Forcing Bulbs Indoors

I love flowers.  If Mr. Sthole gives me any, I always dry them and then put them up on a shelf.  I still have our first Valentines Day roses, the first bouquet my girls bought me for mother’s day and of course my wedding flowers.  I love keeping them around as long as possible which isn’t always easy, especially those that are cut.  So how do you bring those beautiful flowers that usually grow outside, indoors and keep them beautiful for as long as you’re willing to take care of them?  “Plant” your bulbs indoors! Paperwhite bulbs are the easiest to force inside and is a great place to start even if they’re only good for one bloom. You’ll need

Paperwhite Bulbs
planting container (glass vase, decorative bowl or dish, metal bucket, etc.)
small pebbles, stones, or marbles

Fill container with pebbles.  Place bulbs root-side down in the pebbles so they are set in 1/3-1/2 of the way up the bulb.  Add water to container, so the water just barely reaches the bottom of bulbs.  Watch for roots to grow within about a week and blooms to appear within 4-6 weeks.  Place in a light area, but direct sunlight is not necessary.  Monitor water levels and add water so it’s always covering the bottom of the roots.  If plants get tall and leggy, tie a ribbon around the stems to secure.  Once bulbs are done blooming and flowers are wilted, discard plants, or if you live in a warm climate (zone 8-11) you can remove stems once brown and plant in ground to re-bloom.