VERMONT GARDENING: Bulbs for Winter Bloom

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GARDENING:
Forcing Bulbs for Winter Bloom
by Leonard Perry

Winter Gardening Tips
by Vern Grubinger

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Forcing Bulbs for Winter Bloom

by Leonard Perry

Spring flowering bulbs are easy to "force" into bloom, providing a splash of indoor color on a dreary winter day.

Two types of bulbs are suitable for forcing. One group requires "cold treatment," the other doesn't. When purchasing bulbs, look for healthy, large-sized bulbs (at least one and one-half inches in diameter) with a smooth skin free of injury.

The two main bulbs that don't need a cold treatment to bloom are amaryllis and paper-white narcissus (also includes yellow narcissus varieties such as "Grand Soleil d'Or" and "Chinese Sacred Lily"). These are the easiest, and perhaps best for beginners to try.

Paper-White Narcissus
Paper-whites are sold loose or already potted. If you pot your own, figure that a four-inch pot can hold one bulb. A six-inch pot holds three, and a seven-inch pot, five or six. Loosely fill the container with clean gravel chips or pea gravel (available at most garden stores) to about an inch from the rim.

Place bulbs so they're not touching and their necks stick out about one-half inch above the gravel surface. Fill with water to just below the gravel, and set the container in a cool location. If you use a non-draining, shallow bulb pan, take care not to overwater, which can cause rot.

For best results, place the pots in a dark location with temperatures from 40 to 55 degrees F. for two weeks, or until you have two to four inches of top growth and a vigorous bed of roots. Then bring into the light and warmer temperatures. Your bulbs will flower in three to six weeks.

Amaryllis
Amaryllis provide a wider range of colors and forcing times than paper-whites and are usually sold in pre-potted packages.

To start the flowering process, place the bulb in a well-lighted area and give it a good initial watering. Subsequent waterings should be light until the plant starts to grow.

The flower stalk should emerge before the leaves. Large bulbs can produce as many as three flower stalks.

Tulips. Daffodils, Hyacinths & More
The other group of bulbs, those requiring a cold treatment of 12 weeks at 40 to 50 degrees F. (such as found in the refrigerator or cool basement), include tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and crocuses. Choose varieties that are suitable for forcing (check the package) as varieties differ in their growth habits. Pot bulbs in a good soil mix. A light, well-aerated mix containing equal parts sterilized potting soil, sphagnum peat moss, and vermiculite is ideal.

For tulips, place three bulbs in a five-inch pot, five or six in a six-inch pot. For daffodils and hyacinths, place one in a four-inch pot or three in a six-inch pot if their size permits. You can fit more in the larger and shallower "bulb pans."

Place bulbs close together, but not touching. Soil should cover all but the very tips of the bulbs.

Water well after planting, and place in a dark area at 40 degrees F. for at least three months. Keep moist during this time, but not wet, and never allow the soil to dry out.

These conditions allow bulbs to form roots and prepare to produce flower stalks. A refrigerator is ideal, if you have the room to spare! If not, you can place the pots outdoors under a thick layer of straw or in a cold frame.

Mark each pot with a durable, waterproof tag, indicating the kind of bulb and cultivar, planting date, and date it should be removed from cold storage. If mice are a concern with outdoor pots, protect by placing wire screening over the top.

Keep the soil slightly moist. After three to four months, remove, water well, place in a warm, lighted area, and watch the flower buds grow and develop. For a continuous succession of winter bloom, you can pot all your bulbs at the same time, then stagger removal from cold storage after the prerequisite three month period is up.

Leonard Perry writes from the University of Vermont Extension System in Burlington, Vt.