Problem-solving – Two on Tuesday/Tulip Bulb Forcing-The Crash and Burn

On March 18, 2014March 30, 2014 By TimelessladyIn Problem-Solving2 Comments

Today is a “Two on Tuesday” post. First post-the bad news, my tulip bulb forcing project has crashed and burned.

I would much rather have left this admission out of the blog posts, BUT, on my “Hello” page I promised to post about the projects that “crash and burn” for me. I am not sure what went wrong with the bulbs. Should I have been more careful about the water level? Would forcing each bulb in a separate container be a better choice? In hindsight, I should have misted the foliage every day, maybe twice. Was the sunny window too hot and bright for the foliage? I didn’t take into account that the sun’s rays would be magnified through not only the windowpanes, but through the glass of the vase also. To be honest the last explanation seems the most feasible to me. I will try again next year…for sure!

Plants – Tulips

On April 11, 2012 By TimelessladyIn Plants1 Comment

The tulips I planted in the Fall are blooming. Planting them late in the season did not affect their size or the brightness of their petals. They were quite the bargain at 75% percent off. Waiting until late in the season was certainly good for my pocketbook, especially since tulip bulbs are not long-lasting, and usually bloom reliably for only a year or two.

Plants and Plans – Bargain Bulbs

On December 4, 2011March 24, 2016 By TimelessladyIn Plans, PlantsLeave a comment

This has been my week for bargains. I stopped in a local box store Friday and found bins of bulbs that had not sold. They were almost giving them away at 75 percent off. I bought several packs to force in the Spring.

FORCING THE BULBS is not difficult. There are several ways to do this. The bulbs can be shallowly planted and kept outdoors in a cold frame. Another way is to plant and keep the bulbs in the back of the fridge. I have had success with this in the past. This year I am hoping to force some of the tulips in this way.

FORCING BULBS IN WATER is another way to bring them into bloom. I have success with this technique using hyacinth bulbs. I have never tried with tulips, but this year will give it a go. I’ll update this post in the Spring.