How to Restart the Blooming of Bulbs

Forcing Hyacinths, Colchicum and Other Bulbs

• 1

  Remove spent stalks after the flowers fade. Cut stalks off at the base, near the top of the bulb. When cutting, take care not to damage any emerging stalks.

• 2

  Fill a well-draining container with 2 inches of soil. The depth of the container to use depends on the size of your bulbs. When placed on the 2-inch layer of soil, the tops of the bulbs should be even with the rim of the container.

• 3

  Plant the bulbs in the container in any arrangement. Bulbs don't mind crowding, so you can plant them close together.

• 4

  Fill the container with potting soil. Tamp the soil gently with your hands to avoid bruising the bulbs.

• 5

  Water the soil well to help it settle and eliminate air pockets.

• 6

  Store the bulbs at 35 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 14 weeks to promote rooting. If it's winter, you can store the bulbs outdoors, but don't allow them to freeze. An refrigerator or unheated basement makes an ideal storage space.

• 7

  Remove the bulbs from cold temperatures after 12 to 14 weeks. Move the bulbs to a brightly lit spot where the temperature averages 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the bulbs to sit for two weeks.

• 8

  Watch for stem growth. When shoots grow 4 to 6 inches tall, move the bulbs to a sunny spot with a temperature of about 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 9

  Move the plants back into indirect sunlight when blooms start to appear. This will help the blooms last longer.

Forcing Amaryllis

• 10

  Feed your amaryllis with a balanced fertilizer every month during its active growing period.

• 11

  Cut the stalks off near the tips of the bulbs when blossoms fade.

• 12

  Put the plant in bright light and continue watering as usual. Keep the plant watered and fed monthly during the summer.

• 13

  Bring the plant indoors in early fall. Stop watering, and place the plant in a cool room for eight to 10 weeks. After this time, re-pot the plant, if desired. Use a 6 to 8-inch container with several drainage holes.

• 14

  Move the plant to a warm, sunny spot where temperatures range from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 15

  When new growth appears on the plant, keep the soil moist at all times and resume monthly feeding. The plant will begin blooming in about eight weeks.