One doesn't have to wait until spring to enjoy the fragrance and beauty of springtime blooms - just force some bulbs indoors.
Forcing is the process of speeding up a bulb’s development by simulating the conditions of winter and spring - it's a way of fooling Mother Nature and tricking the bulb to bloom before its natural time. Recently, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, planted several separate containers - some with amaryllis and some with narcissi bulbs - all of which will erupt with beautiful color later this season.
Enjoy these photos.
Forcing bulbs is one of the easiest gardening processes. Any waterproof container can be used for forcing bulbs – just be sure there is about three to four inches of space below the bulbs to accommodate root growth.
I’m forcing several different varieties of narcissi paperwhite bulbs and amaryllis bulbs from Colorblends Wholesale Flower Bulbs in Bridgeport, Connecticut and John Scheepers in Bantam, Connecticut. Varieties include Amaryllis ‘Red Victory,’ Amaryllis ‘White Candle,’ Amaryllis ‘Mandela,’ Amaryllis ‘Flamenco Queen,’ Amaryllis ‘Alfresco,’ and Narcissus ‘Ziva.’
The first step is to gather the right materials. Ryan uses a potting mix that includes perlite and vermiculite for good drainage. I use Miracle-Gro Potting Mix formulas.
We save all the shards from broken clay pots for covering the inside bottom holes when planting.
The shards help with drainage and to keep the soil from leaking out of the vessel.
Ryan starts to fill the pot with potting mix – this mix is very light with good aeration, which is crucial for healthy root growth.
Ryan fills the pot to just about an inch under the rim. Depending on the size of the bulbs, one can fill a bit less.
Next, using his hands, Ryan carefully places each bulb. The bulbs should be placed deep enough so they can be fully covered. Ryan gently pushes each bulb down into the soil, so it is well-anchored. And remember, pointed end faced up and root end facing down.
Ryan uses enough bulbs to fill the container. They can be crowded together or spaced out.
There are two types of bulbs for indoor growing: those you need to chill and those you don’t. These bulbs do not need chilling. These can either be forced using soil or by using gravel and water. Ryan uses soil. These bulbs will grow easily in well-drained soil and good daylight.
Ryan fills the pot with more potting soil mix to cover the bulbs.
He spreads the soil evenly over the bulbs with just the tips showing through the soil.
Here he fills a smaller pot with bulbs. When planting bulbs, be sure any bulbs used are heavy and free from mold, mildew, discoloration, or a peeling outer shell.
Make sure the bulbs are all facing upward and are straight.
Ryan adds more soil mix to this container and then pats it down to anchor the bulbs. He also adds a generous amount of Miracle-Gro Osmocote fertilizer – small, round, yellow coated prills covering a core of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
To some pots, Ryan also adds some gravel as a decorative top dressing. Gravel can help to keep the bulb stems in place.
And that’s it. Ryan planted a good number of pots in less than an hour. The pots will be placed on shelves in my hoop house where they will get light, humidity, and water to help them grow.
Here are the pots just days later in my hoop house. They are already showing some new growth.
Paperwhite narcissus produces clusters of flowers on 12- to 18-inch-tall stems.
Amaryllis bulbs usually measure about three to six inches across and when in bloom should have beautiful large colorful flowers atop 12- to 24-inch straight stems. When forcing, be sure to keep the soil moist but not wet. Water only when the top inch or two of the potting mix is dry to the touch. Overwatering at the beginning of the growth cycle will cause the bulb to rot. I’ll have pots of gorgeous blooms in several weeks.
All my tropical container plants are now safely stored indoors for the winter.
I have quite a large collection of warm weather plants at my farm. Because I live in a four-season region, during colder months, it’s crucial these plants move inside, where the temperature and humidity levels can be monitored and controlled. Plants that spent the summer at Skylands, my home in Maine, are brought back to Bedford for storage. Most of them are kept in one of four sizable hoop houses. It’s a tedious process to put all of them away, but a very important one that keeps all my plants in excellent condition.
Enjoy these photos.
Every year, I evaluate the needs of my plants and decide where they will be stored for the winter months. Plants grow, so they cannot always be stored in the same place. It’s a big multiple-day process.
The hoop house structures are all made from steel frames and polyethylene panels. Inside, the temperature and humidity levels are closely monitored and can be adjusted when necessary. They all have manual roll-up curtains on both sides for ventilation purposes on milder days.
All the plants from around the farm are brought to their designated houses – organized and assigned by type and care needs. I instruct the crew when it is time to start putting them inside and how long they have to get the job done. It’s important to watch the weather forecast closely for nighttime frost.
I repurpose boards and stumps from downed trees to use as shelves and risers for some of the potted plants. It’s important to make use of both horizontal and vertical space when storing. A lot of the wood comes from the old, diseased ash trees that were taken down.
Stumps of different sizes are transported to every house.
And save your back! If the stump can be rolled to its needed location, do it.
Using stumps of various heights is the best use of vertical space, so plants can be stored closer together and not be in each other’s way. Be sure to use stumps that are larger than the pot bottom.
Using moving blankets to protect the plants, and straps, these container topiaries can be safely moved by tractor. These are Australian Brush Cherry trees, Eugenia myrtifolia, also now known as Syzygium paniculatum. The Brush Cherry is an evergreen tree or shrub with shiny dark green leaves native to Australia and New Zealand. I usually display these topiaries in the courtyard behind my Winter House kitchen during summer.
This is one of my many sago palms, Cycas revoluta. Sago is a popular plant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. This very symmetrical plant supports a crown of shiny, dark green leaves on a thick shaggy trunk that is typically about seven to eight inches in diameter, sometimes wider.
Ryan and Phurba carefully guide this potted sago palm as it is taken off the tractor and placed onto a stump.
And then the two slowly turn the potted specimen, so it is not touching the ceiling of the hoop house or any other potted plants. Plants are sensitive and if left touching could cause a defense response reducing growth. Plants can also become more easily infested with pests or diseases if left touching each other.
Move in tallest and widest plants first, from the back to the front. Phurba and Ryan also make sure the plants don’t touch the fans or heaters.
A smaller sago palm is transported by hand truck. Pete moves this very carefully, so the plant is not hurt along the way.
When storing in a greenhouse, leave just enough space for walking, watering, grooming, and feeding.
Some spaces have specially designed greenhouse tables. these work well for smaller container plants such as these agaves.
These industrial strength rubber topped tables can hold heavy containers without damaging them. They also have holes to allow water to drain easily.
I also make my own shelving out of the old boards and stumps. Use long three-inch screws to attach the stumps to the wooden boards, so they do not fall over.
These shelves are very strong and can be made to fit any length necessary.
In this small greenhouse, a table is constructed in the center and then a narrow shelf is placed on top and in between rows of potted plants for even smaller pots. Vertical space is very accommodating.
Meanwhile, Ryan tends the bird’s nest ferns, Asplenium nidus, outside. Before storing plants for the winter, it is always a good idea to groom the plants – remove dead foliage, repot if necessary, and feed.
Here, Alex carries a much shorter, wider stump round. This is good for raising wide bottomed pots.
Phurba brings in another palm. If one has room to store them, it is always a good idea to save the plastic pots from the nursery. These containers come in very handy and can be used from year to year. I remove some of the potted plants from their decorative vessels and store them in plastic.
Another tip: take note of where the greenhouse is located, how much the weather affects the structure – does it get very hot inside, does it get damp or drafty. Arrange plants to fit and check on them often.
As containers are positioned, bricks or wood shims are placed underneath for drainage.
This hoop house is nearly all filled. the most prominent here is a potted Beaucarnea recurvata, a ponytail palm – a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true palms. In fact, it is a member of the Agave family and is actually a succulent.
All the greenhouses are checked a couple times each day to make sure the temperature remains comfortably warm inside. Too cold, plants will freeze – too hot, plants will rot. To simulate the best subtropical environment, I try to keep the temperature in this greenhouse between 50 and 85-degrees Fahrenheit with some humidity. They’ll continue to thrive here until they are brought outdoors again in spring.
If you have any outdoor plants or trees growing along trellises at your home, be sure they are well secured for the winter.
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata,' the columnar European hornbeam, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree. ‘Fastigiata’ means a narrow form with upright branches. This type of tree can be grown as an espalier, meaning its branches can be trained to grow flat against a wall, supported on a lattice or a framework of stakes. I have three espaliered European hornbeams planted against the stone walls of my Carriage House and Stable Office here at the farm. Last week, Pete Sherpa from my outdoor grounds crew, came up with an easy solution to reinforce them in case of any strong winds.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I planted these espaliered hornbeams a year ago. These trees are thriving under the full sun, but winter will be here soon, and I want to be sure they can withstand any strong winds.
They are already anchored to the wall, but I want more supports just in case.
Pete gets all his supplies ready – concrete anchoring screws, a drill, the proper drill bits, and a measuring tape.
For many projects requiring wire here at the farm, I like to use copper coated wire. This is 20-gauge.
Using a measuring tape, Pete measures the distance between the trellis and the wall to determine how much wire will be needed.
Pete cuts two two-foot lengths of wire.
Pete also gets two appropriate washers and secures one on each of the anchoring screws.
Next, using the drill, Pete makes a two inch deep hole in the wall at about the center point of trellis level with one of the cross pieces.
Pete applies some pressure to ensure the drill goes in straight – the mortar can be a little tough.
Next, Pete measures a piece of bamboo to the width of the trellis.
Using a portable saw, Pete cuts the bamboo to size. Bamboo stakes can be found in a variety of sizes at garden shops or garden departments of big box stores.
After cutting, Pete trims off any bamboo splinters from the cut end of the bamboo.
Pete wraps one end of the wire around the screw under the washer.
Then he carefully secures the screw into the hole.
Here is another view showing the wire tightening under the screw and washer.
This is very secure and takes only minutes to do. Pete does this on the other side also – making sure both screws are level with each other.
Next, Pete places the bamboo stake behind the trellis at the points level with the installed screws.
He wraps the other end of the wire around the bamboo and the trellis making sure it remains at the same distance from the wall.
After doing the same on the other side, he measures the distance again to be sure it is equal on both sides.
Finally, Pete tests the tightness of the wire at both sides and that’s it. All three trellises are secured in less than an hour.
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