Feb. 11, 2021

Only a few weeks until spring! That is certainly something to look forward to. Even though it is officially labelled the spring equinox, it doesn’t mean the weather may jump on board and it will feel like spring. But you can do something to make it feel like spring indoors: force branches into early bloom!

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Cutting and bringing in a few branches of forsythia, pussy willow, cherry, plum, apple, flowering almond and even lilacs and magnolias where you can enjoy their beauty and fragrance weeks ahead can sure do a lot to ease the winter blahs.

Pick a warmer (above freezing) day to prune branches to ease any shock of going from cold to warm indoors. Choose thinner branches that won’t change the aesthetics of the plant when removed. Look for branches with lots of buds. Fatter round buds tend to be the flowering buds. With sharp pruners cut 1 ½ to 2 feet long on a sharp diagonal to increase water uptake. Crushing the ends a bit will also encourage it.

Place in room temperature water and place vase in a bright room away from direct sun and heat. Give them a fresh cut every 3-4 days. Depending on the variety of branch, they will start blooming anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. Have patience, it can take time!

Tip: once they are blooming, move them to a cooler location to prolong the flowers.