The holidays are such a bright and cheerful time of year. Here in the Northeast it’s even more appreciated, since all of the vivid color of the past seasons has faded away. So, I started to think about what can be done to bring color and cheer into the months of January, February and March. Then I thought, how about a gift of wonder for after the holidays: forced bulbs for growing indoors.

By gifting un-bloomed bulbs now, they will be the perfect winter wonder to experience and enjoy in February.

With the many delightful varieties of Amaryllis being in red and their blooming season during winter, they are often associated with Christmas and the holidays, but I think they are best as a gift given to be enjoyed after the New Year. They take 8-10 weeks to bloom, so, by gifting un-bloomed bulbs now, they will be the perfect winter wonder to experience and enjoy in February.

There are a lot of other wonderful forced bulbs to grow through the winter, and one variety I really enjoy is Paperwhites (Narcissus). My favorite attribute of this plant is its aroma. My least favorite is how the thin stems topple over with the weight of the flowers. Recently, I learned that Cornell University researchers have found that to help with this issue is to stunt the stem’s growth. The trick is to grow these bulbs in a diluted solution of alcohol once the roots begin and green starts to show (7 parts water to 1 part vodka or 13 parts water to 1 part 70% rubbing alcohol). If your Paperwhites are already growing, and it’s too late to add the diluted alcohol solution, I find thin sticks tied with gardening string around them helps to support the flowers.

So, by gifting un-bloomed Amaryllis or Paperwhites bulbs for the holidays, you will be sharing the living gift of the beauty and the experience of seeing them blossom right before their very eyes: a gift of wonder.

Share with me below: What are your favorite forced flower bulb to grow indoors during the winter months?

FEATURED FLOWER
Amaryllis. Photographed in My Studio.

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