Forcing Amaryllis bulbs

I was looking at the pictures of amaryllis in a gardening magazine and it looked so romantic in the candle light.  I immediately decided to force these magnificent flowers for this holiday season.

After reading I found that Amaryllis is the easiest bulb to force. Just allow about six to eight weeks from planting to bloom time, and you will experience the most gorgeous, large flowers for a special occasion.

Here is what I did…

Select a pot at least 2 inches wider than the bulb. Make sure the pot has the drainage holes. Add a small amount of potting soil in the bottom of the pot. Center the bulb in the middle of the pot. Then add additional potting soil, firming it around the roots and bulb. Make sure that the bulb is only half covered with soil, and the other half is above the soil. Water generously once, and set in a warm (70 F) place.

Once the leaves or the flower stalk appear, the pot should be moved to a sunny window. Water as needed to keep the soil slightly damp. Too much water will rot the bulb.

The pot should be turned a bit each day to keep the flower stalk growing straight, as it tends to lean towards the light. The flower stalk may require staking to support the weight.

Your bulb may begin to grow leaves before, during or after it blooms.

Well, the real flowers were even more stunning than what we imagined (see pictures below for samples).

Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs

This year I wanted to try forcing bulbs to experience spring during winter! I had read that Hyacinths were easy to force, so decided to try it out.

To start the process, I filled the hour-glass with water to where the level will be just beneath the bottom of the bulb. The water should not touch the bulb to avoid rot.

Adding pebbles just adds a good contrast to the flowers, also adds some weight to the vase to avoid the bloom from toppling over.

Hyacinths bulbs require 12-15 weeks of chilling at temperatures below 45° F. This “tricks” the bulbs into believing that they are passing through winter. After chilling they require 2 to 3 weeks indoors to bring to bloom. So, plan early September for December holiday bloom. Or mid October for a special Valentine !

I put the bulbs in storage in the refrigerator for 12 weeks.  I got a special small refrigerator just for this purpose, as the ripening fruit gives off a gas that can damage the flower bloom.
Check on your bulb every so often and replenish the water so that it stays just millimeters away from the bottom of the bulb, as the roots will grow into the water.You’ll see roots begin to emerge and fill the glass. Finally, you will see a little whitish-colored shoot emerge from the top.

Now is the time to move it to a warm location, keeping it out of the direct sunlight. until the shoots turn green. Later it could be moved to direct sunlight, however, for longer blooms,  its best to keep in indirect sunlight.  Once the hyacinth flowers, it will last two to three weeks.

My husband and kids were excited to see the progress, watching the leaves to appear, followed by buds and patiently waiting for the flowers. Finally, we are admiring the beautiful blooms, and experiencing the heavenly perfume as it wafts through the room.

NOTE:

For people who do not have a dedicated place below 45F to cool, many mail-order catalogs offer pre-chilled bulbs. So, if they are just left at normal temperature, blooms can be seen in 6-8 weeks.

Bulbs forced in water, without any soil or direct outdoor sunlight to nourish the bulb, will be exhausted when it is done flowering. You may discard the finished bulbs, or you can plant them in your garden, some people had success with them after couple of years.