We talked about Forcing Bulbs Inside. But, much less is said about forcing flowering shrubs to bloom . This is easy to do and can be done right in the middle of a raging blizzard! This fact is simply amazing given how easy it is to do. We are about to let you in to one of gardening’s best kept secrets.
Are you ready??
Forcing those blooms are as easy as one-two-three.
- One, put on your jacket and hat.
- Two, grab your pruning shears or a sharp knife.
- Three, go out to your favorite flowering bush or tree.
- Four, look for a branch with buds on it. Cut the branch at a length that is right for the vase you will use.
- Five, bring the branches indoors, and put it in a vase filled with water.
Now the wait begins. Depending upon the flower you are using, you should have blooms in two to six weeks. It’s the warmth that will awaken the cuttings, not sunlight. Once the branch awakens, you can move it to a window to provide some sunlight.
Here is a short list of bushes, trees, and shrubs that you can force:
| Cherry | Lilac | ||
| Cherry | Magnolia | ||
| Crab Apple | Pussy Willow | ||
| Flowering Dogwood | Wisteria | ||
| Forsythia | Honeysuckle |
