Gardens Galore: February Flowers ~ By Karen Brewka

Gardeners think ahead. I know that by February, I will be real tired of winter and real jealous of my friends on the Left Coast who will have flowers popping up in their garden.
One way I can make it better is by forcing flowers inside. I went to the big box store to find some leftover bulbs. Of course, the hyacinths hadn't been sold as they are not hardy outside here. These are my favourites for forcing because of the scent. Other bulbs work too. Daffodils, narcissus and tulips can all be forced inside. They just need different lengths of time in the fridge.
I have a small bag of hyacinth bulbs, 6 in all. I've found a container deep enough to hold about an inch of pebbles on the bottom with the bulbs resting on top of the pebbles. The bulbs can touch each other so the container isn't very wide.
Filling in the space around the bulbs with more pebbles to hold the bulbs upright, I am now ready to start the forcing.
I water only to the base of the bulbs. Can't let the bulbs sit in water or they will rot. The water needs to be changed every few days. Just put your hand over the bulbs and tilt the container to pour out some of the water and then add some fresh water.
Now the bulbs need a cold spell. They can be stored in a dark, cold basement or in the refrigerator. Here my hyacinths will stay for about 8 – 10 weeks until they show fresh stems about 2 inches long.
The bulbs are then taken out of the fridge (or out of the basement) and gradually moved into warmth and sunlight as the stems grow. First move them into a cooler area, and once the stems are fully green, into direct sunlight by a warm window.
Once the blooming is over, these bulbs will need to be discarded.
It's real fun to use a glass container with marbles instead of pebbles and watch the roots grow. A great activity to do with children!
This is a real easy way to get a touch of spring in February and is a lot cheaper than a plane ticket to Victoria.

The Valley Neighbors Garden Club has changed its meeting times. Now they meet on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting is on November 10th, at 1:30 pm at Valley Neighbours on Sunset Boulevard. The club welcomes new members. For information call Bea at 403–933–7131.
The Horticultural Club meets every second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm. For information call Sheila at 403–931–3989.