Keep the soil moist, but not wet, for the entire chilling period. from the bottom of the bulb. Sign up for our newsletter. An extended period of cool temperatures stimulates a biochemical response inside the bulb that "turns on" the embryonic flower so it starts developing. Avoid overwatering, which will cause the bulbs to rot in the pot. In order to prevent this, use a container that is at least as tall as the flower stalks will grow. If you choose bulbs suited to your plant hardiness zone and climate, they will require remarkably little care [see Bulbs developed traits from growing in the wild that adapted them to the specific climate in which they grew.Growing wild, they survived periods of drought by entering a near-dormant state. Paperwhites and other tropical narcissus will not rebloom.The following bulbs are the easiest to force into bloom because they don't require a chilling period:Recommended number of weeks of chilling, plus number of weeks until bloom (in parentheses).Get in on the best deals, new products and gardening tips. During dormancy or when growth slows, withhold water.Either lift, cure, clean, and store the bulbs, or remove old mulch and replace it to protect them as they overwinter in your landscape [see: Always store lifted bulbs in conditions that will help avoid fungal disease or excess drying [see: Florist’s cyclamen, glory-of-the-snow, Persian buttercup, snowdrop, snowflake, star-of-Bethlehem (spring), spring starflower, windflower: Baboon flower (spring), cape cowslip, corn lily, freesia, squill: Dog-tooth violet, fritillary, fumaria, grape hyacinth, striped squill, woodlily: Blood lily, bugle lily, camas, Dutchman’s-breeches, fan iris, Mariposa lily, lords-and-ladies, wood sorrel: Calla lily, lily-of-the-valley, southern swamp lily, star grass, wake-robin, winter aconite: Hardy begonia, tuberous begonia (summer), caladium, canna, lily-of-the-Nile (deciduous), false lobster-claw, montebretia, pineapple lily, Scarborough lily, society garlic, tree gloxinia, tuberose: Blazing star, daylily, elephant’s-ear, fire lily, gladiolus, bearded iris, gloriosa lily, torch lily, lily-of-the-Incas, bush morning-glory, bitter Indian nasturtium, orchid pansy, spider lily, tiger flower: Freesia, snowflake (summer), star-of-Bethlehem (summer), wandflower: Ginger, true gloxinia, flag iris, zephyr lily (summer): Meadow saffron, naked lily, nerine, snowflake (autumn), winter daffodil: Florist’s amaryllis, false lobster-claw, society garlic: Florist’s gloxinia, lily-of-the-Nile (evergreen), Scarborough lily, star grass, zephyr lily (semi-evergreen): Regular waterings during periods of active growth—usually performed weekly—are essential to making your bulbs grow and bloom.Don’t skip waterings. They will do the same in your garden. Move the plant to a lighter area where temperatures are at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 C.). And keep the bulbs in the dark or they may start growing before they're fully chilled.Once you remove your bulbs from cold storage, allow three or four weeks to bloom time. You may also take a tall vase and fill the bottom with pebbles or decorative glass beads. How to Force a Hyacinth. This technique of coaxing bulbs into early bloom indoors is sometimes called "forcing." The plants won’t last long but the fuel inside the bulb is enough to produce some foliage and flowers indoors for a period of time. Use a glass container designed to force hyacinth bulbs. This cold treatment is similar to the bulbs being planted in your garden in the fall and going through our Minnesota winter.Flowering takes a considerable amount of the bulb’s stored energy. If you're growing your bulbs in a bowl with pebbles or marbles, the water should cover no more than the bottom quarter to third of the bulb. Growing bulbs indoors supplies spring color before winter's end. For all you non-green thumbs and more impatient types, growing tulips indoors in a vase of water is an easy way to get the season off to a quick start! Snowdrop – 15 weeks. The first step is to pick good healthy bulbs without any mold or soft spots. Start some every few weeks for blooms right through February. Fill the vase with water until it comes just 1 inch (3 cm.) Hyacinth should be planted about 5-6 inches.Once planted, it is time to give the bulbs a cold temperature treatment of 35° to 48℉ for a minimum of 12 to 13 weeks. Not all spring bulbs are good choices for forcing but you can try While most bulbs are grown in soil, the bulb itself is actually a storage unit with plentiful carbohydrates for growth and root forming cells. Daffodils – 12-15 weeks. When you grow bulbs outdoors or indoors in potting soil, the bulb is replenished from the minerals and nutrients in the environment. The key to success with indoor bulbs is to plan ahead. In all the philodendron species, heart-leaf …
If a dry spell lasts more than a week, gather your hose and a diffusing nozzle in the morning after the air has warmed, and follow these steps to water your bulbs:Overhead watering, whether by hand or with automatic sprinklers, is best for most bulbs. Only apply water during periods of their active growth. Another growth-and-bloom cycle will follow, provided sunlight hours remain long.Some tropicals require other watering schedules; follow the recommendation for the species.Water your bulbs using these recommendations for spring-, summer-, or autumn-blooming bulb varieties and for evergreen and tropical bulbs.Water regularly for the period shown. Please turn it on so that you can experience the full capabilities of this site.As a founding employee of Gardener's Supply, I wore many different hats over the years. Tulips and standard daffodils can also be forced, but they require more careful attention.Check the information below (under Bulbs to Grow Indoors) for specifics about how long to chill your bulbs. Don’t forget to change the water every week to save the begonia cuttings from rotting. If summer rains are common for your region, lift and store spring bulbs in a warm, dry location after their foliage completely dries [see: Summer and autumn bulbs require watering throughout the entire gardening season, from spring planting until temperatures cool.Reduce the amount of water applied to summer bulbs as autumn arrives, helping them to trigger their dormancy.Continue to water autumn bloomers until the first frosts begin in cold-winter climates, or until the onset of winter in mild-winter areas.