At this time of the year, bringing a few spring bulbs into flower is one of the most uplifting things we can do to brighten up our homes.
It’s easy, very inexpensive and in just a few weeks you’ll be enjoying some beautiful, fragrant blooms. There are, however, a few simple tricks to ensure you get great results.
To bring bulbs into bloom earlier than their typical season, we must use specially ‘prepared’ bulbs, like paperwhite narcissus and hyacinths.
Both types of bulbs are heat treated, enabling them to bloom far earlier than they normally would.
Paperwhite narcissus come in many varieties.
Narcissus Ziva, Inbal and Erlicheer are all similar double whites with a nice perfume. The paperwhite Chinese Sacred Lily, a white with a light yellow perianth, is also nicely fragrant. Narcissus Grand Soleil d’Or is a semi-double yellow with an orange perianth. Prepared hyacinths for early blooming usually come in white, pink or blue colours.
The charm of forcing bulbs into bloom can be twofold: enjoying the beauty of their colourful, perfumed flowers and also seeing the uniqueness of their developing white roots.
Special glass hyacinth jars are available that allow you to watch the magic happen. The jars have narrow necks that hold the bulbs in place while the roots develop in the water below. Shorter glass vases will work just fine, but you will need to secure the bulbs on stones to keep them in place as the roots develop. Always leave a little space between the bottoms of the bulbs and the water level to prevent any of the bulbs rotting.
It's all about presentation.
For a special look, try to use colourful stones with interesting shapes. As a bulb begins to grow, its roots will weave in and around the stones creating a unique display. Both narcissus and hyacinth bulbs can be treated this way. White hyacinth bulbs can sometimes cause a mild rash for some folks, so it may be wise to wear gloves when handling only the white varieties.
If you start your bulbs inside a warm home, the leaves will begin developing at the same time as the roots, and in the end, you will get unsightly tall foliage that simply flops over and a leggy, weak flower stem.
To avoid this outcome, you must start the bulbs outside in a cool, but protected area. By doing so, the roots will begin to show first, then the leaves will come out of the bulbs, but they will remain short and compact.
When you see the flower stems emerging from the bulbs, only then should they come inside. Try to keep your bulbs beside a cool window for slower, more compact leaf and stem growth. Depending on the indoor temperature, the blooms should last for a week or two.
Start several containers in sequence so you can enjoy them well into the Christmas season and beyond.
Blooming narcissus or hyacinths make a nice gift, especially for folks who are housebound.
Growing paperwhites can also be a fun and interesting project for young children.
