There are so many people who really miss out on Spring blooming bulbs! (Those in zone 8 or warmer). Then there are people like me who long for winter to be over and want flowers all the time. So, forcing bulbs is a great option to get those blooms!
Typically, growing flower bulbs is almost fool proof, but forcing bulbs takes a little more time and attention. “Forcing” bulbs is the term used for mimicking what normally happens to bulbs when planted outdoors. It is a process that stimulates bulbs to bloom out of season.
The most common and easiest bulbs to force are: paper-white narcissus, amaryllis, muscari, and hyacinths. Daffodils and tulips are not too difficult either, but choose shorter varieties for best show. The best tulips for indoor forcing: Triumph Tulips, Single Early Tulips, Darwin Hybrid Tulips. Spring flowering bulbs usually require about 12-20 weeks at temperatures between 41-48°F in order to produce a good root system for the best blooms.
Name of bulb Weeks of cold Weeks to bloom
| Amaryllis | None | 6 to 10 |
| Chionodoxa | 15 | 2 to 3 |
| Crocus | 15 | 2 to 3 |
| Hyacinths | 11 to 14 | 2 to 3 |
| Iris | 15 | 2 to 3 |
| Muscari | 13 to 15 | 2 to 3 |
| Narcissus | 15 to 17 | 2 to 3 |
| Paper-whites | None | 3 to 5 |
| Scilla | 12 to 15 | 2 to 3 |
| Tulip | 15 to 20 | 2 to 3 |
Pot your bulbs right away if you have an appropriate location immediately available, such as a refrigerator, a root cellar or cool basement, or outdoors if temps are below 48°F. When storing pots outdoors for cold period be sure that if temps drop below 30°F that you cover them with some type of insulation. If you can’t plant them immediately, bare bulbs can be stored in a mesh bag or paper bag with holes that permit ventilation for several weeks in refrigerator prior to potting without damage. Note: Do not store them in same drawer as fruit.
Use clean pots with drainage holes and plain potting soil. Make sure you allow for 2 inches of soil below the bulb and select a pot large enough to allow the top of the bulb to be even with the rim when placed on the soil. The bulbs should be touching each other for the best look when blooming. Then water them well in order to settle the soil.
The bulbs will flower anywhere from 2-5 weeks after they have been brought into warmer temperatures. If you have a set time when you want them to bloom, make sure you add flowering period to the rooting/cold period for the total number of weeks to wait. Amaryllis and Paper-whites do not need this cold period.
These next steps would be ideal for the best and most perfect blooms. Move your pots to an indoor area with indirect sunlight and temperatures about 60°F for a week or two. When the shoots are 4-6 inches tall, move the pots to a bright, sunny window to stimulate blooming. A temperature of about 68°F and direct sunlight would be ideal. When you see the color on the buds, return the plants to indirect sunlight to make the blossoms last. Keep the soil moist at all times.
After blooming, hardy bulbs such as hyacinths and tulips cannot be forced again and should be discarded. Or they can be planted outdoors where they may rebloom within a year or two.
Amaryllis bulbs will bloom again and again, provided they are properly cared for. After the bulb finishes blooming, cut off the flower stalk close to the base. Keep the plant moist and add house plant fertilizer. Stop watering in August, and allow the plant to dry out completely in the sun. In early fall, remove and clean the bulbs of old scales and dead foliage. Roots should be fleshy and not damaged. You can re-pot when you are ready to restart the process.
Maybe you will want to give this a try now? I especially enjoy forcing Hyacinths for indoor enjoyment because of there sweet fragrance! I hope you found this helpful and easy to understand.
I have a bunch of tulip bulbs and planted them in pots last year and they all sprouted and I was looking forward to the flowers but they never actually flowered. Someone told me it takes a year or 2 for the flowers to actually come out, I don’t know how true that is. I live in an apt and had the pots on the window sill. I dug up the bulbs after the green leaves all died and I was going to attempt to plant them again this year and hopefully get them to flower. What are your thoughts?? I wish I had a a garden. I’m working with what I have.
Thank you, any advice would be helpful.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth-
What a disappointment! It sounds like they did not get enough cold temps before sprouting or they never had a chance to rejuvenate themselves after blooming the previous year.
My questions for you: Had you just bought the tulips last year? Did you follow the steps for forcing bulbs?
If the bulbs are still firm and healthy, I would plant them to see if they will flower. If they had enough light and water last year to rejuvenate the bulb, they may just bloom this year.
But also know, forced bulbs are generally no longer viable after blooming. Unless they are kept in the ground- they just do not keep year after year.
I wish you the best! Let me know if you get any flowers!
Hello enjoyed watching your video. I’ve recently purchase Gladiolous bulbs and I’m wondering if it’s safe to plant in pots vice garden. I currently live in Florida so the sunshine will be no problem. I’m kind of reluctant however I’m willing to try?
Thanks
Kako
Sure you can grow Glads in pots. Since you are in Florida, you can plant in various pots at a few week intervals to get continuous blooms of glads over a longer stretch of time. Just don’t forget to water more often!
Gabrielle
what a great blog, I am going to try this with some tulips sitting them on the cellar stairs towards the top by the door, this is pretty cold, yet not freezing. My only question is, after initial planting and watering, should I put a smidge of water on them now and then as if they were outside, or will they rot if you give them any water at all? thanks very much, Val
Val,
Sounds like a good option to try. Water when planting and then leave it. Just make sure to give some water right when it starts to warm up!
Thanks for the simple to follow instructions! I’m planning to force narcissus and muscari bulbs together in small planters for my late April wedding and I have a few questions.
They have different amounts of time listed for cold storage, is there a way I can plant them together and have them bloom at the same time?
If I follow your directions for timing and temperatures, how closely can we predict the date they will bloom?
Thanks – Sharon
Im glad you found it helpful. If your plan is to have them in same containers, I would chill for 15-16 weeks. Flowering time can take 2-3 weeks after you take the out of colder area. You want them to look great on one day. (depending a lot on temperatures. and too much heat could make them bloom and wilty fast.) That is where your gamble will be. Because it is such a special occasion- I would make a back up plan.
I wish you the best!
I have some tulip bulbs (parrot) from Holland. My zone is 4 and it is snow outside with very low temp, so the ground is frozen. I do not want to wait because some bulbs have rotted. What should I do? store bulbs in garage or plant in pots and keep them in the frig? Also I have never planted anything in my life and the bulbs were a gift from my daughter.
Esther,
You will need to force them according to my blog post. Pot them up asap and provide the cold temps. Otherwise they will continue to rot and just be garbage. If the bulbs you still have are firm, You should be able to get them to bloom!