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These varieties force well: Amethyst, Blue Jacket, Jan Bros, L’Innocence, Pink Pearl, Delft Blue, Hollyhock, Anna Marie, Violet Pearl, Gypsy Queen, and Carnegie
Tulips: What can be lovelier than a dish or pot of colorful tulips on your dining room table or anywhere in your home for that matter?
Pre-cooled early tulips can be forced into bloom by Christmas. Keep them cool for three weeks before moving to a warm, sunny place. These varieties force well. Apricot Beauty, Bing Crosby, Edith Eddy, Mirjorma, Yokohama, Jingle Bells, Attila, White Dream, Princess Victoria, White Swallow, Estella Rijnveld
Crocus: The early harbingers of spring can be yours even earlier with forcing. These varieties of Crocus force well. Pickwick, Rembrance, Flower Record, Peter Pan, Purpurea Grandiflora
Crocuses bloom 10 to 18 weeks after planting. When buying bulbs from a mail-order source or garden center, look for varieties identified specifically for forcing.
1. Choose bulbs that are large, firm, and free of nicks and holes. Keep in mind that the larger the bulb, the larger the bloom.
2. Once you have your crocuses home, pot them up immediately so that the corms do not dry out. Keep in mind that the larger the bulb, the larger the bloom.
3. Select a small container and fill it almost to the top with potting soil. Press in crocus bulbs.
4. Place the crocus corms in the soil mixture close together with their tips just peeking out of the soil. Water the bulbs, and then place the container in a cool, dark spot for 8 to 15 weeks. When the corms begin to sprout, move them to a warmer spot in direct sunlight.
Daffodils and Narcissi: Nothing looks prettier or more spring-like at the end of winter than a bowl of daffodils and narcissi. These varieties force well: Barrett Browning, Bridal Crown, Dutch Master, Ice Follies, Paper whites, Golden Harvest, Spell Binder, Salome, Pink Charm, Flower Record, Louis Armstrong, Unsurpassable, Tete-a-Tete, Jenny, Barrett Browning, and Cheerfulness
Here are 3 simple steps to follow:
Fill your pot half full with potting soil. Use a soil mix that retains moisture, but allows good drainage.
Place as many bulbs as you can, but don't let the bulbs touch. Their growing tips should be even with the top of the pot.
Water the bulbs thoroughly and label each pot with the planting date. Then, move them to cold storage.
After roots thrive
Once you see roots poking out of the bottom of the pot, or growth at the top of the bulb, move the pot to a sunny spot.
Don't move the potted bulbs into the light too soon. They need adequate cooling time before warming up; if cooled too briefly, the bulbs may sprout, but you will be disappointed with the bloom.
Muscari: Planted in shallow dishes, low-growing Muscari—also called grape hyacinth—make stunning and unusual centerpieces. Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) is available in both purple and white and emit a wonderful fragrance. They thrive and multiply easily and make great borders and accents. In addition to the traditional form of bloom that resembles a cluster of grapes, Muscari also is available in a variety called plumosum, a.k.a. Feather Hyacinths. Occasionally overlooked in outdoor gardens, the diminutive, electric-blue Muscari commands the spotlight when placed at center stage on a dining or coffee table. These force well: Blue Spike, Early Giant and the best species of Muscari to force is the blue armeniacum, which grows 8 to 10 inches tall.
Others that force well are Snowdrops, Dutch Irises, Blue Squill, and Glory-of-the-snow
When one forces in water, one must discard the bulbs, but when one forces in dirt, after flowering, cut the flower stems and place the pots in direct sunlight, keeping the foliage growing until it begins to die back. As it withers, don’t pull the leaves off, store the bulbs in the pots in a cool, dry place until late summer or early fall, at which time they can be planted into the garden.
Attempts to force the same bulbs indoors will be unsuccessful; as forcing weakens the bulb and the bloom will be small and unsatisfactory the following year. Once the bulbs are back in the garden setting, they will return to a natural schedule, and in several years will again produce a wonderful show of flowers.
To recap, just remember the following: Amaryllis needs no chilling, start in a warm dark place and move to light when the stalk is 4".
Hyacinths may only need 10 weeks of chilling and begin to flower in as little as a week or so after moving to warmth.
Tulips and daffodils will take four to five weeks to be in full bloom after chilling.
Crocuses and grape hyacinths make a great show when planted in masses.
Freesias and Calla lilies may also be forced without chilling.
Paperwhite narcissus takes no chilling.. They’ll sprout just about anytime, anywhere.
The autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) takes no chilling.
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majus) will bloom in 3-4 weeks if potted up at 65 degrees.
Dutch iris (Iris reticulata) takes no chilling, should be fed every 2 weeks.
Bluebells (Scilla) take no chilling, and little effort.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 Resources: Excerpted from “Food For Thought Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/ and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.
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