Bring Spring Inside Early

By Jake Young: Landscape Architect
Forcing flowering plants to bloom early inside your home is a fantastic way to kick-start Spring into action. By cutting branches from flowering trees and shrubs and bringing them inside you can force them to bloom earlier (February to March) than normal. This is a good antidote to the Winter blues while you wait for Spring to come. The most common residential and commercial plants for forcing blooms are: Forsythia (Forsythia spp.), Crab apple (Malus spp.), Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana), Lilac (Syringa spp.), Flowering Almond or Cherry (Prunus spp.), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Spirea (Spiraea spp.), and fruit trees.

In general cut branches in late February or March. Choose branches with character such as curves, twists, and shoots with lots of flowering buds, this will provide for an interesting show. Flowering buds are more plump than leaf buds. Most people like cut stems that are 24-36 inches in length, but this will depend on the type of vase and arrangement you have planned. Start with longer branches, you can cut them to a size you need when arranging them in the container. Cut a few more than you think you might need. Cut branches and bring them inside the home, a second slit cut will need to be made just above the previous cut. If the outside temperature is below freezing it is a good idea to place the branches in slightly warm water for a few hours. Place the branches in a container with water and move to a non-sunny location inside the home (temperature should be 60-70 degrees). Floral preservatives can be added to lengthen bloom duration and quality. When buds start to show (1-8 weeks) move to a sunny location and enjoy!

- Jake Young

Jake Young is a Landscape Architect with Three Men & A Shovel Landscaping LLC. He does residential and commercial landscape design, site-design, and land-use planning. He can be reached at 435.232.8615 or Jake@ThreeMenLandscaping.com
Pictures source: www.GardenDesign.com