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potting and forcing bulbs

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wcaution
Joined: 3/29/2002
Location: st.louis, mo
Posts: 48
Posted: Dec/05/2005 8:06 PM PST

what is a good way to force potting tulips and daffodils? never tried before and need some advice.
wcaution
Joined: 3/29/2002
Location: st.louis, mo
Posts: 48
Posted: Dec/08/2005 11:19 PM PST

thanks for all the wonderful replies. your answers were most helpful!!!
wcaution
Joined: 3/29/2002
Location: st.louis, mo
Posts: 48
Posted: Dec/14/2005 9:41 PM PST

Not!
Not!
Spider_Lily photos
Joined: 10/27/2005
Location:
Posts: 1029
Posted: Dec/16/2005 8:48 PM PST

Never done any but here is something on it .
Forcing Bulbs Indoors
Many bulbs can be forced or stimulated to bloom indoors in the winter. Look for bulbs that have been specifically bred for forcing, or those that have been prechilled. Start with a clean container. An azalea container or squat-shaped pot is better than a tall, narrow container.

Use any good-quality potting soil available at your favorite Garden center or nursery, but don't use fertilizer because it will increase salt content. Place approximately two to three inches of potting soil in the bottom of the container. Place bulbs on the potting soil, but don't force them into place. Cover the planted bulbs leaving the tips exposed.

Your bulbs are now ready to be chilled. The amount of chilling required varies with type of bulb and cultivar, bulb size, number of bulbs per container, and start date. Your local supplier can provide information about the specific cultivar chosen. Next, determine the bloom date and count backwards. For example, early-blooming tulips can be forced before February 1, if they're started in early September. They need 14 to 20 weeks of cold preparation at 41 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by two to three weeks indoors to force them to flower.

Don't let the bulb pans dry out or become too wet while chilling. Avoid storing bulbs in the same area as fruits and vegetables. Ripening vegetables and fruit, like apples, give off ethylene, which can cause flower-bud development to fail.

After you bring the bulb pans in from chilling, place the pots in indirect sunlight at 60 degrees Fahrenheit for several weeks. When the plants are four to six inches tall, increase the temperature to 68 degrees Fahrenheit through exposure to direct sunlight. Daffodils and narcissus, tulips, crocus, hyacinth, grape hyacinth and iris bulbs are generally easy to force in the home using these techniques.
wcaution
Joined: 3/29/2002
Location: st.louis, mo
Posts: 48
Posted: Dec/17/2005 6:51 PM PST

spider lilly, thank you for taking the time and effort to answer my question. it was very much appreciated. wcaution
Spider_Lily photos
Joined: 10/27/2005
Location:
Posts: 1029
Posted: Dec/17/2005 7:42 PM PST

HI :banana-wa your welcome .I have never forced any but I looked it up and found this for you .I have daffidols in my yard and plant on planting more I love them but I love all flowers.And I also have Spiderlilies love them too .
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