Starting an Indoor Bulb Garden

Getting a burst of color from fresh flowers doesn’t mean having to spend a fortune at the florist; you can add a touch of spring to your home whenever you want by starting an indoor bulb garden.  Forcing bulbs indoors is easy and adds the same freshness and color to a room

that any florist’s bouquet would, plus your indoor bulb garden will last weeks longer.  Force amaryllis, paper whites, or red and white tulips for the winter holiday season or plant hyacinth for an all-natural air freshener.  Here are the steps to start your own indoor bulb garden.

Plan

The first step is deciding when you want your indoor bulb garden to be in bloom.  Most bulbs need a chilling period of about eight to twelve weeks before they’ll bloom, although for some it’s even more.  Add to that the two or three weeks it’ll take for your bulbs to grow and eventually flower and you’ll know how many weeks you’ll need to start your indoor bulb garden before you need them blooming.  Consider planting a pot or two every week or so for a succession of flowers.  Some bulbs, such as amaryllis and paper whites, don’t require a chilling period at all, only the time it takes them to grow, six to eight weeks for amaryllis, three to five for paper whites.

Plant

The next step is getting your bulbs planted.  Start with a clean pot that has a drainage hole and a saucer to catch extra water.  Place some gravel, Styrofoam peanuts, or a few terra cotta shards in the bottom to improve water flow.  You can either add about three or four inches of clean gravel and nestle the bulbs into the stones or add two inches of potting, not garden soil, then place the bulbs on top and fill in with potting soil so the tips of the bulbs are just covered.  When planting multiple bulbs, arrange them fairly tightly for a nice, full look.

Chill

Water well, cover with aluminum foil, and place in your refrigerator, unheated basement, or garage for the appropriate chill time.  Keep the soil evenly moist.  After the chilling period, move them to a cool spot in the house out of direct sun or heat, keep watering, and wait for them to bloom!

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