Forcing Twigs & Stems to Bloom In Winter
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Longing for Springtime? Then force Spring blooms to come early!
Nothing can make your winter seem brighter than forcing Springtime to come early! It is so easy to do. You can, also, "force" bulbs to shoot up cheerful blossoms or you can force your flowers from twigs or tree branches indoors.
It is easy. It is cheap. You can do it! Watching those little buds emerge is the perfect pick-me-up activity for those cold dreary days of winter.
Keep scrolling to find instructions for this easy winter project!
(the Spring blossom image here is "Hope" from Bonnie Bruno Photography on Etsy)
How I forced my blooms at home
to bring Springtime inside ~ early!
At the end of February, I decided to bring color inside and cheer up my dreary house. What did it cost me? Nothing but time. Here is how I did it.I went out in my yard to a tree that I know has blooms in the Spring. I think it is a "cherry" tree. I chose a few small branches and clipped them using garden snips. I brought them inside and put them in a vase with water and a little dash of household bleach. Then I waited and watched for the little pink buds. Five days later, I was rewarded for my time with lovely light pink buds that turned into blossoms.
I am a total amateur and made some mistakes in choosing my branches, so I found some instructions from pros and will do a better job next year. Keep scrolling down to read the best instructions I could find for forcing twigs and branches.
(the image of those pink blossoms is mine; use with attribution.)
Here is a page that will help you to prune those blooming trees: When to prune Spring Flowering Trees and Bushes
Instructions for Forcing Flowering Branches to Bloom Indoors
from Southern Living Magazine - February 2010
- Serves: Everyone who visits your home
- Prep Time: less than 1 hour to assemble
- Total Time: Blooming begins sometimes in less than 1 week.
I found these simple to follow instructions in Southern Living Magazine and adapted them for this article.
The image shown to the right is of a short twig (6 inches) that I put in a bud vase. Doesn't it look good with the red candles I had leftover from Christmas?
Ingredients
- Budded Branches from flowering trees-- best if they are at least 12 inches long
- Pruners
- Bucket
- Warm Water
- Bleach
- Garden Twine
- Cut-flower food (purchased; for a home-made additive
- see the 'recipe' further down the page)
- Sturdy Vase
Instructions
Clip 12-inch or longer budded branches using clean pruners. Put them in a bucket of warm water with 1 tablespoon of bleach and a packet of cut-flower food. Keep branches in a cool spot - 50 to 60 degrees - out of the direct sun. Mist frequently. When the flowers just begin to emerge (you can see a hint of color in the bud), begin to make your arrangement.
Remove the budding branches and secure them in bundles with garden twine. Arrange them in your heavy-bottomed vase. Place the vase in full or indirect light. Add fresh water and cut-flower food and change the water every few days to help increase the life of the arrangement of your blooming branches.
Need something? Click: Supplies for cutting twigs and forcing them to bloom.
Recipe for cut-flower food or floral additive:
An easy to make flower arrangement preservative.
It is easy to make your own.
Here's How:
Mix in one gallon of water:
4 tablespoons of lemon juice from a real lemon (you might need two)
2 tablespoons of regular table sugar
½ teaspoon of liquid bleach.
Use this to put in the bucket or vase. You will not have to change every other day but do change the water at least 2 times a week.
(Floral additive can be purchased in powder form and used as well.)
Read more Suite 101: Forcing Flowering Branches to Bloom in Winter
Supplies to help you with forcing twigs--
Find them on Amazon:
The Best Branches and Twigs to Force:
Photos of blooming trees in the spring!
Find your blooms to force. (click each image to find out the type of blooming bush or tree it is)
If you like this recipe for forcing twigs and branches to bloom, then
Subscribe to Southern Living Magazine!
Southern Living (1-year auto-renewal)
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 06/01/2012)
Not just for those living in the South USA! Great recipes and ideas for everyone.
Learn more about forcing twigs and branches from the WWW...
Blog entries about forcing blooms indoors during the winter:
A Gift from a Tree:
The Giving Tree:
The story of a blooming tree.
Blooming Flower Shows:
Video Instructions for Forcing Branches to Bloom
Tricking branches to flower inside:
A Flower (Branches) Show on Flickr:
Decorate your home using forced branches and twigs:
Additional Forcing Instructions
- Habiatually Chic: Forcing Spring
- Wonderful ideas for using the forced twins in you home decorating.
- Forcing Branches | How to Force Branches into Blooming Early
- Forcing Branches | How to Force Branches into Blooming Early
Share your blossoms!
Let your words bloom ~
Below you will find a guest book for visitors. Please share any tips you have for bringing the blooms inside!
Close view of a cluster of cherry blo...
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Ilona1
Feb 27, 2012 @ 5:04 pm | delete
- Beautiful tutorial.
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miaponzo
Feb 12, 2012 @ 1:11 am | delete
- Wow!! Thanks for this great information!!! I am going to try this! Blessed!
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psycospaz
Feb 11, 2012 @ 12:59 pm | delete
- This is really awesome and a must for beating those Groundhogs Day blues! Thank you for the amazing step by step instructions!
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jenniferteacher
Feb 10, 2012 @ 6:12 pm | delete
- What a great idea! At this point of winter, I'm really ready for spring, and your directions are clear and detailed enough that I think I can do it!
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lizholy
Feb 10, 2012 @ 11:11 am | delete
- Wow, impressive. I am not good with flowers at all, but you did a wonderful job showing me that it is feasible even for amateurs. Thanks!
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Thanks for visiting!
I hope you enjoyed the information and the "forced" images here. No twigs or stems were harmed in the making of this page.
Mickie_G
by Mickie_G
I love making Spring arrive early by forcing bulbs and branches to bloom inside!
I am a wife, mother, & grandmother who also happens to be a "Baby Boomer"....
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Mickie's Blooming Garden
Bring on the blooms and flowering:
Inexpensive Tall Vase to hold your branches or stems:
Glass Cylinder Vase 10.5"
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
I would probably put some clear marbles in the bottom to give it some weight. I did not use any in mine pictured in this article, but I only used five or six branches.
