Winter Activity: Forcing The Issue

Forcing The Issue

If you have a firm case of the winter doldrums, here is a little antidote for Photo Courtesy of Art Today 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 Southern Great Lakes region 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:

Prune during the warmest part of the day and on a day when the temps are above freezing. Force these branches no earlier than about six to eight weeks before their normal bloom period. For example, if forsythia normally blooms for you by late March, then wait until very late January on to harvest the branches.

Cut and prune just above a bud or node. Take care to prune using good technique and sharp pruners to avoid injury to your plant. About 12 inches is a good length for your cuttings.

Avoid withered-appearing cuttings or those with dried buds. Flower buds should be firm to the touch. These are generally larger, plumper, and more rounded in appearance than leaf buds. Once again, the closer to normal bloom time, the quicker and easier the branches will be to force.

Once indoors, recut the stems, about a half-inch, under warm water. You can also hammer the ends of the branches to splay them open to receive water. Immerse them in 3 to 4 inches of very warm water for about 1/2 hour. Place in a vase. Fill with warm water and add a few drops of household bleach or hydrogen peroxide to to prevent bacterial contamination. Plan on replacing the water with more of the same solution every two days

Keep the branches in average warmth but away from bright light. Mist the stems to prevent excessive moisture loss. It might take between one week and a month for them to respond, depending upon the type of cutting and when it was harvested. Continue to follow this routine and they should break dormancy and bloom!

Once the buds are swollen and they begin to break, move them into bright, indirect sunlight. Enjoy the preview!

A Timetable For Forcing Branches For Indoor Bloom
(The Southern Great Lakes Region)

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