Hyacinths, Narcissi and Tulips can all bloom on Christmas Day – but make sure the prepared bulbs you buy are of a good size, disease free and firm.
Good early flowering varieties include Narcissi such as ‘White Paper’ and ‘Soleil d’Or’.
Garden centres should be selling the bulbs from late August and early aSeptember, but make sure you buy the ones that are marked “prepared” or you’ll end up with bulbs meant for outdoors which will bloom in spring.
If you are forcing Hyacinths, plant several bulbs in a pot or bowl, close enough so they are almost touching, and then cover them with compost, leaving the nose of the bulbs uncovered. Never force bulbs downwards into the compost.
They need to be kept cool, at around 40F, and plunged into darkness – the best place is in the garden, covered with a few inches of compost.
You could also put the pot in a black polythene bag and stand it in a shed or garage. It will need occasional checking to see that the compost is still moist.
After about six to eight weeks, have a look at the bulbs and when they have grown about an inch they can be brought inside into a cool place.
A cold windowsill is ideal and the compost needs to be kept moist throughout but not waterlogged.
After a few weeks in cool conditions they can be brought into a warmer environment (but not too near the fire) and should flower in time for Christmas.
The final spot where they are to flower should be bright but not sunny and free from draughts and radiators. The bowl should be turned occasionally so that growth will be even all round.
Make sure you acclimatise the plants to a warmer environment gradually or they will grow too fast, become leggy and produce poor flowers. You need to water sparingly.
Hyacinths will fill your room with scent for several weeks and as the flowers die down they should be fed and watered to replenish the nutrients within the bulb ready for next year.
When the fear of frost has passed, the bulbs can be planted outdoors to be enjoyed in years to come or they can be lifted and stored over the summer in a cool, dry place.
Other bulbs which can be forced outside their natural season by controlling their growing conditions include Crocus, Iris, Tulip, Lily and Freesia.
And other classic Christmas flowering plants such as Poinsettias can be coaxed to flower again if you control the day length and temperature.
The stems of Poinsettias should be cut down to 10cm (4in) stumps once the bracts and leaves have fallen.
Then the plant should be kept almost dry until summer, repotted in the same sized pot and watering and feeding should be increased.
In autumn, the plants should be covered nightly with black plastic for 14 hours for eight weeks, then treated normally.
They will probably grow taller than they were before and will not be as spectacular – but at least you will have the satisfaction of not throwing them away.
Author: Jonny
Author of Gardening Life!