Gardening with Soule

I am planting bulbs  to prepare for the flower fix I will need by January.  So to enjoy some springtime in the winter, forcing bulbs can be a lot of fun.  It is even a great project for kids because it is so simple to do.  Pick out some paper white narcissus, they are the easiest because they require no cold period to simulate winter. 

 Just get a pot that is at least three to four inches deep, fill it with dirt or glass marbles or gems. You can plant a few spaced throughout  the pot or next to each other if you have enough.   The more bulbs the fuller your flowers will look.  To use the gems, just set the bulbs down far enough into the stones to support them leaving a few inches below for roots.   Next fill the pot with water just to the bottom of the bulbs.  A glass container that is clear is a great one to use for this since you can see the bulb, roots and flowers.  Try to have the water barely touch the bottom of the bulb to prevent rotting.  As soon as roots develop you can keep the water below the bulb. 

Another way to plant the bulbs is to place the bulbs in potting soil that covers them just to the top so the pointy end of the bulb is sticking out a bit. Either way you plant them, put them in sunshine in a cool room and wait until they are growing.

When they start to grow a few inches, then you should move them to a bright location out of direct sunlight. That way they don’t get too tall and fall over.   Stake them if need be and step back and enjoy the show.  If they are a bit floppy you can tie a ribbon around them to keep them standing together.  This is a nice touch if it’s a Christmas gift.  It usually takes anywhere from three to five weeks for flowers.  

 The future is always beginning now.  ~Mark Strand