PLASTIC POTS ARE BEST, SINCE THEY DO NOT CRACK, BUT THEY ARE UGLY, SO FIND SOME THAT FIT INTO CLAY POTS SO THE WHEN YOU BRING THE POTS INTO THE HOUSE TO FORCE, YOU CAN HIDE THE PLASTIC.
YOU CAN REALLY JAM-IN BULBS (THEY PREFER IT), IT GIVES YOU A BETTER DISPLAY. THESE POTS ARE SMALL, BUT I AM ONLY FORCING A FEW BULBS THIS YEAR.
Every year, I want to force a few bulb, for there is nothing like the scent of Hyacinths or Narcissus on a snowy, winter day, be it in the greenhouse, or on the windowsill indoors. Forcing isn’t something I fuss about, since I plant most bulbs outdoors, my method is simple, I just sneak a few bulbs out of the bags that I am planting, to pot up for earlier bloom. Six Hyacinths here, five triumph tulips there, a dozen crocus – all make great forcing subjects. Hey, it’s fun and I really don’t ahead except with some fancier bulbs which you all know about.
I use plastic pots, since the bulbs must be placed in a cool, near freezing location for ten weeks, and clay pots might crack. But since I dislike the color of plastic pots, I make sure that I have sizes that I can slide into clay pots, once I bring them into the greenhouse. No fancy soil, I simply use ProMix, a professional potting soil, and just plant my bulbs halfway down the depth of the pot. They are watered-in, and placed in a trench in the garden, where I cover them with leaves and a tarp since they need darkness. I will move them to a dark, storage room in our cellar, where root vegetables used to be kept, around Christmas, since heavy snow will make removing pots difficult. Around the New Year, I will begin introducing pots into the greenhouse, where my winter will be enhanced with daffodils, hyacinths and tulips.
