Get a jump on spring: Bring blossoms indoors

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

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Tired of winter's drabness? Ready for some fresh flowers from your yard? There is a way to hurry along that wonderful season of spring and put some color in your life.

Many people are familiar with forcing amaryllis, paperwhites and tulips at Christmas time, but the blossoms of flowering trees and shrubs in one's own yard can also be forced. Amissa Kitzberger, one of the perennial experts at Fort Collins Nursery, explained how it's done.

First, look around your yard for good candidates. Forsythia is a great one, as well as flowering almond and lilac bushes. Any fruit trees work well, including peach, cherry, apricot, plum, crabapple or other apple varieties.

Timing is crucial for forcing, Kitzberger said. It's best to cut branches when the buds start to swell and show a bit of color. Exactly when to cut depends on the weather and the plant variety. For instance, forsythia branches will be ready earlier than cherry stems. Generally March and April are good months for forcing blooms, but don't rush, because cutting too early will spoil the show!

Choose stems that are less than 1/2 inch in diameter for the best results. Also, look for stems that have lots of plump flower buds. Flower buds are round and fat, while leaf buds are smaller and pointed. If you're cutting at the correct time, it should be easy to tell the difference because the flower buds will have some color.

When transferring the branches to another container, recut the stems and immediately put the stems in fresh water. Stems can be cut under water or not, Kitzberger said. If you want the blossoms to open quickly, put them into warm water. If you want them to last longer, use cool water.

Likewise, the air temperature makes a difference in how fast the blossoms open. If you want the branches to bloom gradually, keep them in a cool place.

Depending on how tight the buds are when you cut the branches, and the temperature of the water and air, it may take one to two weeks for the cut branches to bloom. Floral preservative in the water can help keep your spring blooms fresh.

A person needs to be a bit careful when cutting branches from flowering shrubs and trees. Early spring is not the correct time for pruning these plants!

Most shrubs and trees set their buds during the previous growing season. Therefore, this spring's buds and flowers will show up on "old wood," meaning last year's growth. If you want blooms this spring, naturally you won't want to prune away the old wood too soon. Just cut a few branches for forcing, and leave the rest.

Pruning should be done immediately after the plants are done blooming, according to Tom Haynie, owner of Creekside Garden Center. Then, during the summer months, buds will set on the new growth for next spring's color. With fruit trees, any branches cut for forcing will naturally reduce your harvest of fruit in the fall. But, at my house anyway, a few apples can happily be sacrificed for a little early-spring color!