If you want to try your hand at forcing bulbs, begin with spring-blooming varieties. You can force summer-blooming bulbs too, but the nice thing about spring bulbs is that you can fool them into thinking the season is further along than it is -- and enjoy a little bit of spring while it's still winter. You can buy a forcing kit for hyacinth bulbs that contains everything you need (figure A). All you need to do is set bulbs in water-filled containers so that the bottom of the bulbs just rest in the water. Set the jars in a cool, dark area until roots begin to form. Then move them out to a sunny location. Forced bulbs need no fertilizer.
Some people discard forced bulbs once they've flowered, but you can plant them in the garden. Water and fertilize the foliage until it begins to yellow. At that point, hold back on the water, and let the foliage dry. The bulb may or may not bloom again next year. Certain kinds of narcissus (those called paper-whites and their relatives) are easy to force indoors and are often sold in kits. Fill a container with gravel, and place the bulbs directly on top. For a lush display, use as many as will fit in the container. Fill the container with water to the top of the gravel, and place in a cool, dark area (50 to 55 degrees is ideal) until roots form and the bulbs no longer lift out easily. Once roots have formed, move the container into a sunny location until the bulbs bloom. Another way to force bulbs is to plant them in a pot and cover them with aluminum foil with the shiny side down. If you use foil, you needn't place them in a dark room, but make sure they're kept cool until they start to grow.
| 
)
)
)
