Force Your Forsythia Indoors

Do you have forsythia growing in your garden? Then get out there, snip a few branches and bring them indoors to force them.

Forcing plants means tricking them into thinking it’s time to flower. The fragrant paperwhites you see before the winter holidays are bulbs that have been forced to bloom early by watering them in a warm environment. Flower shops will soon have branches of branches of flowering apple and forsythia, but it’s very easy to force your own branches.

If you don’t have forsythia bushes, you can probably find some growing along a road near your home. Take your pruning clippers with you next time you go for a walk and bring some branches home. Forsythia is a very forgiving plant and doesn’t mind having bits lopped off it. Put the branches in a tall vase with water. In a few days you’ll start seeing the yellow flowers pop open, followed by the leaves. Ah, spring!

Has anyone tried forcing other flowering trees? Please let me know. fpearson@mainstreetconnect.us.

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