Getting bulbs to bloom indoors

Did you know that every bulb contains the whole plant – this makes bulbs quite a unique plant form. Now, most people think of bulbs as being spring and or summer blooming plants but they can be planted in posts and exposed to specific conditions that will make them bloom in the winter. You’ve probably noticed or even purchased bulbs in bloom in the winter from florists or garden nurseries.

If you are purchasing already potted prepared bulbs you should make sure that the bulbs are in the tight-bud stage. If you purchase them already in full bloom the flowers will only last seven to ten days depending upon the conditions in the house.

You’ll find that forced bulbs open quickly in a warm home environment, if you’d like them to last longer try to keep them in a cool room or a cooler portion of a room. temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees F will add 5 or 6 days to the flowers. You could keep the plants in a regular room during the day and then move them to a cool garage or cooler room at night to make them last longer.

If you purchase potted bulbs and want to delay their bloom period keep them in a cool area that is 35 to 40 F as this will slow growth. These temperatures will allow the plants to be stored for up to two weeks without deterioration of quality. A refrigerator or unheated garage would provide just this environment. Watering is not crucial to the plant when you are storing them in cool conditions but when they are brought into warmer areas it is important to keep the bulbs from drying out. Light is also important for indoor bulbs. If it’s too dark, the plants will elongate toward any available light.

Look for potted forced bulbs in plain pots- these are usually of higher quality. Here is a list of the peak seasons for flowering potted plants:

• Daffodils – Mid-January through April 1 (Usually plentiful.)
• Tulips – Mid-January through mid-April
• Hyacinths – January 1 through April 1
• Crocus – January 10 through March (Beyond March 1, they bloom rapidly and grow leggy.)
• Iris reticulata – January 15 through February 15
• Grape hyacinths – February and March

If you purchase the forced bulbs in plain pots you can spruce them up by placing the pots into decorative baskets or slightly larger secondary decorative pots.

For best effect, combine pots of bulbs with other flowering and foliage plants to create a blooming garden. Mix tulips, hyacinths and crocuses with primroses or small cinerarias in baskets. Add pussy willow branches or small silk ornaments for a personal touch.

After the bulbs bloom, you can put the plant in a bright window, stop watering it and let the foliage dry out. The bulb can then be planted outdoors in the Spring and if planted in a bright sunny area at the proper depth for its type of bulb it should bloom in a year or two.

If replanting tulip or daffodil bulbs they should be planted at 6-8″ in depth, crocuses, grape hyacinths and iri reticulata should be planted at about 3 – 4″ in depth. Plant to the maximum depth in areas where winter temperatures are harsh. Replanted tulips and hyacinths will bloom for two or three years. Iris reticulata will return reliably. Crocuses, grape hyacinths, and daffodils will naturalize, and not only will bloom year after year, but will multiply to produce more bulbs and blossoms.