Haughtline Dweethly - More Gardening

Enjoy an Early Taste of Spring

By Mary W. Haught

Can't wait for spring to come, when flower beds throw off their wintry blankets and welcome the day with glorious blooms?

Before warmer weather arrives, you can get a jump on springtime and create a beautiful centerpiece or other type of floral arrangement right in your own home. The best part is it's an easy process, using simple tools, and it doesn’t take long.

We can force or “encourage” branches cut from many shrubs to show their color indoors before the cold weather outside would allow them to open. Any time after the first of February, branches of plants such as forsythia or pussy willows can be cut, and their blooms should open in a week or so. Here’s the process experts recommend.

Select branches that have plump buds. These tend to be flower buds, while the smaller, tighter buds are usually leaves. Using sharp clippers, cut branches at least 12 inches long. Keep in mind the ultimate shape of the shrub, and be sure not to leave holes in the plant.

Once you take the branches inside, recut the stems, and split the ends before putting them in water. Some people prefer to use a hammer and smash the ends. Either method works. The goal is to allow as much water as possible to permeate the woody stem. Some sources recommend submerging the entire branch in a bathtub of water overnight, but I’ve never taken that step.

Put the branches in a container that will hold them upright and add warm water to about three inches. After about half an hour, add more water to the depth you wish.

Some experts suggest using a preservative solution such as two tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and a half teaspoon of chlorine bleach to a quart of water. This may help keep the water fresh, but I just change the water every day or so during the forcing period. You may want to mist the buds occasionally to be sure they don’t dry out. Keep the container in a cool, semi-dark spot.

Most branches will begin to show color in about a week. (I cut forsythia recently and the buds opened in four days.) When the blooms start to open, the branches are ready to arrange in whatever container you wish, and they can be moved into a brighter spot in your home.

My personal goal is to have flowers as early as possible, but other branches, not known for their blooms, have interesting leaves as they open. Trees such as red maple or oak can be forced starting in March. Other favorites for forcing include redbud, flowering quince, apple, crabapple, flowering almond, spirea, lilac and viburnum.

Enjoy your early taste of spring!