Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Bloom MATERIALS: Newspaper and paper or plastic plates Clear plastic or glass container at least 3 in diameter and 6 tall. We use clear containers so participants can watch roots grow. Bulbs will grow in a tall bowl with just pebbles but it is not as much fun. Bulbs: Paper white bulbs can be bought at nurseries and sometimes in boxes of 5 at big box stores or grocery stores. Hyacinth bulbs can be bought in bulk at stores like Costco or Sam s Club or the same sources as above. Purchase these in October and refrigerate in the bag or box until 3 weeks before the project. Small pebbles A bag costing about $5 is available from big box stores like Hole Depot. Soil Promix or potting soil; Soil should be the right moisture level for planting. We will not add additional moisture. To tell if it is the right moisture level take a handful and squeeze. The ball of soil should hold, and no water should exude. Tampers made from corks and wooden skewers Plastic spoons 1
Charcoal (sold in small bags at big box stores like Home Depot) One thin branch of pussywillow, forsythia or any branch that could root and leaf out. The branch should be 18 for hyacinths and 24 inches tall for the paper whites. These branches will be used when the bulb leafs out to support the leaves and flower stalk to keep them from falling. One silk flower (use any bulb flower that you can find). If you purchase these at the end of the spring of the previous year, you may be able to find bushes 1/2 price of a paper white flower or a hyacinth flower at Michael s. These will not be available in December. Sphagnum moss Ribbon or string Small watering can filled with water PREPARATION: Refrigerate hyacinth bulbs for 3 months. Paper white bulbs should be stored in a cool dark place. Use a plastic or metal pan about 2 inches high filled with gravel. Add water just below the level of the gravel. 3 weeks before project, place hyacinth bulbs on the gravel. Keep in a cool place until roots form. Then they may be given sun. 2 weeks before project, place paper whites in prepared pan. They may be given light. Buy your container. Wash gravel to remove dirt. Pour in gravel to a level of 2 in the container. Pour this gravel into a plastic cup. Measure this much gravel in individual paper cups for each resident. (If your participants are able to judge this for themselves, they may scoop gravel using laundry detergent scoops into the container from a bowl of gravel that you bring.) Use a covered plastic cup with a hole in the top as a charcoal shaker. Fill this shaker with charcoal. Measure 3 inches of soil into the container. Spoon it out into a plastic cup. Measure this amount of soil into a plastic cup for each resident. (If they are able to do so, residents may measure their own soil with laundry measures from the soil bag.) 2
Cut branches and place in water. Cut string or ribbon about 16 long. Cut silk flower bushes into individual stems. Moisten sphagnum moss. At center, put down newspaper on tables and give each person a plate to catch spilled pebbles or soil. Give a each person a glass. DURING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL: Listen to lesson on bulbs (see below) Pour pebbles into glass. WARNING: SOME RESIDENTS MIGHT TRY TO EAT PEBBLES. If your nurse knows of anyone who might do this, you pour the pebbles in for them. YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN AT THIS POINT: The pebbles are for drainage so the bulb will not sit in water. Explain that the water should never come above the pebble line. You may add water to the height of the pebbles at this time. PARTICIPANTS WILL: Shake on a layer of charcoal. Push branch into pebbles. Pour in the soil. Tamp with tamper. YOU HAND OUT BULBS. PARTICIPANTS WILL: Use plastic spoon to dig a hole to accommodate roots. Place bulb in soil. A third of the bulb can be exposed above the soil level. This gives the roots more growing room. Add little more soil if necessary. Participant may spoon extra soil from a bowl. 3
Tamp soil around bulb. JANUARY GOBLET OF HOPE Push in silk flower. Silk flowers have wire stems making this easy. YOU OR PARTICIPANT MAY: Place moist moss on top of exposed soil. YOU:Tie string or ribbon around branch 2 from the top of the branch. Do not water again. Water at the pebble level with moist soil encourages the roots to grow down quickly. DISCUSSION: When January comes around, the best medicine is to dream of spring. Today we are going to create a living reminder that winter is only nature s resting time. The bulb in your planter is called a paper white jonquil. It will produce a flower stalk with many small white fragrant flowers and green leaves in about three weeks time. A bulb is one of nature s most amazing miracles. Stored inside the bulb, is everything that it needs to grow and flower. The leaves from last year s plant manufactured and stored the food. Outside you see a protective cover, a green sprout which is the beginning of the flower and leaves, and the roots which will draw in the water the plants need to grow. We are also going to try and root some live cuttings by pushing them into the soil. To care for your little garden, place your goblet in a sunny place. Be sure to water only up to the top of the pebbles. (Show them a bathroom cup to indicate the right amount of water.) This will encourage the roots to grow without damaging the bulb. Your string may be used later to support your flower stalk and leaves. Teaching Aids: Pictures of spring bulb flowers from catalogues Ask if they know the names. Ask if they grew them in their gardens. Ask their favorite. Examples of different bulbs (e.g., crocus, daffodil, tulip, amaryllis) Growing an amaryllis is truly exciting if you have a staff member to care for it. I have bought one for each participant in my assisted living group. They talk about it for years. Prepared by Alyce Wertheimer 3/14 4
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