Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Forcing Blooms


I cut some forsythia branches today. When the forsythia bush saw me coming, it sighed. It is not a large bush, and is wedged between a fence and an ornamental cherry. Every spring I plunder its small frame for branches. I searched for some branches I hadn't already pruned in other springs. There weren't many. But I found some and cut some branches which were about four feet long.


Inside, I made vertical cuts into the branch ends, to help them soak up water. I put them in my largest vase and put them in the living room, where they will not get direct sun. It was hard to get a picture of them because of their size. In a week or so, these branches will be covered with little yellow flowers.

Next, I am going to try some cherry branches which my son and I will decorate with little wooden Easter ornaments. By Easter, the bare branches will be abloom.

For a beautiful picture and haiku about forsythia, see Grace's blog, A Year in Haiku. Click on the title of this post.

14 comments:

Teena said...

That's a great idea! I have a large bush I should do this to. I just need to find a large enough vase to put them in.

Grace said...

I love forsythia. I wrote about it today too.

Gabriele Kubo said...

I knew it, you are a florist at heart!!!
Happy blossoming !

Gabriele

Cal said...

This is such a good idea! I had not thought that the branches would be able to flower when out of the tree, which shows my lack of understanding regarding gardening and plants. But after reading this post, I would like to do this too in my home.

Shona Cole said...

oh, I can't wait to see how beautiful that is!

Beth, I did the texture exercise with my kids this week, check out my post today, I linked back here to you :) Thank you for the inspiration

Shona Cole

softearthart said...

Yellow the bracken, golden the sheaves. Yellow flowers of an early Spring Cheers Marie

Alison Agnew said...

Thanks for the tip! Eyeing up my forsythia bushes as we speak....now where are my secatours?

Alison

Ravenhill said...

Oooh, I am going to dash out through the two feet of snow still lingering on the ground to chop down a few branches from our cherry tree!!! Thanks so much for reminding me about this wonderful way to force the spring.
Happy weekend!
♥ emily

Playing by the book said...

Oh yes, isn't this time of year wonderfully full of anticipation. And I know I'm desperate to have some flowers inside - we have a few dwarf irises blooming at the moment, but not much else. We haven't any forsythia unfortunately but I'll see if I can find an accommodating neighbour who'll let me have a few branches!

Holly said...

Beth,
I love forsythia too - such a necessary part of spring for me :) I will be making my foray into our forsythia jungle today, thanks for the reminder!

Oh, and thanks for commenting on my blog too! :) You asked about embedding videos onto Blogger blogs...it's quite easy, actually. On YouTube, there's an "embed" code right under the url box in the info box to the right of the video. You'd cut that code, and then go into the HTML screen of blogger, and paste the code where you want it to go. Hope this helps & let me know if my description is too confusing :)

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Happy almost spring dear Beth!

The bare branches I brought indoors six weeks ago are nearly finished blooming and are now leafing out. What a joy to see them in their glory and making everyone who comes here feel good
too.

The vegetables we started in our kitchen window are doing their thing. Radishes sent out leaves and roots, beets, turnips, etc. Spring indoors.

Sending love,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

larissa said...

i love forsythia - definitely means spring is nearly here! love the branches in your large vase - can't wait to see them in bloom!

Trudy said...

That's going to be beautiful. I just love the colors of your walls and decor in the background.

marcia said...

I LOVE your blog. You are so creative and inspiring. I love the picture with yellow walls... glorious. YELLOW is my favorite. I just have to live with COLOR. That tree branch in the house is soo "me". My famly laughs and asks if I can ever come inside without bringing branches or rocks or something from nature. I tell them, No I can't nature is such a part of me :)