In the Garden:
Forcing Bulbs for Winter Color

By Theresa Beaver and Rebecca Rod, from the October 2005 Newsletter

Introduction from Rebecca Rod:
Theresa got extra busy this month at her “real” job, so now she’s outside playing catch-up in the garden and said she just can’t get her column done in time. To which I replied, “But we really need our Co-op discount—let me help!” No doubt others of you out there with gardener-partners have experienced this type of scenario and can therefore understand how I now find myself somewhat compelled (though not forced) to help get this column out.

Personally, I would never think of trying to force color out of flower bulbs in the winter. Having grown up in the Midwest and transplanted myself into the great Northwest, I‘ve just never expected a lot of color in the cold months. Winter’s always been basically a black and white issue for me, with a bit of red and green thrown in for the holidays. But, since Theresa grew up in California, her color needs run a bit higher all year round and especially in winter when things get darkish and gray and she can’t be outside coaxing color from her flower beds. At any rate, here is the column from Theresa’s notes to my hands on the keyboard!

Forcing bulbs means giving them their required chilling period outside (or in a refrigerator) to form roots, and then causing them to flower by bringing them indoors to a warmer temperature. You can do this with lots of types of bulbs: hyacinths, crocus, scillas, daffodils, tulips, etc. Generally, about three months of chilling will work for most of them. Theresa has bulbs sitting out on the carport that she hasn’t planted yet (imagine that!), so some of them will probably be potted up and “forced” to come in a couple of months to perform their flowering duties inside. (Couldn’t we just ask them to volunteer?) Oh well, this is a “how to do it column” after all, and I am only here to facilitate its completion.

So, choose your bulbs and plant them in potting soil with their necks showing, not as deep as you would plant them in the ground. They can also be planted very close together in the pots, even touching, which will result in a nice, showy cluster of flowers.

Place the planted bulbs back outside, or in your refrigerator, if you have room. Outside, protect them somewhat so they don’t freeze solid. Be sure to keep them watered. After about 12 weeks (and Theresa tells me that the weeks ours have spent on the carport already count toward that time) the first green stems should appear. That’s when you bring them inside to a warm, sunny room and you’ll have flowers in about three weeks. This method works for most of the above-mentioned bulbs.

Paperwhites are a variety of daffodil that don’t require any chilling period and can therefore be forced indoors at any time—just plant and water! They grow tall and have clusters of small white flowers that are very fragrant—a real treat in the cold, dark months.

Remember to keep your pots watered with the rest of your houseplants, and remove the flowers as they fade. You can let the leafy parts die naturally to continue to nourish the bulb and then plant them outside in early spring to enjoy next year.

Anyway, get started now if you foresee a need for a riot of flower color in your surroundings this winter. You can have it all—hyacinth blues, tulip reds, and daffodil yellows—to help brighten those winter-dark corners of your house and your mind, along with a spring whiff of paperwhites. That should pull you gardeners through, while we of sturdy Northern stock don our down-wear and head for the white hills!

See another article about Forcing Bulbs.

Theresa Beaver and Rebecca Rod live on an acre of garden and mud outside of Moscow.

© Copyright on articles, recipes and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective contributors, except were otherwise noted.

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