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You can enjoy the sweet fragrance of a hyacinth in the middle of January if you trick the bulb into blooming early. Forcing bulbs to bloom out of season by mimicking the seasonal changes can mean springtime any time.
Spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, and crocuses won’t bloom without winter’s chill to trigger their growth cycle. You can simulate nature’s cool period by placing the bulbs in a cool, dark place for 12 to 14 weeks. A basement, garage, outdoor shed, or an outdoor trench (with mulch below and above the container) will work provided that the soil doesn’t freeze. You can cool the bulbs in your refrigerator crisper. However, bulbs and fresh fruit should not be stored together because some fruits, especially apples, emit ethylene gas that interferes with the bulb’s development.
Choose your bulbs, pick your place and follow these steps to a blooming winter:
1.Choose a container with good drainage that is twice as deep as the bulb’s height and add enough potting soil so that the tips of the bulbs are about an inch below the rim. It’s easier to moisten the potting mix before you start planting; just make sure the mix is moist, not wet.
2. Firm the bulbs gently into the soil. Plant the bulbs close to each other, taking care that they do not touch each other or the sides of the pot. Then fill the pot with enough soil so that the tips of the bulbs are barely visible.
3. If you haven’t started with moistened mix, water thoroughly after planting the bulbs and regularly during the cold treatment, keeping the soil moist, not wet.
4. Label the pot with the type of bulb, date of planting, and date for removal from cold storage. Place the container where it will chill in the dark at a steady 40 to 50 degrees. Tulips need a 14 to 20-week cold treatment; daffodils need 15 to 17 weeks; hyacinth need 11 to 14 weeks and crocus need about 15 weeks. Check the bulbs occasionally during the cooling period and keep them evenly moist.
5. When the leaves are a few inches tall and the roots are visible through the drainage hole, bring the pots into a bright, 55 to 60 degree room for a couple of weeks. When the buds appear, move the pot to a warmer spot with plenty of light. Avoid placing the pot in direct sun, heat, or drafts. Cool room temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees will encourage longer blooms.
Tulips and daffodils need soil to build a solid root foundation, but you can force hyacinths and crocuses in water alone. After cooling, place the bulb in a vase, add water until it reaches the bottom of the bulb, and keep in a dark area with 45 to 50 degree temperatures. As roots and foliage appear, gradually expose your plant to more sun and higher temperatures. Keep the water level constant at all times.
Paperwhites don’t need a cold treatment to bloom. Place them in a vase on top of a few inches of pebbles or marbles that will help to anchor their root system. Add enough water to reach the bottom of the bulb, and keep the water level constant through the bloom period.
After forced bulbs bloom, you can plant them outdoors as described in Fact Sheet #7.410 - Fall-planted bulbs and corms. Be sure not to remove the foliage until they have browned, as the yellowing foliage nourishes the bulb by gathering nutrients for next year’s bloom.
Local nursery’s have a bountiful supply of bulbs on hand, so now is the perfect time to see if you can fool Mother Nature. May the force be with you!
Additional information can be obtained refering to Fact sheet #7.410 - Fall-planted bulbs and corms and Fact sheet #7.411 - Spring-planted Bulbs, Corms and Roots.
Q: I know I’m supposed to dig and store some of my bulbs. Can you tell me which ones and why?
A: Tender bulbs that cannot survive Colorado’s extreme cold temperatures include caladium, cannas, dahlias and gladiolus. They should be dried and stored in a frost-free location.
Q: When should I dig my dahlias?
A: After the stalks of your dahlias are killed by frost, remove them, leaving a 6-inch stub. Leave the plant in the ground for another two weeks to thoroughly ripen the roots. Dig carefully so you don’t damage the roots, let air circulate and dry the roots enough to shake the soil from them, then pack in sawdust, perlite or vermiculite and store in a cool dry place until spring.
Q: Do I still have time to plant bulbs this fall?
A: September and October are the best months for planting bulbs because they can develop a good root system before the ground freezes. Bulbs are planted much deeper than seed so be sure to prepare the bed to the proper depth; and remember, plant bulbs with the growing tip up and the flat side down.
Mulching soil when cold and damp promotes fungus diseases and mold.
Store mature vegetables without blemishes and soft spots in the garden under a third layer of insulating mulch in barrels or mounds. They will keep several months.
Strategic placed flat rocks for resting and prepared shallow water areas for drinking attracts butterflies.
Mound dirt 8-inches over base of rose with loose soil for winter protection after killing frost or freezing temperature. Cylinders may be placed around plant or filled with organic matter too.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
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