Bulbs
Bulbs - Flowering Seasons
Bulbs - Guide
Forcing Bulbs

This method brings a bulb into flower before its natural flowering season and indoors, away from its natural surroundings.

Keep in mind...
Containers must be clean.
Select bulbs that look healthy, are firm and of high quality.
The number of bulbs depends on your container size, but an uneven number always works best, such as groups of 3 or 5.

Growing bulbs in soil is done by setting the bulb pointed end up on top of planting medium (consisting of equal amounts of potting soil, sand and perlite), so that the tip is the same height to the pot's top. Space bulbs closely together without touching and fill with planting medium and water. Always moisten to damp consistency before planting. Place container in a cool and dark place (they can be covered in a box and kept in the fridge too) and keep moistened. After 12 weeks, the pot can be taken out, uncovered and moved to a light (indirect) area where you can feed and water them weekly. When the leaves and buds are firm the pot can be moved to a sunny window, but once flowering they should be moved to indirect light again.

After flowering, stems can be cut off and the pot moved to direct light. Let the leaves carry on growing and leave them to die back completely as this serves as food for next year's flowers. Bulbs can now be planted out into the garden.

Growing bulbs in water (like hyacinths and narcissus) is possible and instead of soil, washed pebbles are used in a glass container and filled with water. Bulbs are secured in the pebbles, but not covered, and the container should stand in a cool, dark area until a flower cluster has emerged from the bulb (about 3 months) - after this, your bulb can be moved to a bright window sill. Note: bulbs will only grow one season in this method.

Bulbs planted in an attractive pot or glass vase makes for a fantastic ‘living’ gifts. Instead of taking someone flowers, why not grow your own stash of living bouquets!


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