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As we get used to shorter days and colder nights, we may find ourselves daydreaming about sunny, springtime weather. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to enjoy fresh floral blooms even in the dead of winter!
Bulb starting is something that’s done easily indoors—and you have plenty of options to choose from. To melt those winter blues away, read our indoor bulbs starting guide—you won’t believe how easy it is!
If you want to grow something fitting for the holidays, Paperwhites—also known as Narcissus—and Amaryllis are both excellent choices. Otherwise, you can also grow Dahlias, Daffodils, Crocus, Tulips, and Hyacinth for some classic springtime cheer.
Aside from the Paperwhites and Amaryllis, you will need to know whether your bulbs are early, mid-, or late-blooming varieties to chill them for the appropriate number of weeks. Typically, Dahlias are late-spring bloomers, and Crocus are early-spring bloomers, but Daffodils, Tulips, and Hyacinth fall under multiple categories.
The most common question we’re asked is, “can I start my bulbs indoors?” and the answer is a resounding yes! All you’ll need for supplies are the bulbs of your choice, a pot or vase, and soil. Make sure you choose a pot with drainage; you don’t want to risk your bulbs staying too moist and going moldy!
There are multiple steps to starting bulbs indoors, but the simplest rule to remember is to mimic a bulbs’ natural environment as closely as you can. The natural order is root, chill, bloom—and that’s exactly what you’ll be doing!
You can plant your bulbs two ways: in a pot or by using a vase that’s specifically for starting your bulbs indoors. If you’re growing Amaryllis or Paperwhites, we recommend using a vase. When using a vase, simply fill it with water, place your bulb pointy side up, and sit back and watch your bulbs grow roots!
Planting bulbs in soil isn’t any more complicated. Fill a pot with soil, allowing for at least 2 inches of room for the roots to grow, place your bulb in—again pointy side up—and water until the soil is evenly moist. Cover small bulbs with a light layer of soil, but you can leave the necks of larger bulbs exposed. Water them thoroughly and consistently; bulbs don’t like to dry out.
Not all bulbs require a chilling period; however, spring-blooming bulbs certainly will. This process is called vernalization and mimics the hibernation period bulbs experience during the winter. Wait until your bulbs have grown roots, and then place them somewhere that’s at least 35-55°F, like an attic, basement, or unheated garage. While you could put your bulbs in your fridge, make sure you don’t have any fruit or veggies in there because they give off ethylene gases that interfere with bulbs. Water your bulbs only when the surface soil is dry to the touch.
After steps one and two are complete, we’re getting close to bloom time! The last step for starting bulbs indoors is to move them to a warmer location, mimicking springtime and, therefore, growing time! Keep them in a dim spot that’s around 65°F until you see the first green shoots and then move them into a brighter, warmer location. In just a couple of weeks, you’ll get to enjoy fresh, beautiful blooms indoors! Can you imagine Dahlias during the winter?
After starting your bulbs indoors, you might wonder about adding bulbs to your garden, too! If you want to plant bulbs in your garden, the best months to plant in Arkansas are mid-September to October. The nice thing about bulbs is once they’re planted, they know what to do, and before the snow melts, you’ll be treated to shoots of green and gorgeous blooms to kickstart your garden.
Now that you know everything about starting bulbs indoors, which ones are you going to try? At Westwood Gardens, we have an abundant selection of bulbs perfect for indoor starting that are just waiting for you to take them home! Visit a Westwood Gardens location nearest to you and stock up today.
