Place paperwhite narcissus on pebble and add water until it is just below the bulbs.
As we head into winter, gardeners take their love of plants indoors. Forcing daffodils, hyacinths and other bulbs to bloom is a rewarding way to brighten dreary winter days. Here’s a brief guide to get you started.
Bulbs that bloom in spring outdoors in the Indiana landscape usually need to be chilled for several weeks to trigger the flowering process. Some online bulb merchants sell pre-chilled or pre-cooled bulbs.
Exceptions to the chilling factor are paperwhite narcissus, which come ready to plant. Other narcissus, such as ‘Tete-a-tete’ and ‘Jetfire’, will need to be pre-chilled for indoor forcing.
Pre-chilling in a refrigerator works well as long as there’s no fresh fruit. The fruit emits ethylene gas. which disrupts the bulbs’ flowering process. Some people buy small, portable refrigerators to chill bulbs. The bulbs also can be chilled in unheated, attached garages, cool basements and enclosed porches. You don’t want the bulbs to freeze.
How to force paperwhite daffodils
Also called paperwhite narcissus, this is another easy-to-force bulb with the major reward being fragrance. It’s memorable, but some people find the fragrance offensive, so keep that in mind.
Paperwhites do not have to be chilled. They can be potted up right off the shelf. Place paperwhite bulbs on top of pebbles in a vase or bowl. Add water until it reaches just below the paperwhites’ hairy roots. Paperwhites are one and done, so compost the bulbs.
How to force Dutch hyacinths
Place chilled hyacinth bulb in a hyacinth vase to force into bloom. iStockphoto.com/Dinnyd
Another wonderfully fragrant bulb, look for pre-chilled hyacinths at online retailers. At local garden centers, you’ll find Dutch hyacinths sold individually or as kits, complete with a small hyacinth vase.
If buying Dutch hyacinth bulbs that have not been chilled, you’ll have to chill them. It can be done before or after planting. Chill the bulbs for 13 weeks at about 35 degrees F.
Dutch hyacinths can be planted in ornamental containers with soil or grown in water. When grown in potting mix, cover all but the tip of the bulb, then water. A Dutch hyacinth vase is made to hold the bulb just above the water. Add water and refill as needed. Roots form quickly.
How to force tulips
Triumph Pink Sound is one of the tulips recommended for forcing. Photo courtesy K. van Bourgondien/dutchbulbs.com
Sometimes, tulips are sold pre-chilled at online bulb merchants. If not, chill them for 12 to 16 weeks in the 35 to 45 degrees F range. Pot up the tulip bulbs before chilling them.
Fill a pot about halfway with potting mix. Place the bulbs on top of the soil, pointy end up. Add soil to about 1 inch below the rim of the pot. Water well.
Be selective when buying tulips to force. Species or wild tulips, single early, double early tulips and the Triumph series are recommended for forcing by JohnScheepers.com. The website also says to plant one type in a container and to avoid tulips mixes.
After forced bulbs bloom
Although you can transplant the bulbs to the landscape, they may not do well. The bulbs spend a lot of energy forcing into bloom. Usually, it’s best to discard the forced bulbs.
If you’d like to add more spring bulbs to your landscape, contact your Holeman landscape pro.