Bring Spring to You! – Get Outside!

Photo of a forest of trees in late winter showing several maple trees with stainless steel buckets attached to collect sap — Click here to learn about Maple Sugar Events in the Hudson Valley!

It might not seem like it, but spring is on the way! The days are getting longer, the snow is beginning to melt, and the maple sap has started to flow. But maybe you are getting impatient, so why not bring spring to you?

So how does one bring about spring? Well, one way is to force branches.

Forcing Branches

By bringing spring-blooming branches inside and exposing them to the warmth of your home, you can trick them into thinking that spring has arrived and cause them to bloom.

Now the first step is identify spring-flowering plants. A good place to start is to think about what trees and shrubs in your yard are covered with flowers in the spring. Here is a list of common plants that you can force:

Pink four petalled flowers on the branch of a dogwood tree — *Dogwood flowers*

Once you have identified the plant you want to force, you want to look for a branch with a lot flower buds, which tend to be large, round and plump.

Cut branches that are about 6-18 inches long.

Soak the branches in water overnight.

While submerged in water, recut the stems at a diagonal about one inch from the base.

Place the stems in a vase with warm water and remove any buds that are submerged.

Place the container in a cool (60-70°F) location in you home that gets indirect sunlight.

Change the water every few days to prevent the buildup of bacteria.

If your home is really dry, you may want to mist them several times a day to prevent the buds from drying out.

Once the buds begin to bloom, moving them into a cool location at night will help them last longer.

The closer to the plant’s natural bloom time that a branch is brought indoors, the faster it will bloom. Here are some estimates on how long it will take for you to force different kinds of branches.