Nothing kicks the winter rant to the curb like thoughts of outflow . If winter puts you down in the dumps , take a elephantine proactive step right now by forcing tulip bulb to be in bloom just in time for Easter ’s arrival .
Tulips are one of the easiest plant to “ trick ” into blooming early . Essentially , thebulbsare planted in a container and then subjected to an hokey wintertime in Holy Order to start their flower . The potted bulbs experience a fit number of days below a critical temperature ( commonly about 40 to 45 degree F ) , and voila , a few weeks later , you have gorgeous flower .
To start up your bulb - drive journey , point to a local garden nerve center for bulbs . By now , they ’ll in all probability be sell them at a deep discount — and they might even be happy to give them off to a good home ! If you ca n’t find them topically , purchase tulip bulb for forcing from an online bulb purveyor , such as Brent and Becky ’s Bulbs or Whiteflower Farm . Although almost any miscellany of tulip can be draw into an early bloom , I strain to stick with short or mid - height varieties so they do n’t tumble over in the pot .
You ’ll also demand a special greenhouse pot called a “ bulb pan ” or another eccentric of low , stadium - like container with drainage holes . I care to use fabric pot for forcing bulb because they ’re easy to sneak inside a decorative basket or a fancier ceramic container . When it ’s clip to water the bulbs , I revoke the fabric bag out of the handbasket or pot and take it to the swallow hole for lachrymation . If you reuse a container you already have on - hand , sanitize it with a 10 - per centum bleaching agent resolution and rinse it well prior to planting .
Fill the bottom few inches of the green goddess with sterile , soil - less potting mix . Then settle the radical of the bulb into the mix , pointy side up . Cover the bulbs with more potting mix so the nozzle of the bulbs are less than an in beneath the soil Earth’s surface .
Water the pot in well and pass over it with a sealed credit card traveling bag . Put the old bag - enclosed pot in the back of the icebox or in an unwarmed service department where it ’s cold but not block .
Check the pot every two workweek and supply more weewee , if necessary , but be deliberate not to overwater because mold will grow on the surface of the soil .
allow for the potted bulbs to “ cool ” for about 10 hebdomad . When this time has passed , take the container from the electric refrigerator or garage and put it into a lovesome elbow room . Start water it on a regular basis , and within a week or so the bulbs will begin to sprout . Soon after , they ’ll be in full bloom . Keep the blossom out of lineal sunshine to prolong their bloom time .
If you want tulips that bloom even earlier , you could pot bulbs for force as early as September or October . These containers will be in blush in late January or February .
pressure tulip bulb is so well-fixed , and it ’s a great way to keep your unripe thumbs active and usher in bound a fiddling chip early on !
