Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 36

GEORGIA Gardens

By Pamela A. Keene * All photos courtesy of flowerbulbs.com

Bursting into bloom
The gentle art of forcing bulbs

I

t may be dreary outdoors, but forcing flowering bulbs into
bloom can brighten your indoor environment this winter.
"Forcing bulbs brings beauty and color into your home
when it's otherwise cold and dark," says Peggy Anne Montgomery, horticulturist with Garden Media Group, gardening specialists based in Pennsylvania. "Not only are these plants striking,
they are fairly easy to grow."
The key is to make certain that any bulb purchased for
forcing-bringing it into flower out of its regular season-has
been adequately chilled. Many popular bulb varieties-such
as amaryllis, hyacinth and paperwhite narcissus-are grown
in colder climates, such as the Netherlands. Growers seek out
premium-sized bulbs to offer clients online, at big-box retailers
or local nurseries and ship them pre-cooled.
"If you purchase bulbs in bulk, such as tulips or daffodils,
it is likely that they have not been pre-cooled, and that makes
forcing them a bit more complicated and time-consuming,"
Montgomery says. "You can store the bulbs in the vegetable
drawer of your refrigerator for anywhere from 10 to 16 weeks
before planting, depending on the variety. But for immediate success, choose
Paperwhite narcissus bulbs produce clusters
pre-cooled bulbs."
of fragrant blooms that last for weeks

Planting bulbs
As soon as you receive them,
plant bulbs in containers. If you use a
container with a drainage hole, you can
plant the bulb in plain potting soil. For
closed containers, start with a layer of
stones about an inch or so deep, then
add a layer of charcoal, followed by soil.
"The charcoal keeps the growing
medium fresh and reduces the chance
that the water will turn rancid," she says.
"Keep the soil moist, but avoid having
standing water in the containers."
When planting amaryllis bulbs,
leave most of the bulb above the level
of the soil. Other varieties should be
planted so that only the uppermost tip
of the bulb is exposed. After planting,

36

Georgia Magazine

January 2020

indoors.

Sturdy pots are best for forcing
amaryllis, as the flower stalks are
heavy. Decorative moss or
pebbles can be used to fill in
around the exposed bulbs.


http://www.flowerbulbs.com

Georgia Magazine - January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - January 2020

Contents
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Intro
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Cover1
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Cover2
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Contents
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 4
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 5
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 6
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 7
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 8
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 9
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 10
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 11
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 12
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 13
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 14
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 15
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 16
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 17
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 18
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 19
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 20
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 21
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 22
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 22A
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 22B
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 22C
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 22D
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 23
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 24
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 25
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 26
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 27
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 28
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 29
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 30
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 31
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 32
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 33
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 34
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 35
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 36
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 37
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 38
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 39
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 40
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 41
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - 42
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Cover3
Georgia Magazine - January 2020 - Cover4
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