Brighten Your Home in the Winter with Fantastic Forced Blooms!

Brighten Your Home in the Winter!

Get the beauty of spring in winter with these bloom forcing tips! Force blooms on your favorite tree branches or bulbs to add color to a muted winter space.

Forcing Branch Blooms

Many blooming trees and shrubs set their flower buds during the previous growing season so that they can experience a period of cold dormancy during the winter before they bloom. After about six weeks of cold and dry temperatures, the buds need to experience warm temperatures and moisture for two to three weeks to come out of dormancy and bloom beautifully. Generally in late January and early February most outdoor trees and shrubs are ready for warmth and forcing.

When selecting branches from trees and shrubs, look for those that are ½ inch in diameter or less with higher concentrations of plump flower buds. Try to take your branch cuttings when the temperature outside is at or above 40°, this enables the cuttings to transition from the cold weather to your warm cozy home much better. Following package instructions, add a floral preservative to warm water and add your cuttings once you have trimmed the stems at a steep angle above the original cut. Display your arrangement of branches and cuttings away from direct sunlight and away from any direct heat source. Rather, try to recreate a cool, moist environment characteristic of early spring. Watch the charming flower buds open and bloom for up to three to four weeks in a vase. Take great forced bloom cuttings from Crab Apple trees, Cherry trees, Forsythias, Quince & Weigela, as well as Red Maples, and Willows in mid to late February.

Forcing Bulb Blooms

Similar to most trees and shrubs, flowering bulbs also need to experience a cold dormancy through the winter before they bloom. The bulbs generally need to be planted in the fall to offer enough time for spring or late winter forced blooms. Planting your bulbs in a pot makes transportation to and from the outdoors a bit easier. When you plant your bulbs, make sure the sides of the bulbs are not touching each other or the sides of the pot and cover the bulbs with soil leaving the tops of the tips visible. Keep the potted bulbs in the cold winter weather or in a cold place for 11-15 weeks for the planted bulbs to experience their cold dormant period. When you bring them in from the cold, water them thoroughly and keep them in a cool place for a few days to facilitate a nice healthy transition. Once they are experiencing the warmth and moisture of your home, you will see new healthy growth and blooms within two to three weeks. Good bulbs to use for forced blooming include Tulips such as Monte Carlo, Oxford, Aladdin, or Maytime; Hyacinths such as Pink Pearl, Hollyhock, or Amethyst; Daffodils such as Carlton, Geranium, or Jetfire; Crocuses such as Remembrance, Giant Yellow, Peter Pan, or Joan d’Arc; and Irises such as Dwarf Irises. Tulips, Crocuses, and Irises generally require 15 weeks of cold dormancy before forcing blooms.