A garden can be defined many ways: a plot of land used for the growing of flowers, vegetables, herbs and trees; an area of fertile, cultivated property; even as a verb “to lay out, develop or tend.How would you like spring to come a month early? Grab a few bulbs, a pot, some potting soil and get forcing.
We asked bulb expert Brent Heath, of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, to show us how to use bulbs in pots to get a jump on spring.
Here are the basic steps:
•Use a plastic pot, it will withstand freezing temperatures outside. The pot must drain freely. When it is time to bring the pot indoors, place it in a larger container.
•Miniature daffodils or small bulbs like crocuses will fit in a small pot 6 to 8 inches in diameter, but use a larger pot for regular daffodils or tulips. Count on 10 bulbs in an 8- to 10-inch pot.
•After planting, water the pot well to start root growth.
•Store the pot in a cool environment until mid-February – against a north wall and insulated with leaves or mulch; in a foam cooler in an unheated outbuilding or apartment balcony; or in a refrigerator, not a freezer. Give the pot a cup of water every two weeks.
•After 12 weeks, bring it indoors to initiate top growth. The blooms will need bright light to prevent stem stretching.
Heath recommends using fluorescent lights until the buds are ready to open.
