© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Connecticut Garden Journal
Connecticut Garden Journal is a weekly program hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi. Each week, Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to both new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more.

Connecticut Garden Journal: Tips For Forcing Flowering Branches

ThunderUPforever
/
Creative Commons

With winter here, it's nice to have some outdoor garden activities that result in beautiful flowers. One activity I like is forcing flowering branches of spring blooming trees and shrubs indoors. Not only do you get beautiful color weeks before the natural bloom time, you prune your plants too. 

When you prune crowded, broken, or damaged branches in winter, many stems you'll be cutting already have their flower buds set and ready to bloom. All they need is some warmth and water to open.

When forcing flowering branches, remember trees and shrubs vary in the length of cold weather they need before they'll bloom. Forsythia will bloom from branches cut in January, while rhododendrons bloom better if cut in March.

In general, the closer to the natural bloom time you force the branches, the quicker blooming and more uniform the flowers will be.

In February, try cutting early bloomers such as pussy willow, witch hazel, forsythia, Cornelian cherry, and fothergilla. In March, cut later bloomers such as lilacs, rhodis, crabapples, flowering pears, cherries, and quince, and redbuds.

When pruning, select branches at least half-an-inch in diameter to ensure they have flower buds. Cut branches at the desired length and bring them indoors. Place the stems in a basin filled with hot water and recut the stem ends under water. Arrange the stems in a vase and place them in a sunny, cool room, moving them to a warmer room to accelerate the process.

Mix early and later bloomers to have a continuous display and remember add a few fragrant stems of lilacs and daphne to perfume a room.

Next week on the Connecticut Garden Journal, I'll be talking about flowering quince. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.

Charlie Nardozzi is a regional Emmy® Award winning garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert information to home gardeners.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content