Force tulips for eternal springtime

Why wait for spring?

Flowers create fabulous curb appeal, especially tulips in the spring. They add a dash of welcome colour after a long and dreary winter. But why wait for spring when you can wave a magic want and have tulips blooming indoors anytime of the year.

It's called "forcing" bulbs, which means that you set up an environment that makes bulbs thing that it's growing season, when it's not. There are just three easy steps to make you forget that's really December.

Gather up materials, such as deep pots, potting mix (with no soil), a package of tulip bulbs and a watering can.

Not any tulip will do

It's important to choose the correct variety. Check the label on the package. You want a shorter-growing variety, and a variety that only grows 10 inches to 14 inches. Any taller than that, and your stem will fall over. You want a large, firm bulb. If you get your package of bulbs home and you find smaller, softer bulbs just throw them out. Make sure you keep them in a cool place until you're all ready to force them

It's all about timing

If you're thinking of forcing bulbs, you can start as early as October if you want flowers for Christmas. Otherwise, later in the fall works so you can have blooms in February. When you're timing them, remember you need about 12 weeks to 16 weeks if you start in early fall, and less time if you start them in December, like 8 to 10 weeks.

Pick your pot

Clay pots work best. Tulips love clay pots; however the soil will dry out much more quickly so a clay pot planting will require more care. You will want a deep pot with drainage. Fill up half the pot with wet potting mix.

Placement in the pot

You can put as many in the pot as will fit as long as they don't touch other. The more the merrier and the more lovely the show when they bloom. Put the bulbs root down so the tops sit just below the rim. Then add more soilless potting mix so only the nose of the blubs are showing. Give them a good drink of water, and label your pot with the planting date and the variety of tulip you've planted. One other tip — if you examine your bulb, you will notice that they have a flat side. The flat side is where the leaf of the tulips appears. If you place the bulbs so the flat side is facing the outside of the pot, the leaves will grow and naturally hang over the side of the pot.

Time to trick them

Tulips need to think that they're hibernating over winter before they start to grow. To fake winter, put the potted bulbs in an unheated garage or cool basement. They shouldn't freeze but they should be between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius and placed in a dark area. Do not put them next to apples, because these types of fruit let off a gas that will inhibit blooms. Keep the dirt moist. They need to chill for 8 to 16 weeks. You'll know they've had enough if you see sprouts through the drainage holes.

If you don't have room or a cool enough place, you could put the unplanted bulbs in the fridge in a paper bag for six weeks, away from fruit. Then pot them, put them in a cool room for 4 weeks then give it a shot.

Bring out the blooms

Once they've been in "winter" put the pots in a room warmer than 10 degrees C but no warmer than 16 degrees C with bright but indirect sunlight. For shorter steams and faster blooms, keep the room temperature war. When the shoots are 2 inches you can move into warmer, more direct sunlight. That should bring on flowers within the week. To make the flowers last longer, keep the plants cool at night.