Every flower bulb holds a secret deep in its heart: a furled bud (or a few) poised to pop out in the warmth of spring. But why wait until then? Choose the right bulbs now, treat them well, and they will flower early, indoors, around the time you’ve had your fill of winter.
Come February, a bowl of fat crocus is a tonic to the bloom-starved eye. A pot of dwarf narcissus beams like the vanished sun. And there are other brilliant possibilities: If you look beyond the usual suspects – paper-whites and amaryllis – you’ll find star-shaped Chionodoxa, dainty Iris reticulata and tiny blue Muscari, with blooms like upside-down bunched grapes. Some of these smaller, less familiar types – the “minor” bulbs – are a cinch to force, or coax into flower, before their time.
The secret is to give bulbs what they need and to do it early. Once you’ve potted them, chill them to simulate a usual winter. About four months before you want blooms, tuck the pots into a dark spot that’s 41 degrees to 48 degrees, such as a cold frame, a refrigerator or a garage. The bulbs should stay cool but not freeze. (You should also keep the soil moist.)
Different bulbs have different chilling schedules (see the instructions that follow), but most require 12 to 15 weeks of dormancy to develop roots.
The actual forcing process, during which time you convince plants that spring has arrived, takes another two to four weeks: Once the roots show through the drainage holes or shoots sprout up a couple of inches, move the containers to a warmer spot (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) with indirect light. After a week or two, when shoots have doubled in size, set the pots near a sunny window and watch them bloom.
Easing up on the sun and moving the plants to cooler quarters at night may help the flowers last.
Below is a forcing schedule for six spring bulbs. See the “How to Do It” section that follows for instructions on potting, storing and warming the bulbs – and arranging the flowers once they’re ready to display.
Chionodoxa: 15 weeks needed to chill, 2 to 3 weeks to bloom
Crocus vernus: 15 weeks needed to chill, 2 weeks to bloom
Hyacinthus: 11 to 14 weeks needed to chill, 2 to 3 weeks to bloom
Iris reticulata: 15 weeks needed to chill, 2 to 3 weeks to bloom
Muscari: 13 to 15 weeks needed to chill, 2 to 3 weeks to bloom
Narcissus: 15 to 17 weeks needed to chill, 2 to 3 weeks to bloom
1. Potting bulbs: A container should be deep enough to hold a 2-inch layer of commercial potting mix topped with bulbs whose pointed ends just reach the rim. Forced spring bulbs are happiest in crowds: They don’t mind rubbing shoulders in the container (the bulbs can touch), and their flowers look spectacular en masse. (Don’t mix plant types within a pot unless you pair kinds that need the same amount of chilling time.)
Add soil loosely to fill. Water well, and label with plant names, the date they enter cold storage and the date they should leave it.
2. Cold storage: Bulbs can be kept outdoors in a cold frame (an insulated frame with a glass or plastic lid to capture the sun’s warmth), in a refrigerator or in a cool garage.
If using a cold frame where temperatures drop below 30 degrees, protect bulbs by mulching them with leaves and hay. In extremely cold climates, also spread several inches of soil over pots before mulching.
If placing them in the refrigerator’s crisper drawers, remove fruits and vegetables, which give off ethylene gas – bad for bulbs. Some bulbs are poisonous; keep them out of children’s reach.
3. The warm-up: When bulbs’ new growth appears, it is time to bring the pots out of storage. For the first week or two, keep them in bright but indirect light around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, in a place where you can make sure the soil stays evenly moist as the plants develop.
4. Arrangements: When bulbs are ready for display, leave them in their plastic pots and drop them into decorative containers: ceramic cachepots, wooden boxes, china tureens or whatever suits your blooms and your decor. To mask the plastic, top-dress with moss or pine needles.
Or you can lift flowering bulbs from their pots and arrange them in a shallow urn or bowl, and mound the top with moss. Note, however, that lifted blooms may not last as long as those left in plastic.
Questions should be addressed to Living, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 609 Greenwich St., Sixth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10014-3610. Please include your name and daytime telephone number. Questions can also be sent via e-mail to: living@nytimes.com.
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