Forcing Forsythia

Mar 27, 2018 | Gardening

After nor’easters and thunder snow, we’re all ready for a little spring. The burst of yellow blooming forsythia is one of the first happy signs of the season. You can have the delight of spring a little earlier by forcing forsythia flowers in your home.

Who doesn’t love all of the vibrant colors that spring brings to our landscapes? This pop of yellow is sure to boost your mood instantly.

“Forcing” is the process of making flowers bloom before their natural season. Forsythia is the perfect candidate with their woody stems and the never-ending need to be pruned. February and March are the ideal months to force the flower. The closer it is to the natural bloom the shorter the time will be for them to bloom in your house. You can also experiment with other woody stemmed varieties like pussy willow, dogwood, and cherry branches.

The process of forcing forsythia is so simple you’ll want to do it every year.

Choose branches that display many buds
Use pruning shears to cut from the bush, and bring them inside
Smash the stems with a hammer to allow more water intake
Choose a suitable vase or container that balances the tall stems
If you want to speed up blooming use warm to hot water, otherwise use cool/cold water.
Trim buds and branches off that will be below your water line
Arrange the branches in your container
Place in a warm, sunny spot
Change water often to keep it fresh

Calgo Gardens is grounded in the belief that nature, art, and positive energy feed our spirits. If “earth” without “ART” is “eh,” Calgo chooses to nurture earth’s ART. Our style and feel is the result of consciously living our philosophy—harmony by design. eARTh will be alive with posts about Calgo-style garden ideas, plants and flowers we love, do-it-yourself projects, new items from THE BARN—and all the dirt (and fun!) that’s happening at Calgo!