How to Force Flowering Trees

If there's a time in winter when you feel you've had enough of frigid weather, shoveling and wearing heavy coats, alleviate your frustration by forcing spring blooms indoors for your early enjoyment. Through a simple method, you can force the stems of spring-flowering trees to bloom a lot sooner than they will outdoors. Apricot, plum and magnolia are only a few of the tree branches that bloom indoors under the right conditions. To get started, select and harvest branches that have flower buds, which are round. In comparison to leaf buds, they're also larger.

Things You'll Need

• Shears
• Measuring tape
• Pan
• Water
• Kitchen thermometer
• Vase
• Spray bottle

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Collect branches for forcing when the temperature is above freezing and the flower buds begin to get plump in late winter. Cut 18-inch-long stems at a 45-degree angle 1/4 inch above a bud.

   • 2

     Heat water to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and pour it in a vase. Immerse the lower 3 inches of each stem in it. Change the water every day and mist the buds three times daily.

   • 3

     Transfer the vase with the cuttings to partial shade in a room that stays at 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Move the vase to a well-lit room when the buds begin to open. Keep the cuttings away from direct sunlight.