How to force bulbs to flower

You can ask tulips, narcissus and other spring-flowering bulbs to bloom ahead of schedule by using a technique known as "forcing."

1. Place spring-flowering bulbs in a pot of fast-draining potting mix. Crowd several into a pot for a more colourful display. In a 15 centimetre pot, for example, use six tulips, three hyacinths or up to a dozen crocuses.
2. Store the planted container at about 4°C and keep it lightly moist, letting the bulbs root for 10 to 12 weeks. Dig a trench, place the pots in it and cover them with a board (to keep out rodents) topped with soil and mulch. Or keep them in a box or old cooler in an unheated garage.
3. To stimulate sprouting, move the containers to a cool room after their chilling time is up. Keep them lightly watered until new growth appears.
4. When sprouts are 2.5 centimetres (one inch) tall, move the pots to a brightly lit place. Flowers will appear in three to six weeks, depending on the species.
5. Once the buds show colour, move the pots to indirect light to prolong blooming. Keeping blooming bulbs in a cool room will help them hold their blossoms longer.

1. The bulbs require no cold treatment or soil. Set them in a shallow, watertight container filled with pebbles, leaving one centimetre of the tops exposed and making sure they are well anchored so that they can support their long stems.
2. Add water to three millimetres beneath the bulb base, never letting it touch or the bulbs will rot.
3. Place the container in a dark place until sprouts show (eight to 10 days), then move it to a sunny spot. The bulbs should flower in three to five weeks.

1. Use a narrow-necked bulb jar or vase that holds the bulb just above the water line and put it in a cool, dark place until roots form.
2. Move the vase to a sunny room after sprouts are five to 10 centimetres (two to four inches) tall. Fragrant flowers will appear within a month.