1. Bulb Forcing

2. Bulbs we are growing this year Easter Sale – Daffodil – Tulip – Hyacinth – Muscari Holiday & January plant décor in district office

3. Basic Info Choose bulbs that are selected for forcing for best results – Forcing = making plants bloom at a time of the year in which they do not NATURALLY grow and bloom Growing medium must be well-drained (larger pieces of bark) to prevent bulbs from rotting Container must be twice as deep as the bulbs being planted – Plant to a depth where the tips of the bulbs are at the surface of the growing medium

4. Vernalization Many bulbs (and other plants like perennials) require a period of cool temperatures to flower – This is done in a cooler and mimics the winter outside – Our bulbs will come with instructions on how many weeks to keep them at which temperatures and when we should remove them to start growing in the greenhouse This year we are growing some new varieties that have not been grown here before

5. Amaryllis Do not require a period of cold to flower 30-35 days, some take 45 days

6. After the Bloom is Done Amaryllis are not hardy – won’t survive outdoors – This is also why they don’t require vernalization to bloom – they aren’t from a cold climate – You can allow them to die back naturally and plant them again, although most don’t do well the 2 nd time around Most people throw them out Most other bulbs can be planted directly into the ground after Easter, although sometimes bulbs used for forcing do not do well outside – Daffodils used for forcing are usually fine outside

7. Plant several bulbs per pot Mixed container may be done, but size and color of each type of bulb should be considered Mixed planters require all bulbs to be planted at correct level, so smaller bulbs will be planted on top of larger bulbs

8. Examples of attractive, well designed mixed bulb planters

9. Examples of poorly designed, HIDEOUS mixed containers