FORCING HYACINTH BULBS

PEBBLES AND WATER

This is one of the easiest ways to force bulbs. Simply take a waterproof bowl, fill it with gravel or decorative stone. White rock is often used because its bright white makes a nice contrast with the bulbs and flowers. Firm the base of the bulbs into the pebbles, until they stand firmly on their own. Next fill water up to the base of the bulbs, but not high enough that it touches them. A plain glass bowl is best to use because you can see the water level, plus you can also watch the roots as they develop. (You want the roots to grow into the water, but you don't want the bulb to sit in the water.) It's that easy. The bulbs will flower better and the stems will usually be a little stronger if the bulbs are put into a dark spot for about four to six week before they are brought out into the warm temperatures and forced into bloom. Important: be certain the bottom of the bulb does not come into contact with the water or it will rot. There should be about 1/8 of an inch between the water and the bottom of the bulbs. chill @ 55 for 12 weeks in dark place; blooms take 3-4 weeks to bloom. Oct 1^st = blooms for Christmas, Last weekend of Oct = blooms for valentines day

POTTING BULBS IN SOIL

This is probably the most popular way to force bulbs, but certainly not the easiest. Simply pot the bulbs in clay or plastic pots, using a commercial potting mix. A five or six inch pot will hold about three average-sized tulips, daffodils or hyacinth bulbs.

Fill - the pot two-third full of the potting mix, then place the bulbs in position, and cover with additional soil. If the top of the bulb is exposed, that's all right. Water well.

Bury - the pots in the ground outside, covering them with about two to four inches of soil. After 12 weeks, check on the bulbs .You will see yellow shoots-if these measure one and a half inch to two inches, they are ready to come indoors. If shorter than this, cover them up again and re-check in another two weeks. By the time the shoots are this size, the flower bud has cleared the neck of the bulb) If you bring the bulbs indoors when the shoots are shorter, the leaves will grow to hide the flowers. Leaving them outdoors too long leads to tall blooms that fall over.

Bring indoors - Place on a bright, but very cool window-sill, and only water when the compost surface is drying out. Within three weeks, your bulbs will be in bloom.

After the bulbs have finished flowering - they can be planted directly into the garden. Do not use these same bulbs for forcing again next season, because so much of the bulbs energy has been used in the forcing process.

Submitted by Sandra Squire, KCMG 2001