How to Force Flowering Branches for Early Bloom

A How To For Gardeners in Kingston, Ontario.

In our long winters her in Eastern Ontario, we all need some colour and nature comes through. Forced Spring Bulbs in Pots or Tabletop Gardens full of Spring Bulbs provide that initial burst of natural beaut. But a very easy and simple solution is to force Flowering Branches from your Flowering trees and/or Shrubs in your yard to bloom.

Flowering branches, particularly Apple and other Fruiting Trees and shrubs as well as Forsythia and Flowering Quince, etc., tend to be pruned in late Winter very early Spring, and it is the perfect time to force them. The buds will be apparent on the branches and may have started to swell somewhat. Those branches can be forced into bloom and create lovely blooms in vases or a large branch in a pot for a more Architectural look.

Flowering Branches for Forcing

Buds are swollen on the stem

In Bloom!

Steps to Prepping the Stem/Branch - I am using Flower Crabapples for this demo.

First, using very strong clippers make a vertical Cut up the stem.

Vertical Cut of Woody Stem with Clippers

Alternatively, You could use a hammer or mallet and crush the stem on the bottom.

Hammer or Mallet used to crush the stem

Both Methods cause an increase in water absorption up the stem. Now put of water and wait. I suggest changing water out every few days.

Buds getting ready to open

Forsythia about to Open

Try it out it is worth the experiment and make your home a bit more colourful at a bleak time of year.