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Spring dreams

Bulbs brighten cold and gloomy days of winter

Half the fun of planting bulbs is watching them grow, especially if you can do it indoors when the winter weather is frightful.

So think ``pots of bulbs'' when you are searching for holiday gifts to give gardeners whose thumbs are just greening up or children who run into the garden each day to see what's blooming.

To force or fool bulbs into blooming, they first need a few weeks of artificial coolness in the refrigerator or an unheated garage or storeroom to simulate the cold - below 48 degrees Fahrenheit - they naturally need outdoors. The low temperatures kick off a bio-chemical reaction that starts the flowering process. Indoor forcing induces that reaction artificially, says the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center.

Daffodils, tulips, iris and crocus need anywhere from 10 to 15 weeks of cold time. Amaryllis need no cold time and will bloom in six to eight weeks; paperwhites also need no cold and will bloom in three to five weeks. Hyacinth bulbs marked ``pre-prepared'' or ``prechilled'' need 12 weeks of extra chilling time. But remember, April 12 is Easter, so you could give pots of bulbs that will brighten the early spring days. And if you have had extra bulbs chilling in the fridge or garage, you're ahead of the game.

HOLIDAY GIFTS

There are several ways you can go about assembling holiday gifts that will grow and bloom after the recipient unties the bow and adds a little water:

Do-it-yourselfer kit - In a decorative basket, place an assortment of bulbs, potting soil, a suitable pot and some decorative items such as moss, ivy, ribbon. You may want to add a little extra something if you know the person's hobbies: porcelain bird for bird-watchers, animal figurine for pet-lovers, tees and balls for golfers or cards for bridge players. Be sure to tuck in a how-to brochure on bulbs; most garden centers offer free information sheets or pamphlets.

Ready-made blooms - Garden centers with greenhouses and florists always have forced blooms ready for giving at the holidays. You can give these wrapped as they come or use them in a larger basket filled with other gardening needs: seeds, trowel and gloves. The bulbs can later be planted outdoors for future enjoyment.

POTS FOR LATER BLOOMS

To fix pots of bulbs as gifts:

* Use regular flower pots or other containers with drainage holes.

* Add a layer of potting soil of two or more inches.

* Use as many bulbs as will fit in the container, then fill in with enough soil so just the tops of the bulbs are visible, with the soil line about half an inch below the pot rim.

* Water thoroughly. Wait two days, then water again.

* Piece a piece of tape with the date written on it on each pot.

* Place pots in refrigerators or dark cool place - 40-50 degrees F. - and wter regularly for 10 to 15 weeks, depending on the bulb type and variety.

Cover the pots with an open plastic bag to reduce the need for watering. Two ``musts" to remember: keep the pots moist and do not store with fruit. Ripening fruit gives off a gas that can damage the developing bulb flower.

When the cold period is over, move the pots to a warmer area in indirect or low light. Keep them there for a week or two, then move them to a cool, sunny area where they should flower in just two to three weeks. These directions printed on a recipe-type card can be tucked into the pot of bulbs.

Dec. 1997

Right Rail Ads

Williamsburg Pottery

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