I looked at the display of potted tulips and daffodils in the grocery store and let out a deep sigh. Each flower was perfectly coiffed, the stems standing tall and pristine, the display awash with color. If only they were in my garden. Too early for that.
有了几英尺厚的冰雪,地面还需要几个月的时间才能解冻,让我的春天绽放出最美的色彩。我的邻居,另一位艺术家,决定亲自动手。她在雪堆上画了她的春花展。我有更好的办法来抑制冬季忧郁。
我厌倦了被困在室内。我不喜欢寒冷,大雪,没有阳光。我梦见春天;在我的花园里度过的时光。那片奇妙的绿洲,目前被层层冰雪覆盖,暂时可以留在原来的地方。我把我的园艺带到了室内。苗圃和园艺中心(包括那些在杂货店的)一直在这样做。他们整个冬天都在卖开花鳞茎。我为什么不能?
I made up my mind right then and there. Daffodils. I have a passion for daffodils. The fine petals encircling the trumpet-shape always seems to be calling out to me. I picked the pot with the most bulbs unopened. Daffodils, beautiful as they are, don’t bloom for long. I wanted to maximize my little bit of spring in my own home.
I put the pot in my cart satisfied with my first contribution to an indoor spring garden. But I had plans to do so much more. I glanced around the flower display. With a sigh, I gave in and added a pot of tulips that were just about to open. I pushed the cart around the flower display, looking. Searching.
“Looking for something in particular?” the friendly clerk asked.
“Amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus,” I answered, keeping my eyes focused on the
“I have amaryllis bulbs over here.” The woman led me to a shelf at the back. “Only two left over from the Christmas rush.” She reached for a box and handed it to me. “Directions to start the bulb are on the box, but I have a feeling they’ve already started growing inside the box.”
I opened the flap and
“I’m sorry. I’ve never heard of those.”
Nodding, I placed the box containing the amaryllis bulb in my cart and reached for the last remaining box on the shelf. May as well have a couple. I hated to think of one lonely amaryllis sitting in the grocery store waiting to be chosen.
我有了自己的起点。即使没有纸白色的水仙,我也可以创造我的室内春天绿洲。我还要补充一点。
Bulbs That Flower Indoors
There are many flowering bulbs that do well indoors, from the flamboyant amaryllis to the multitude of bulbs that await the spring thaw in your outdoor garden, like crocuses and tulips and daffodils. Not all bulbs need chilling to spur their growth. Amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus are accustomed to warmer climates and therefore don’t need a chilling period to force the blooms.
Amaryllis & Paperwhites
Both amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus do well in the indoor warmth with plenty of
I potted the two amaryllis bulbs, added some water, and placed them in one of my other garden windows, one that only received indirect light in the winter months. It was cooler there as well. That was a good way to keep the amaryllis stems short and sturdy and a good way to start the bulbs. I would keep the amaryllis in this location for about two weeks, then move them to the sunnier window over the kitchen sink.
Daffodils & Tulips
I placed the pot of daffodils and the pot of tulips in the sunniest window and added some water. I knew it wouldn’t take long for the flowers to burst open. The buds were bulging significantly, suggesting a healthy display.
I would place the amaryllis in the same window once they started to grow. It was a deep window, overlooking my outdoor garden which was now covered in snow. Situated over the kitchen sink, I could enjoy my little be of springtime as I puttered around the kitchen.
Hyacinth
春季我唯一不想在室内种植的球茎是风信子。我喜欢这朵花。在户外。这种香水的香气往往相当强烈,尤其是在室内种植的时候,它总是让我过敏。最好还是选择无香味的春球茎。
I finalized my order and started my preparations. Each bulb would need its own special treatment.
As my bulbs settled into their new space, I dug out my garden catalogs and looked at what was still available in the spring bulb department. It was January, after all. And most of the bulbs were purchased by gardeners in the fall to be planted outside before the first frost.
I, on the other hand, planned to create my own indoor frost and force the bulbs to bloom indoors. Hopefully before spring announced the arrival of the bulbs I had planted outdoors the previous fall. I found the paperwhite narcissus and made a note of the catalog number. Then I found the others I would grow indoors.
Mini-Daffodils & Crocuses
我的清单上有郁金香、小水仙花和番红花。There were others I could have ordered, like Dutch iris, scilla,
迷你水仙花和番红花是最容易种植的。郁金香可能需要更多的耐心。我知道,模拟北方冬季严寒的凉爽温度,是产生生化反应以促进胚胎花开始发育的必要条件。一旦这种花完全形成,植物就准备好接受光和温暖了。如果冷却时间短,那么花可能会发育不良或变形。
Forcing Indoor Bulbs
Idecided to make a chart to help with my ‘forcing’ routine. I included all theforce-able spring bulbs on the list, knowing that I would need the list at somepoint when I decided to get more involved in forcing spring bulbs.
Chilling Chart For Forcing Spring Bulbs
Top of my list was the paperwhite narcissus. Even though these bulbs didn’t require cooling, I knew that if I cooled them for a couple of weeks and then removed a couple of bulbs every few weeks, I would have a steady supply of paperwhite narcissus growing through the remainder of the winter. Not a bad plan.
My timing, I discovered in my research, was a little off. Most of the bulbs required at least 14 weeks of chilling; some as many as 18 weeks. Starting my bulbs in January meant that they may not start blooming until April. If winter dragged on (as it often does in my part of the world), I would have an indoor spring garden while I waited impatiently for the change in weather.
This was my first try at forcing the bulbs. If it worked, I would plan to start my chilling time earlier. Perhaps as early as the end of October.
Where To Chill Bulbs
Choosing the right chilling location was another challenge. The outdoor temperature in January and February was erratic at best, ranging from -40° C (surprisingly the same in Fahrenheit) to 50°F (+10°C). The warmer trends of February could easily start an early growth if the bulbs are not buried in layers of melting snow and ice.
Plus, there was the problem of squirrels digging for food. My pots of bulbs would be a prime target. I did consider my shed, which would maintain a steady cold temperature. But there, again, was the issue of squirrels digging for food. The squirrels had found a way into my shed. To protect my bulbs, I needed another viable option.
I considered the freezer. Too cold. I didn’t want to freeze the bulbs to death, so to speak. Freezers run at 0°F (-18°C). The chilling temperature should range between 35-45°F (1-7°C). The best option for me was the refrigerator which runs around 35°F (1°C).
Fortunately, I had an extra refrigerator, one I used to store fruits and vegetables from the summer harvest. The supply of produce was decreasing, so there was room. If this worked, I would have to devise a better plan for next year if I wanted to start chilling bulbs in late October when the second refrigerator is full to capacity.
Preparing Forced Bulbs
I sorted through my pots and pulled out all my wide, shallow ones (about 4-6 inches deep) and added the soil I had purchased at the store. I filled each pot right up to the brim.
Making a mental note to plant my bulbs at least 2 inches below the top of the soil, I decided I was ready as soon as my bulbs arrived. I knew that the bulbs liked to snuggle in a crowded pot, so I planned on planting the bulbs about ½ inch apart. I would make sure that each pot only contained one type of bulb since the chilling and blooming times differed for each bulb.
Once the bulbs arrived, I immediately potted them in the prepared pots and placed them in the refrigerator. I counted the weeks on my calendar and marked when it would be time to remove the bulbs and allow them to grow. I had a slightly warm space waiting (60°F (15°C) with indirect sunlight), and I didn’t want to heat up the bulbs overnight. Once they were positioned for growing, I would water them regularly and try to be patient as I watched for signs of life.
After the first sign of growth appeared after a couple of weeks, I moved my pots into a warmer location (68°F (20°C) with direct sunlight). The plants grew and after about 4 weeks of being removed from the chilling environment, the blooms started.
有些鳞茎的表现比其他的好。我安慰自己说这只是个实验。我在4月份种了春球茎,那时地面上还略微覆盖着积雪,距离春天真正到来还有几周时间。
My first attempt turned into a yearly exercise, one that I started much earlier, some years chilling bulbs as early as September to ensure an indoor spring garden in January.
And reblooming? After my indoor spring oasis, I plant the bulbs outdoors. Forcing the same bulbs each year doesn’t work too well, so I add the forced bulbs to my outdoor spring garden and start with a fresh collection of bulbs to force each fall. Some bulbs will rebloom after a couple of years. Sadly, paperwhites and tropical narcissus will not rebloom.
Mary Finnsays
Gloxinias, achimenes,oxalis, and zephrantes next time. They are what you need to plant in the spring. Your stuff should be planted in October in a pot outside under some mulch and taken in in late winter.
Emily-Jane Hills Orfordsays
Interesting idea. Perhaps if I placed the pot in an outdoor shed or in the garage. Just leaving it outside in a pot during the winter, at least in my northern climate, would have the pot frozen to the ground and probably covered with a thick layer of ice. For me, refrigerating the bulbs works best.