Get your color early: Here’s how to force amaryllis, paperwhites and hyacinths

Forcing bulbs tricks them into thinking spring has arrived. Doing so allows the enjoyment of their beauty indoors during a time of year when it can seem as though spring will never arrive. And, it is easy.

Bulbs can be divided into two categories; those that require chilling before they will bloom, and those that do not. The easiest bulbs, primarily native to warm climates, do not require chilling and simply have to planted and watered, like amaryllis and paperwhites.

Bulbs that need pre-chilling require an additional step but are still easy to force to bloom indoors. Pre-chilling can be accomplished by storing bulbs in a refrigerator for the required amount of time. Just be sure no fresh fruit is stored in the refrigerator because the ethylene gas some fruits naturally emit interferes with bulbs. Storage in the refrigerator mimics the dormant period bulbs would experience in their native environment. This chill period is required before they are ready to grow. Some common varieties of bulbs that require chilling are hyacinths, tulips, crocus, most daffodils and muscari. In order to have blooms during a specifically desired time of the year, simply check the chill period — 13 weeks for hyacinths for example — and count backward from the desired date of bloom. Fortunately, many garden centers and online sellers now offer pre-chilled bulbs.

Once they have experienced the correct chill period, either in your refrigerator or at the bulb company, hyacinths only take two to three weeks to bloom after planting, They will fill your home with sweet perfume. Paperwhites (members of the daffodil family) take four to six weeks to bloom after planting, and they too are very fragrant, perhaps a bit too fragrant for some tastes. Amaryllis can take eight to 10 weeks to bloom, and although they are not fragrant, they make up for it with very large, showy flowers.

After the blooms have faded, many bulbs can either be stored for forcing again the following year or planted outdoors. For amaryllis, cut off the flower stalk as it starts to wilt to prevent it from forming seeds, thus forcing more energy into the bulb instead. Move the pot to a window where it will receive sunlight for most of the day, and let the soil dry out between watering. Amaryllis do not like to be overwatered and like to be grown in a small pot, just about an inch larger than the diameter of the bulb. Stop watering amaryllis completely 12 to 14 weeks before the desired bloom time, and store in a cool area to allow the bulb a dormant period of about eight weeks. After this time it can be brought indoors and watered where it will show new growth within one to two weeks. Amaryllis can also be grown outdoors in coastal Virginia.

Paperwhites can be left in their pot for storage. Once the foliage browns completely after bloom simply turn the pot on its side and store in a cool dark place, such as an unheated garage or basement. In the fall, turn the pot upright and return it to a sunny location and resume watering. Alternatively, plant them in the garden in a mostly sunny location with good drainage, and they will bloom for years to come.

Similarly with hyacinths, remove spent flowers, and allow the foliage to brown and the pot to go dry. Remove the bulbs from their container and store in a breathable mesh or paper bag in the refrigerator for at least 13 weeks. Alternatively, select a spot in the garden with rich soil, good drainage and lots of sun. Plant outdoors in the fall, in holes 4 inches deep and approximately 3 inches apart. Be sure to wear gloves when handling hyacinth bulbs because they can irritate skin.

Be aware also that a hyacinth’s flower quality tends to diminish after the initial planting, so don’t be surprised if flower quality is reduced in subsequent years. For this reason many use hyacinths for seasonal color only.

Happy gardening.

Michelle Baudanza is curator of herbaceous plants at Norfolk Botanical Garden.