The vibrant yellow forsythia, which blooms here at the end of the April, is always a sign of spring. In January, I like to bring some branches inside and watch them slowly bloom.
Cut stems on a diagonal.
Pound the ends with a hammer or a rock. This will help the woody stems absorb water. I covered an old catalog with a plastic bag to protect the table.
Place in a jar of water or a vase. I don't always do it but it's a good idea to change the water every week to keep it fresh.
1 comment:
I enjoy reading your postings, this one really spoke to me. In 1973 we were living in Hamilton, Ontario having lived all my life 'til then in South Africa. Our son was two and a half and he was devastated when the Christmas
tree was "thrown out". I had heard somewhere that you could force forsythia and we had a huge bush in the garden. Out we went through mounds of snow and I cut off a number of smaller branches which I took in and and stuck in a large kenzan in a big white saucer like vase. Each day we filled it up with
water and after about two weeks I noticed a pale yellow tinge and then one day there were tiny little bright yellow flowers here and there. Our son was beside himself and when his dad came home that night he could barely get the
words out "look daddy, magic twigs have flowers!"
Needless to say "magic twigs" is what we call them to this day and now living in Edmonton, Alberta my florist has learned to get the first branches - before they're forced - for me - should get a call any day. I have had a bush for the past three years and last year was able to force my own, but
not until March!
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