FORCING BULBS
Flower bulbs can brighten up the interior of our homes in winter, not just our flowerbeds in spring. The process is called forcing. Don't worry: it's not about torturing plants, but rather about getting them to flower earlier.
CHOICE :
Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, squills, grape hyacinths.
Early varieties are more successful: early tulips, narcissus, daffodil and hyacinth are the most used.
EXTENDED FLOWERING:
For flowering spread over time, plant at monthly intervals from the end of September to the beginning of December.
PLANTING:
Preparing the bulbs:
Soak the bulbs for 12 hours in a bucket filled with lukewarm water and soluble fertilizer.
Potting:
Use pots perforated at the base for good drainage.
Use a light potting mix.
Fill the jars halfway. Place the bulbs side by side and cover with potting soil.
Water copiously.
Cold treatment:
Place the pots in a cool place, at a temperature between 3 and 11°C (37-52°F), and in the shade for at least 12 weeks. Or place in the fridge for 2 and a half to 3 months. Or bury the pots outside, in a trench.
Check from time to time: water if the top of the soil is dry.
When the bulbs are 1 inch (2.50 cm) tall, place in a sunny window where they will receive no more than 2 hours of sunlight per day and the night is cool. Otherwise, refrigerate for another week.
There are also bulbs already cold-treated: it only takes 3 to 4 weeks before flowering.
AMARYLLIS:
Buy amaryllis bulbs in November or December.
Plant the bulb closely, a third of the depth of the pot. Water generously and place near a sunny window. Flowering planned for Christmas.
In June, plant outside in the ground in a partially shaded area. Dig up in mid-September, clean, leave to dry for two months in a dark, dry place. Pot up on November 15 for flowering at Christmas.