Are you longing for the spring season? See how easy it is to force flowering branches to bloom indoors so you can enjoy an “early breath of spring.”
Forced branches are a wonderful way to bring a touch of spring indoors while the outside garden still sleeps during the winter.
This practice involves cutting branches from flowering shrubs and trees, like forsythia, cherry, magnolia, or pussy willow, before their bud’s natural bloom time.
Once the branches are brought inside and placed in water, they’re exposed to warmer temperatures and more consistent light than they would outdoors during winter.
This ‘forcing’ process tricks the branches into thinking that spring has arrived, causing them to bloom weeks ahead of the plant’s natural blooming time.
The best time to begin forcing spring-blooming branches is once the night temperatures are consistently between 33-41°F.
The best time to begin forcing spring-blooming branches is once the night temperatures are consistently between 33-41°F.
Generally, most branches will bloom indoors within 1 to 3 weeks after being cut. Early-blooming varieties tend to awaken more quickly, often in as little as one week.
For more information about forcing flowering branches to bloom indoors, visit the blog.
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