Winter can be quite dreary but wouldn’t blooming bulbs bring color and cheer? You can enjoy bulbs before spring and here is how!
This is called “forcing” when you encourage plants to bloom out of season.
Supplies:
Bulbs
Containers
Rocks, Pebbles, Marbles
Potting Soil
Gather up your supplies. First of all, you will need a container to hold your bulbs. The type of container is totally up to you and the look you want. It could also be influenced by the type of bulb you are going to use, mainly, the size. Since I am using hyacinths, which are pretty big bulbs, I need bigger containers than I would if I was using something small like grape hyacinths.
Containers
- Bowls: Antique bowls are a fun rustic idea
- Silver: For an more fancy upscale look choose a piece of silver to hold your bulbs
- Crystal: Using Crystal will give your bulbs a romantic look
- Traditional glass: Purchase a cheap traditional glass container from the dollar store for a classic look
Bulbs
- Hyacinths
- Daffodils
- Jonquils
- Tulips
- Paperwhites
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Growing Medium
- Potting soil: for a traditional woodsy feel use potting soil. Top with moss for even more of an outdoor feel
- Pea Gravel: small rocks will give you a bit of a different garden feel, more of a river or stream planting
- Colored Aquarium rock: For a bold statement, buy some pretty colored aquarium rock, maybe PINK or BLUE
- Marbles: For a fun twist, try marbles. Kids would love this choice
Planting:
After you have chosen which growing medium to use and added it to your container, it is now time to plant your bulbs.
Potting Soil:
Fill the container with the potting soil. Press the bulb into the potting soil so that it is at least half way covered with soil. Dampen the soil.
Rocks, Marbles, Gravel:
Put about one inch of filler (just rocks, no dirt!) into the bottom of the container. Set the bulb into the rocks, adding water just to the bottom of the bulb.
When your forced bulbs have finished blooming, plant them outside for next year! I love that I am getting double duty out of my bulbs this way… Having a bright bouquet indoors and then that early pop of spring color outdoors for years to come.
Looking for more ways to Enjoy your Garden in Winter? You might also like to read about Winter Bloomers.
You might also want to check out this article about Container Bulbs from The Garden Diaries.
Great idea, especially with winter being so dark and dreary. I have to be careful with what I have in the house due to allergies (mine and hubbies), but I always love it when the amaryllis come to life (and mine are usually much later than Christmas because I always forget about them…..yup, they’re still in my basement. Probably should get those out….)
HA! I always have such good intentions of growing things in the winter… yeah. 🙂
We need to try this indoors. It’s too cold for bulbs to winter outside up here (I think, because none of the gardens in town ever have tulips, daffodils etc. in their yards), but it sure would be nice to have a touch of spring in our kitchen during these days of -30 temperatures!
Oh wow. I had no idea that you couldn’t grow them up there! I find it so interesting to learn about other plants and growing conditions of other parts of the world. 🙂
Ok, so this no green thumb wanna be a gardener has a question. All of those containers are pretty and all but I always thought anything planted had to be done so in a container with drainage holes. Am I wrong? Thanks!
Hi Dee. Great question! Generally speaking, you should choose pots with drainage. However, you won’t be arrested if you don’t! 🙂 Pots without drainage holes need more careful attention to not drown the plants. I don’t recommend it for long term planting. These will only be in pots for a few weeks, and then I’ll plant them in the ground. Thanks for asking! 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion of growing them in coloured people’s. I have always just used compost.
Pebbles work great for forcing! You should give it a try Anne. 🙂
This is a great way for those of us who don’t have room for a garden can enjoy a garden inside!
Yes it is! And you can force all kinds of bulbs Julie. 🙂
I absolutely love winter but I am so ready for spring!! I am chomping at the bit to get my hands dirty. 🙂 I tried paper whites, I think they are called earlier in the year and they grew like crazy and still are, but did not have one bloom. I was so disappointed. I know you never have mishaps like that with your gardening. You are so good at it.
Oh Clearissa! So many failures in my life I can’t even begin to tell you! I just keep trying. Or try something entirely new. If I were you, I’d plant those paperwhites outside as soon as I could and you’ll have blooms next year! 🙂