Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Forcing Small Bulbs for a Display Indoors

Forcing Small Bulbs for a Display Indoors

Pot up these easy-to-grow bulbs in fall for an early spring show in the middle of winter. Learn how to force small bulbs here.

A windowsill of fragrant, homegrown spring blooms can flower in your home as early as mid-January. While daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths (Hyacinthus spp. and cvs., Zones 5–9) often take 16 weeks to chill and come into bloom, many smaller bulbs come into bloom sooner. These smaller bulbs are easier to force at home and require less space, and their smaller pots are less expensive.


I like to force many pots of different varieties of reticulated iris and then bring them into bloom at the same time to appreciate the various nuances between them at eye level. The pictured cultivars include ‘Pauline’ (purple) and ‘Rhapsody’ (blue).

What to force


Crocuses are easy starter bulbs. Both the species and hybrid Dutch crocuses (Crocus vernus, Zones 3–9) are easy to grow and inexpensive. Small bulbous irises like dwarf iris (Iris danfordiae, Zones 5–9) or reticulated iris (I. reticulata, Zones 5–8) are sensational in pots, coming into bloom even quicker than crocus and putting on a sensational show on a cool windowsill. Dwarf and reticulated iris will often come into bloom in just a few days. Crocuses and these irises are the first to come out of their winter sleep for me, as early as New Year’s Day or early January. Grape hyacinths (Muscari spp. and cvs., Zones 4–8) follow just after that in late January.


All small bulbs should be set into a pot filled with potting soil near the surface and close together. Touching is OK, as most bulbs like to be growing shoulder to shoulder. If you only have a few bulbs, set them together in the center of the pot.

Potting up bulbs


All small forcing bulbs should be potted up in plastic pots (as clay may crack with the cold). Plant as many bulbs as possible in each pot; bulbs can touch each other. I use 4- to 6-inch pots that will fit on my windowsills. Use a good, well-draining potting soil, covering the bulbs with only half an inch of soil that will help them remain dark. The top of the bulbs should be positioned just barely under the surface, and an extra layer of grit or small gravel may help to keep the soil from floating out once you water, and it often looks more attractive. Water well, just once, and set the pots in a special place where they can remain cold but not freezing.


The later one waits to remove bulbs from cold storage sites, the quicker they come into bloom. These pots are coming out of a cold garage in late February are ready to bloom.

Chilling bulbs


Most home gardeners don’t have access to a frost-free cold frame (I don’t have one either), but any dark, cold spot that remains above freezing but below 40°F will do. Find a unique chilling spot that works for you. It might be an outdoor shed, an unheated garage, or even the bottom stair of an outdoor cellar well. If you think that the temperatures might still dip below freezing, add a second layer of protection. You can put them to sleep in either a trash bag full of straw or wood shavings, or an insulated drink cooler.


An early planting of small bulbs in October ensures a pot full of roots by the end of December. These crocuses are showing strong noses, a sign that they are ready to pop into bloom once brought indoors around mid-January.

Forcing indoors


After 12 to 14 weeks of chilling, the first bulbs should be ready to force. These are usually the bulbous irises, which will show a white shoot, or “nose,” emerging from the soil—an indication that they are ready. To reduce any shock, gradually introduce pots to warmer temperatures. A bright spot in a sunny window works, but a spot under lights is even better. Leave them there until buds emerge, at which time you can appreciate the show of flowers. I also like to repot my forcing bulbs once they come indoors, transferring the entire root ball from the plastic pot to a nicer clay pot.


When forcing early in January, bulbs benefit from extended daylight. A week or two under an LED plant light unit with a timer set to 16 hours of light will speed things up and help flowers develop brighter colors.

Perennializing bulbs


After bulbs bloom, they can be saved and planted outdoors if you have the space to grow the bulb foliage. Most will bloom again outdoors the following spring. If replanting is too much mess and bother, you can throw each pot’s contents on the compost pile.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
×