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 Bring
a Bit of Spring Indoors this Winter
By Melinda Myers
[November 22, 2025]
Pot them up,
give them a chill and enjoy spring flowering bulbs indoors or
outside on a patio, deck or porch. Forcing spring-flowering bulbs
like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths and crocus is a
great way to use those bulbs that didn’t get planted in the garden
or were on sale late in the season.
All you need is a suitable container, some
well-drained potting mix, the bulbs and a place to give the bulbs
the chill necessary to force them to bloom. Gather all your supplies
and clear a space to assemble your bulb planter. |
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Select a container with drainage holes that is
deep enough to accommodate the largest bulbs. Shorter varieties are
less likely to flop but taller ones can be held upright with stakes,
twigs and other decorative supports. Cover the bottom of the
container with two inches of a well-drained potting mix. Place the
bulbs close together about one half the bulb width apart with the
neck of larger bulbs at or just below the soil surface. Set tulips
with the flat side of the bulb facing the pot for a better display.
Create a spring garden in a larger container by using a deep
container and planting the bulbs in layers. Select a variety of
bulbs that bloom at the same time for greater impact or use a
combination of early-, mid- and late-blooming spring-flowering bulbs
to extend the bloom time and your enjoyment. The package usually
lists the color, height and bloom time of the bulbs.
Place an inch or two of soil in the bottom and set the largest bulbs
in place. Cover these bulbs with soil and add the smaller bulbs,
like grape hyacinths and crocus, on the next level. Plant these
bulbs close together for greater impact. Cover this layer with at
least an inch of soil. Water thoroughly until the excess water
drains out the bottom of the pot.
Move your bulb-filled containers to a cool location where
temperatures remain above freezing and between 35 to 45°F for 12 to
15 weeks. A spare refrigerator works well for this. Just avoid
storing the bulbs with fruit, like apples and pears, that emit
ethylene gas that can negatively impact flowering. If refrigerator
space is limited, you can store the unplanted bulbs in a paper bag,
so they take up less space in the fridge for the needed chill before
planting.
Those gardening in colder climates can also store the pots in an
unheated garage. Just water the containers whenever the soil is
thawed and dry. Or sink the container into a vacant garden space in
your landscape. Mulch the soil once the ground starts to freeze with
evergreen boughs. The winter mulch makes retrieving the container
easier in winter or early spring.
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Begin moving the containers out of cold storage once
the 12- to 15-week chilling period is complete. Extend your
enjoyment and the bloom time by removing one or just a few pots
every week. Place the pot in a cool, bright location to encourage
more compact growth. Water thoroughly when the top few inches of
soil begin to dry. Soon the leaves will begin to sprout, and flowers
will appear in about three to four weeks.
Provide ongoing care if you plan on moving the bulbs
into the garden. Remove the faded flowers, place the leafy plants in
a sunny window and water thoroughly whenever the top inch of soil is
dry. Fertilize with a dilute solution of any flowering houseplant
fertilizer. Move them into the garden once the danger of frost has
passed. Be patient because it may be a year or two before they bloom
again.
Plant plenty for you to enjoy and share with others. Everyone will
appreciate the extra spring color the forced bulbs provide.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books,
including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small
Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything”
instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned
by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]
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