Crocuses? Tulips? In the Middle of Winter?

Circa 1996
A deep longing for spring hits you while walking down the Indianapolis HomeShow aisles.  At the sight of bright blooming tulips, daffodils, and crocuses winter can be forgotten for a minute. But flowers are not too happy peaking out before the spring thaw and landscapers have to encourage them to bloom early.  With a few helpful tips you can force bulbs to produce a springtime display in your own home.

1. Choose bulbs that are marked "ideal for forcing" or "good for forcing."  Try forcing bulbs such as paperwhites, narcissus, hyacinths, tulips, lilies of the valley, freesias, colchicum, muscari, iris reticulata and crocuses.  Blubs require a cool rooting period so store them in a refrigerator or another cool spot until ready for use.

2.  Select a pot and / or saucer which is "water-sealed" to protect your furniture. Use containers with drainage holes so the roots won't be standing around with wet feet.

3.  Purchase a bag of good potting soil and small drainage stones.

4.  Place rocks in the bottom of your container for proper drainage. Fill it three-fourths full with potting soil. Place bulbs, pinted side up, in soil one-half inch apart. Cover the bulbs with just enough soil to reach the tips.

5.  Water the bulbs enough to settle the dirt. Let the soil dry slightly between watering.

6.  Put bulbs in a cool, shady spot until growth begins.

7.  Place in a sunny window or a bright location for vivid colors and abundant blooms. Your bulbs with flower in three to four weeks. Unlice outdoor perennials, they will bloom for one season.

Juts for fun sprinkle grass seed on top of the soil between and around the tops of the bulbs. The grass takes about a week to germinate and will grow quickly if kept moist. 

Once a bloom is finished let the foliage die back naturally because this allows Mother Nature to go through her retrieval and storage process enableing the bulb to "rest" until the next flowering cycle.

With a little coaxing, you can encourage a daffodil to bloom in the middle of winter. Grow a tulip to brighten your spirits until spring finally arrives.