-3 |
|
Muscari (grape hyacinth) |
8-15 |
2-3 |
|
Narcissus |
12-15 |
2-3 |
|
Narcissus tazetta (paperwhites) |
None |
3-5 |
|
Scilla siberica |
12-15 |
2-3 |
|
Tulip |
10-16 |
2-3 |
Unlike most other bulbs, amaryllis bulbs will bloom again and again, provided they are properly cared for. After the bulb finishes blooming, cut off the flower stalk close to the base. Keep the plant moist and add house plant fertilizer regularly (a leafy amaryllis makes an attractive house plant even without blooms). Stop watering and feeding in August/September, and allow the plant to dry out completely in the sun. In early fall, remove and clean the bulbs of old scales and dead foliage. Roots should be fleshy and not damaged.
Re-pot in a clean container with the neck of the bulb above the soil, water and place in a cool, sunny spot. Water sparingly until the first sprout appears, then keep moist. In about eight weeks the bulb will bloom again.