By Jean Thomas
The forcing we’re talking about today is a kinder, gentler type of forcing than one might think. Late January and into February are ideal times for cutting stems of certain shrubs and bringing them inside to coax into bloom. If you think this is a silly way to pass your time, you can call it late winter pruning and feel virtuous about it. If you’re hungry for a little bit of spring, this is a fun way to get yourself outdoors on a mild day. You can find a spring flowering shrub and push the season a little bit.
People have been forcing blooms ever since somebody figured out how easy it is. Of course, you will need to be able to identify a shrub without its leaves. If that’s not you, scout around among friends and family. Someone will know. So what do you need? A sharp pair of pruners is pretty much it. Preferably clean. And some kind of bucket of water to put the stems into. I like a nice five gallon shop bucket with a handle. If you’re a beginner, look for shrubs rather than trees. They’re just quicker and easier. The Forsythia is the ideal forcing choice. Right now is the prime time to trim them, they tend to sprawl and can always use a haircut, and once brought inside and prepped they only take about a week to pop out some cheerful yellow flowers. Witch Hazel is usually cooperative if you’re lucky enough to have some. Other choices should be cut later, usually when you start to see the buds swelling on the stems. Each flower has a different timetable. Fruits like apples, peaches and cherries can take four weeks to bloom. Head outside on a mild day, maybe around forty degrees or more. Locate the shrub you want to trim and take the following steps:
Look closely at the total shape of the shrub and find branches that look awkward or crowded… what you’re doing is actually pruning and beneficial to the shrub. Trim the stems at the spot just above where a smaller branch grows away from a bigger one. Making a diagonal cut, take a piece one to two feet long. Look for branches with lots of buds. There will beboth flower buds and leaf buds there.
Stash the stems in the water in the bucket and keep collecting until you have as many as you need, remembering that ultimately you’ll have to make room indoors for the stems as they flower. Large vases are probably wisest.
You can divide the stems up into vases either when you bring them inside or after a night in the bucket. I prefer the latter. And beware of overconfidence. I can’t count the number of times I misjudged how heavy the branches would become as the water filled the stems and toppled the container. Depending on how fussy you are, you may or may not decide to re-cut the ends every day. However, it is imperative to keep topping off the water level in the vase.
Once the vase is arranged how you want it, it should be put in the brightest spot you can find that’s away from heaters and from the direct heat of the sun. The flowers last longest in a cool, bright room. Iowa State Cooperative Extension has an excellent list of plants and how-to suggestions on their website at https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/how-force-branches-spring-flowering-trees-and-shrubs.
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