Spring bulbs at Christmas
In the world of plant fakery, I think one of the best tricks is to persuade a spring bulb to flower in time for Christmas
Forcing spring bulbs for Christmas is a great way to get a wonderful floral display for your table. If you follow a few simple rules it’s possible to persuade a normal spring plant such as a hyacinth to produce a healthy flower which will fill the house with those familiar heady scents. Just in time for Christmas. forcing bulbs for Christmas
To be successful in forcing spring bulbs, you need a little bit of time, combined with a little know-how. This process – known as ‘forcing’ bulbs – allows gardeners and enthusiasts alike to bring a touch of spring indoors during the coldest and darkest months of the year.
So what is forcing? It’s the practice of stimulating dormant bulbs to sprout and flower ahead of the natural outdoor schedule. By manipulating temperature, light and moisture conditions, you can trick bulbs into believing that winter has passed and it’s time to flower.
Not all spring bulbs are suitable for forcing. The most successful candidates are those that naturally undergo a period of dormancy and require a cold spell to kickstart flowering. Popular choices include tulip, daffodil, crocus or hyacinth. You can buy these specially prepared bulbs from specialist bulb nurseries. These will have been through a dedicated chilling process. You can do this yourself, but you do need to factor in extra time to get the timing right.
After chilling, the bulbs will be ready for the second stage, and fingers crossed you’ll have some great plant gifts for Christmas.
A word to the wise – make sure that all the bulbs in each pot are of the same variety or cultivar, otherwise they will irritate you by growing at different rates and flowering at different times.
Step 1: Soak the roots of your prepared bulbs in lukewarm water for a couple of hours. Choose a pot deep enough that you have a few inches of soil below the bottoms of the bubs and roots but is tall enough that you can cover the bulb/s up to their necks. Water until the potting soil is evenly moist and allow excess water to drain out.
Step 2: Your potted bulbs must have a period of cool and dark conditions to encourage roots to establish – a dark corner in the shed or garage or even under the bed of a cool spare room. Bring them indoors only when you can see the ‘waist’ of the flower spike, once all the florets are above the neck of the bulb.
Step 3: (optional) you can mulch the top of your pot/s with moss or other decorative material.
Forcing spring bulbs for Christmas is a great way to bring the outside in. When the bulbs have finished flowering, either plant them in the garden to naturalize and flower next year or store them in a cool, dry, dark place, and replant them in fresh compost in the autumn.
Local gardening expert, Auntie Planty, can give you advice on your garden: auntieplanty.co.uk
Find other Homes & Interiors features here.