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Forcing The Issue
If you have a firm case of the winter doldrums, here is a little antidote for your blues: Force a few branches of flowering shrubs and trees into bloom!
Many different types of woody plants can be coaxed into an early floral display by cutting them and bringing them indoors.
Pussy willows are perhaps the easiest to force. Trim a few branches, plop them into a vase of tepid water, and Presto! Instant spring! Others are a bit more challenging and take a little more prep work to trick them into flowering. But, don’t let that discourage you. Just read on a little more to learn how to successfully force branches into bloom.
Most buds are set on woody plants during the fall of the previous year. After a period of winter cold dormancy, they will flower the following spring. One rule of thumb is to harvest cuttings closer to the plant’s normal bloom season for quicker and easier forcing. For example, if you cut the branches of a lilac in January, chances are you will have a difficult, if not impossible, chance of forcing this early May bloomer into flowering. However, if you cut the branches of early-blooming forsythia in February, your chances of successfully forcing the buds into flowering will significantly increase.
Mid to late winter is an ideal time for taking branches for forcing. This is when many of those who garden in the four seasons areas of the country tackle pruning chores. Instead of taking those clippings to the compost pile, take the thinned cuttings of fruit trees, shrubs, and ornamentals indoors to force. Here is the general technique that works for most of these branches:
A Timetable For Forcing Branches For Indoor Bloom |
|
Plant | When To Take Cuttings |
Forsythia | Harvest cuttings from late January on |
Plum and Pussy Willow |
Harvest cuttings from early February on |
Witch Hazel | Harvest from early February on for winter or spring flowering varieties only |
Viburnum | Depending upon species, cultivar: Late February to early March |
Rhododendron and Honeysuckle |
Harvest cuttings from late February on |
Apricot and Peach | Harvest cuttings from last week of February on |
Redbud and Flowering Almond |
Harvest cuttings from last week of February on |
Pear, Apple, or Crabapple | Harvest cuttings from early March on |
Dogwood and Magnolia |
Harvest cuttings from early March on |