It’s time to bend Mother Nature to our will and force bulbs to bloom for us inside. I am a huge fan of tulips, with strappy leaves and perfectly formed flowers, and use them every year. I like to start the process by mid-February rather than December or January as by the time the bulbs are finishing up inside, I have bulbs coming up outside!
There are a couple things one must do to make this work. First, plan ahead. Tulips cannot be had for love nor money at this time of year. When you are doing your fall bulb shopping, grab an extra bag and put it in an unheated basement or cellar. The bulbs must go through a period of cold or they will not bloom.
Secondly, tulips like dirt, but they can be made to bloom in water. Make sure that they are level and that they sit up on something so their roots can grow freely, either a floral frog, or pebbles (as in the photo). Do not drown the bulbs, just make sure the bottom 1/4 inch is submerged.
When they are finished they are well and truly finished. As you have not fed them or cared for them, but only used them for your own selfish purposes (and what a pleasure it was) – they will take a few years to recover if you are planting them out in a nursery bed. I consider this an annual purchase as I don’t have the room to cosset them in hospice care.
If you have a friend with a spring birthday, a vase full of partially forced bulbs is a fantastic gift – plan ahead!
