Year-round gardening: Bring back the flowers, forcing bulbs indoors
We are approaching the Persephone period, when daylight is less than 10 hours.
This is the time when outdoor growth is dramatically halted, even if temperatures remain hight. Greek legend says that Persephone, the Goddess of Harvest, is lured to the underworld during this time of the year.
If you want flowers, they must be indoors.
Bulbs create a great opportunity for indoor blooms from darkest winter until spring. Amaryllis and Paperwhite Narcissus can be started as soon as you purchase them. They do not require a chill period.
Other bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and crocus require a chill period. Place in a 40-degree environment, such as a refrigerator, for 12 to 15 weeks to chill.
Be careful not to store them with ripening fruits or vegetables as the gases emitted by ripening produce can damage the bulbs.
Paperwhite Narcissus and hyacinths can be started with or without soil; both can root directly into water.
Narcissus are usually started in gravel or coarse sand for support. Hyacinths are often grown in special glass containers shaped to hold a single bulb, but any container with a neck narrow enough to suspend a bulb over water will work.
Narcissus can be manipulated to not grow tall and floppy by adding 4 to 6% of clear spirits (vodka, gin or rubbing alcohol) to the water while they are growing. For more information, search the internet for “Pickling your Paperwhites.” Search results should include some research-based information from Cornell University.
All of the other bulbs need to be started in a well-draining soil mix. For soil-planted bulbs, the chill period should be done with the bulbs planted in the soil. The bulbs form roots during the time in the refrigerator. Shallow planting is best. Do not follow instructions for outdoor planting depths.
Tulips and daffodils should be planted with the tip of the bulb at the soil line. Smaller bulbs should be completely covered. Do not press any of the bulbs into the soil. They need loose, well-aerated soil to start growing.
When selecting bulbs, remember that there is a correlation between bulb size and flower size. Choose the largest, firm, undamaged bulbs for the best blooms.
Amaryllis are probably the drama queens of forced bulbs. Available in a wide array of colors and growing up to several feet in height, these tropical bulbs are especially treasured during the December holiday season.
They can be purchased pre-planted in containers or you can grow them in your own pots with a good quality soil mix. It is possible for the home gardener to keep these bulbs growing and reblooming in subsequent years.
For more information on forcing bulbs check out this source https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/forcing-bulbs-indoors/.
Enjoy some early spring in your home; the daylight will start to increase toward the end of January.
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Special containers for bulbs that can grow in water can be useful. The narrow neck helps support the plant. Bulbs create a great opportunity for indoor blooms from darkest winter until spring.