Friday, March 10, 2023

This Is How I Usually Do Forcing Bulbs

Friends, despite the fact that tulips (daffodils, hyacinths) are now sold almost all year round, the forcing bulbs is a lot of fun, because it allows you to choose varieties to your liking, observe the entire process of plant development and get the desired flowering.

I plant tulips or daffodils for cold storage from 1 to 5 October. Before planting, it is recommended to clean the bulbs from covering scales so that the roots penetrate the soil more easily and the bulb takes root faster. I can also look for signs of disease and cull diseased bulbs.

  

 March, 8

This year I planted 3 tulips close to each other in a pot with a diameter of 14 cm. I add more soil, watered abundantly. Then I placed a pot with planted bulbs in a plastic bag, then in a fridge with a temperature of + 9C. During the cold storage period (13-14 weeks), I periodically inspected and watered them.
I
rearranged the pot with already sprouted bulbs to the windowsill, when the sprouts reached 10 cm, and at the bottom of the shoot the rudiment of a flower was felt or seen. The photos below clearly show that tulip buds developed quickly.

 

February, 2

 February, 14

Tulips and other bulbs should be watered with cold water, preferably melted water, since it contains a minimum amount of salts and acids.

 February, 27

 

March, 9

This year some weeks after the end of cold storage, my tulips bloomed. Usually flowering lasts 7-10 days. I noticed that if the temperature is lowered, then flowering lasts 10-14 days. 

Last year I forced these yellow daffodils and they bloomed in March 2022.


Have you done forcing bulbs? What is your experience?


source



40 comments:

  1. Your tulips looks very beautiful, Nadezda. No, I have never tried this before. I have one big pot in my greenhouse with different bulbs. I planted them in January 2022, and they bloomed very nice. I will see later in spring if they will bloom again. It's very cold here now, and I think it will be a late spring this year. It's -12 here right now.
    I like yor daffodils too.

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    1. It's cold here too, Marit. Today is -5C, snow lies and doesn't melt. Therefore It's nice to see blooming tulips inside.

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  2. Preciosos Nadezda, nunca los tuve así, siempre en el jardín. Buena información y estupendas fotos. Un abrazo enorme

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    1. Lola, tu jardín con tulipanes debe quedar muy bonito. Tu clima es más cálido que el nuestro.

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  3. Great tips and wonderful photos.
    I love tulips!
    Hugs and all the best

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    1. I love spring flowers as well, Maria. Hugs!

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  4. I have never even heard the term "bulb forcing" let alone done it! Sounds like it works.

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    1. This tern is familiar to gardeners, David. But a few of them do this forcing. They are easier to buy..

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  5. Well this is really interesting, Nadezda! I never thought of forcing bulbs, but it sounds so interesting. I would love to try it, although I'd only be able to do one pot because our fridge is so often full of food, and I am guessing you have a special fridge for this. I would love to hear more about how you grow things. I don't think I am basically a good gardener, but some of that can be put down to the fact that nobody ever taught me about it and I'm just trying to pick it up as I go along. It makes such a difference to have someone give step by step instructions.

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    1. Certainly. It's not step by step instruction, Jenny. I am talking about my experience in forcing bulb plants. I'm glad my experience was helpful to you.

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  6. PS I suddenly thought I would ask if you have ever grown indigofera shrubs. If so, I would love to see and hear about them. (I have an I.Pendula which I bought as a shrub and planted in a sunny bright position but it's got pale and spindly and with far fewer flowers than before. I guess that could be because I had to cut off some of its branches as it grew and spread). Even if you have not got one, I still love to hear about how you deal with your plants.

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    1. I have written to you in detail on your blog Jenny.
      Indigofera is from the legume family, which belongs Buddelea, it grows in my garden.

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  7. Tus "bombillas " están preciosas Nadezda. Que color más bonito. tienen Es la primera vez que oigo nombrar así a estas plantan 😅 No, no lo hemos hecho nunca y seguro que lo haremos..
    Buen fin de semana.
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Laura, los tulipanes se llaman así porque tienen un 'bulbo' en el suelo. Narcisos, Hyacianes, Campanilla Blanca, etc. también estan llamados "bulbosos". Intenta cultivarlos, no es difícil.

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  8. Mis tulipanes están floreciendo en el jardín y mis narcisos también. Los tuyos se ven muy bonitos. Un abrazo.

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    1. Teresa, tu clima es más cálido que el nuestro, seguro que tu jardín se ve hermoso.

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  9. Dear Nadezda!
    I admire your effort in growing your own tulips, and last year's daffodils. The effect is amazing!
    Have a nice weekend!
    Anita

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    1. Thank you Anita. Glad you understand my efforts. Hugs!

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  10. Dear Nadiezda!
    A great way to get your spring flowers.
    In the fall I will use your method to have my flowers earlier in the spring.
    Have a nice Sunday.

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    1. Great, Lucja. Of course, you will do well with cold storage and forcing. These tulips make me happy every day. Hugs.

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  11. I have never forced bulbs, I have never even thought of doing it. Last autumn I put some bulbs into pots and just a bit of shelter outdoors, the leaves are now almost fully developed but I am waiting for flower heads. Maybe next month?
    I love tulips, daffodils not so much, I have far too many in the garden); I usually leave tulips in the ground from one year to the next but they do often just disappear.

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    1. Certainly, Friko your garden is full of spring flowers. I think your bulbs planted in pots will bloom soon. Hugs.

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  12. I leave my tulips and daffodils in the ground - is it too cold for them to survive for you?

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    1. I guess they are alright, Sue. These flowers are frost hardy and grow well here.

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  13. Boa tarde de domingo e bom início de semana. Minha amiga Nadezda, acho que essas flores eu não tive a oportunidade de conhecer. Parabéns pelo seu maravilhoso trabalho e dedicação.

    Luiz Gomes.

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    1. Oh, Luiz, I thought you were familiar with these flowers. They are pretty.

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  14. Such beautiful tulips and daffodils, Nadezda!
    I have grown tulips in pots like you and it's very rewarding because one can choose among so many different types of tulips and the blooming lasts much longer than the cut flowers.
    Thank you for your comment today. I especially thank you for reading and commenting the poem. I tried the translation by Google (into English) and it's not very good (because the language is old). As a person who lives in the North and appreciates nature, you may guess the meaning of those verses rather well though.
    Stay well!

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    1. I agree, Sara. I love forcing bulbs, to have different varieties of them. I understood the words of the poem well, because I had two translations - into English and into Russian :)) Wisely.

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  15. Qui nei negozi ne vendono molti da tenere in casa e forzare ma personalmente non ho mai provato. I tuoi tulipani sono bellissimi però, complimenti :)

    Ti auguro una buona primavera!

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    1. Vendiamo anche molti tulipani nei nostri negozi, Gabriel. Mi piace allevarli io stesso quando nevica.

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  16. Bellas flores, me gusta como las has cuidado. Te mando un beso.

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  17. Kauniit tulppaanit. Pitäisi itsekin joskus kokeilla tulppaanien hyötöä.
    Mukavaa ja aurinkoista kevään jatkoa.

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  18. Надежда, дорогая, большое спасибо за советы. К сожалению, я уже посадила луковицы ещё поздней осенью, как было указано в инструкции. Уже прорастают. Здесь уже вовсю цветут тюльпаны, нарциссы, магнолия и камелия.

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    1. Все правильно, Лола. Тюльпаны надо сажать осенью в грунт, тогда они цветут в свое время, вместе с нарциссами, мускари, хионодоксой и др. У нас это время приходится на начало мая, а мне хочется получить цветущие тюльпаны в марте. Поэтому применяется выгонка луковиц. Камелия и магнолия - прекрасные цветущие деревья и кустарники. У меня маленькая магнолия тоже цветет но в июне :))

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