Expert: Long Island Gardener - 11/17/2006

Question
I would like to know how to trick tulips into blooming indoors in the winter by putting them in the refrigerator or somewhere cold (for how long?) and then planting them indoors in winter.

Answer

The Fiskars website (http://www.fiskars.com/US/Garden/Dig+In!/Gardening+Topics/Gardening+Topic+Detail...) describes Tulip-forcing basics.  "Generally, tulips need at least 12 to 16 weeks to bloom if started in September or October, but only 8 to 10 weeks if started in December."  I agree their advice that clay pots work best - the biggest problem with bulb-forcing is bulb rot; anything you can do to keep that from happening is a good idea.

Simulate winter, they say, "by placing the potted bulbs at 32o to 50oF in a dark area such as an unheated garage or basement. A refrigerator crisper works well."

The fridge is good only as long as there are no real fruits in the fruits-and-vegetables storage crisper: "Never put them next to fruits such as apples that emit ethylene, a gas that hinders flowering."  Ethylene gas is emitted in small but fatal quantities from dieing flowers and other unexpected places.

They also note: "In warm areas, you can even leave them outdoors as long as the temperature doesn't go below freezing or above 50 degrees F."

Once the big chill is over, you'll need a sunny and very cool, but unfrozen, spot to grow and bloom your potted Tulips.  We have an unheated basement with no light whatsoever.  Forcing pots of bulbs involves bring the pots outside on unseasonably warm mid-winter mornings and taking advantage of as much sun as possible, then stuffing them back in the unheated basement at dusk to keep them from freezing.

That dance was critical to success.  The bulbs still need to be cold.  If you put them on a windowsill indoors, they'll end up "blind" or "blasted", with buds that almost looked as if they were about to bloom, but disintegrated just before opening.  After all that work and all that waiting, you don't want to blow it at the very end.

That said, I can tell you that every tedious minute of care was worth it.  There is absolutely nothing like a collection of clay pots sitting on the front steps with Hyacinths, Daffodils and Tulips you have forced yourself all winter long.  A single pot as a gift is unforgettably beautiful.  A few steps of pots stop traffic.  Your mail carrier will love delivering your mail.  Years later, people will be admiring them from way back.  This is a great idea.