Shiplap and Shells

Home and Garden in the PNW

  • Home
  • Meet Kim
  • My Blog
    • Home Decor
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
        • Winter Holiday & Christmas Inspiration
    • Garden
      • Growing a Cut Flower Garden Series
      • Tips and Tutorials
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Our 100-Year-Old Beach House
    • All Things Vintage
    • Entertaining
    • Projects
    • The Pacific Northwest – PNW
    • Stories
    • Saltwater Sounds Wrap-Up
  • Tour Our Home
  • Shop
  • Contact Me
  • Search

in Garden· Home Decor· Spring· Spring· Tips and Tutorials· Winter· Winter

How to Force Flowering Branches to Bloom Indoors

  • Facebook
  • Email

Are you patiently waiting for spring, and all the flowers that come with the season? I’ll show you how easy it is to force flowering branches to bloom early so you can enjoy them indoors.

cherry tree in bloom

Have you heard the term “forcing branches” before?

If you are a flower girl like me, you’ll be so happy to know that this process allows you to have the color and beauty of spring blooms in your home during the winter months. And we all know that this is the time of year when a little pick-me-up is needed to cure those wintertime blues!

force bloomed forsythia on table

By cutting branches from trees or shrubs that usually flower in the springtime, you can bring them indoors to flower much more quickly.

And it’s easy! All you need is a pair of clean, sharp pruners, a bucket, a floral preservative, and a vessel. And of course, a flowering tree or shrub.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are used for your convenience. Read my full disclosure here.


forsythia in silver pitcher on table centerpiece

Flowering Branches to Force Bloom

  • Forsythia
  • Witch Hazel
  • Flowering Quince
  • Eastern Redbud
  • Flowering Cherry/Plum
  • Crabapple
  • Pussy Willow
  • Magnolia
  • Lilacs
  • Dogwood

branches in the deck

When To Force Bloom

After at least 6 weeks of cold weather, the buds on many flowering trees and shrubs have already formed from the previous year. At that point, they’re waiting for a few more weeks of warm weather to break dormancy.

January through early March are great months for force blooming flowering branches. However, you can also bring in the branches just before they’re ready to bloom outdoors when the buds are already starting to swell.


forsythia branches cut in the winter
This is the day I cut the branches.
Here they are just 3 days later.

How to Prune Branches

Pick a day when the outdoor temperature is above freezing when pruning any branches. This will help them transition from outdoors to the inside of your home.

Select branches that aren’t essential to the form of your shrub or tree. I always choose branches that are located in the back of a tree or an area where it wouldn’t hurt to thin out to prevent overcrowding.

Be sure to use pruners that are both sharp and clean to ensure that your cuts are clean and smooth. Cut stems that are 6-18 inches in length, although it’s really a personal preference. It’s important to prune the branch properly in order not to damage the rest of the tree or shrub you are cutting from, right above a branch or side bud so there is no stub.

Force Flowering Branches to Bloom

Trim off any parts of the branch that isn’t aesthetically pleasing, and any branches that would be touching the water once placed in the vessel. Cut the base of the stem at an angle. and crush the ends of the branch with a hammer to allow the water to absorb quicker.

According to The Spruce, there’s another alternative to crushing the ends with a hammer. You can cut another inch off the bottoms of the stems when they’re submerged in water. This second cut, performed underwater where air cannot act as a drying agent, will promote water intake.


Force Flowering Branches to Bloom

How to Force Branches

Place the branches in lukewarm water overnight. The next day, switch them to a vessel or vase, filled with warm water and floral preservative.

Move the vessel of branches into a partially shaded room until the buds start showing color. Then move them to an area with bright indirect light for more quality blooms.


SHOP VASES & VESSELS FOR YOUR FLOWERING BRANCHES


Re-cut and crush the ends of the branch every few days for longer-lasting blooms. To prevent bacteria from forming, change the water every few days. It will also help speed up the flowering process if the air is relatively humid. If it’s not, mist the branches every few days to provide some moisture.

Flowering blooms should appear in a few weeks depending on the variety. Forsythias seem to take the last amount of time. Mine bloomed in just over a week.

Force Flowering Branches to Bloom

That’s it! I told you it was easy. And you can experiment with just about any flowering tree or shrub you have in your yard. I’ve never forced lilac blooms, but I’m definitely going to try it, as well as rhododendrons, azaleas, and magnolias.

dogwood tree

If you have any other information or ideas from personal experience that I haven’t touched on, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Happy Blooming!


PIN AND SAVE ON PINTEREST

If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, please pin and share this on Pinterest.

How to Force Spring Blossoms Indoors

Other Posts You May Enjoy...

A Greenhouse For Every Season

Creative Flower Container Ideas For Both Indoors & Out

Have Fun With Faux Flowers and Greenery

How to Start Geranium Cuttings


Let’s Connect on Social Media

Follow me @shiplapandshells on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook

I’d love for you to join my Facebook Gardening Tips & Tricks Group!

  • Facebook
  • Email

Filed Under: Garden, Home Decor, Spring, Spring, Tips and Tutorials, Winter, Winter

Stay Connected and Get all the Latest

Previous Post: « Saltwater Sounds Weekly Wrap-Up
Next Post: How to Grow Cosmos For Your Cut Flower Garden From Seed Indoors »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristin | White Arrows Home says

    02/12/2022 at 8:36 am

    This is such a great idea, would love to try this!

    Reply
  2. Rachel Harper says

    02/09/2022 at 9:53 am

    Kim,
    I’ve been enjoying my blooms for over 3 weeks now. The branches are starting to get their leaves so they won’t last much longer.

    Reply
  3. Rebecca Payne says

    02/20/2021 at 6:41 am

    Thank you for sharing this post. Beautiful photo’s.

    Reply
  4. Mary from Life at Bella Terra says

    02/17/2021 at 8:38 am

    Kim, I’ve tried this before but did not use floral preservative…maybe that’s why I had underwhelming results. Thanks for sharing. I just pruned my peach and apricot trees, but tossed the branches because I thought they may be diseased. Oh well, there is always next year.

    Reply
  5. Maria says

    02/17/2021 at 8:33 am

    I cannot wait to start forcing branches this year!!! Thanks for all of the tips (I never thought of waiting until above freezing). I’m sure that makes a huge difference.
    Let’s hope for some beautiful early blooms!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Lavender Vanilla…One of my favorites

Let's Connect

Find what you’re looking for

Stay up to Date

  • Home Decor
  • Garden
  • Shop
  • Our 100-Year-Old Beach House
  • All Things Vintage
  • Entertaining
  • Projects
  • The Pacific Northwest – PNW
  • Stories
  • Saltwater Sounds Wrap-Up

Footer

Meet Kim

Hi! I'm Kim. My blog, Shiplap and Shells is about my home, garden, and our Pacific Northwest lifestyle.
I live in a small beach cottage on the Puget Sound with my husband and sweet pups, Lucy, Jax, and Ollie. We have spent the last 9 years, renovating, reinventing, and adding character and charm to our 101-year-old home. Read More…

Find What You’re Looking For

Follow Along

Disclaimer and Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Market Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress ·