Forcing Flowering Branches

If you are ready for spring but it hasn't arrived in your area yet, here is something you can do to brighten up your home. Branches of your favorite flowering trees, shrubs or fruit trees can be cut and forced into bloom indoors. It is very easy to do but there are a few important details.

After we have had 6 weeks of very cold weather, you can begin forcing branches. When choosing your branches to cut for indoor use, look for the fat flower buds (leaf buds will be smaller), and always cut the shrub with an eye towards improving the symmetry of the plant. This type of pruning will help to keep your plants shapely.

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Using sharp pruning shears, make your cuts diagonal and flush with a major branch. You should cut your branches in the middle of a mild day when the daytime temperature is above freezing.

Once you have the branches indoors, make a 1-2 inch split in the stem bottom. If its a woody stem, gently mash the ends with a hammer. Place them in a tub of water so they are completely submerged for 3-4 hours, then move them to a deep container of tepid water. Soaking them helps to clean off the bark and also softens up the buds scales. Many people do it to hasten the bloom, but it is not essential. The stems will force just as well if they are just placed in a deep container of warm water.

Place the branches in a cool, dimly lit area until the buds start to show some color, temperatures around 60 are ideal. Be sure to change the water and mist them daily. When the buds swell and begin to show color, transfer them to a vase and move them into a well lit room. Direct sun should be avoided as it will dry out and shorten the life of the blooms.

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.....Sometimes the buds are lazy and won't open up for two or maybe three weeks or longer. The reasons are very simple. The closer it is to the shrub's normal flowering time outdoors, the more quickly the buds will open up indoors. Forsythia, quince, and pussy willow branches brought in towards the end of February should open up quickly. For apple, dogwood, peach, plum and lilac, you should wait until about the middle of March before cutting them and bringing them indoors to force for blooms.

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