Invite spring indoors with forced flowering branches

Cherry branches are ideal for forcing into bloom indoors.  

If the muted greys and browns of winter have you down, beat the blues by forcing some cut branches into flower. 

It’s easy, gets you outside, decorates your home, and gives you the pleasure of watching buds open and flowers unfurl.

All you need is a sharp pair of hand pruners and some spring-flowering tree and shrub branches to cut and bring indoors.

Fortunately, this is a great time to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs, so this is a twofer. You’re pruning your plants and gathering branches to force into bloom.

Branches are ripe for harvest in February. Plants have had the six weeks of dormancy they need and are starting to plump their buds in anticipation of spring.

And no, you’re not harming these trees and shrubs by cutting them. You’re just nudging their branches into flower a few weeks earlier. 

Cut branches on a milder day when the buds are softer and better able to make the transition to warmer indoor temperatures.

Snip branches one- to two-feet long for forcing. Branches pencil-thick or thinner are best.

Look for branches loaded with flower buds. These are the fat, round ones. Leaf buds are smaller and pointed. When in doubt, slice a bud open. Do you see tiny leaves or flower parts?

Sorry, I couldn’t resist sneaking in a botany lesson.  

As you’re cutting, remember your pruning basics. Make sharp cuts at an angle so water runs away from the cut. Prune out crossed branches or ones that grow inward. 

Thin dense areas for air circulation. And step back often to make sure you’re creating a good shape and not cutting away more than a third of the plant.  

Gather the branches you’ve cut and bring them inside. Recut the stems and put them in a bucket of warm water in a cooler room. Let them drink overnight, then arrange them in vases.

Some experts cut stems underwater, add floral preservative, or put stems directly into vases. Regardless of your technique, change the water at least weekly to keep bacteria at bay. 

Place your finished design away from fireplaces and other heat sources. To mimic spring’s temperatures, display your branches in a cooler room out of direct sunlight.

But certainly, put some of your branches somewhere where you can have the pleasure of watching the buds pop open to reveal their spirit-lifting blooms.

Did I say blooms? You need not limit yourself to bold flowers. Pussy willows and other plants that form catkins – fuzzy or thin, dangling clusters of tiny flowers – look wonderful indoors. 

Cut branches of pussy willow. Photo: C. Carignan

Is it possible to walk by a vase of furry pussy willow catkins and not pet them? I think not. 

Some spring-blooming trees and shrubs that force well are cherry, forsythia, redbud, quince, serviceberry, red maple, witch hazel, magnolia, crabapple, pear, and plum.

For catkins, take cuttings from beech, birch, filbert, and willow. If you want a longer show, cut branches every few weeks.  

Make spring come early. Gather branches for forcing and enjoy the show. 

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension. This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media. Read more by Annette.

This article was previously published by Herald-Mail Media.

Pruning 101: The basics for success

This is a great time of year to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs so let’s cover some tips and techniques.

What is pruning? Pure and simple, it’s removing the undesirable parts of plants.  

Good pruning improves plant health. It gets rid of dead and diseased parts and improves air circulation, shape, and appearance. It can also restrict growth, stimulate flowering and fruiting, and rejuvenate older plants.  

February to early March is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs because they are dormant. The cuts you make will add vigor without trauma. 

You need only a few tools. Start with hand pruners to clip small twigs and branches. Add a pair of loppers to cut larger branches. For tight spots, it’s hard to beat a folding pruning saw.

No matter what tools you choose, keep them sharp and clean.

Leave to the pros – licensed tree experts or certified arborists – the pruning of large trees or work that involves climbing or cutting near power lines.   

Continue reading

Winter Pruning with Andrew Ristvey – The Garden Thyme Podcast

Although it may be cold and dreary outside, it’s the perfect time to take inventory of your deciduous trees and shrubs to see which plants would benefit the most from pruning. In this month’s episode, we’re sitting down with Extension Specialist in Commercial Horticulture, Dr. Andrew Ristvey. Dr. Ristvey is giving us the ins and outs on winter pruning. 

We also have our: 

  • Bug of the Month  (Winter Stoneflies) at 37:30
  • Garden Tips of the Month at 45:55
  • Native Plant of the Month ( American holly)  at   49:00

Here are some great resources to learn more about pruning: 

 If you have any garden-related questions please email us at  UMEGardenPodcast@gmail.com or look us up on Facebook.

The Garden Thyme Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Senior Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture, Rachel Rhodes- Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne’s County), and Emily Zobel-Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County). Theme Song:  By Jason Inc


Save the date! On March 9, join together with fellow University of Maryland alumni, faculty and staff, students, and volunteers for an extraordinary day of giving back. Make a contribution to Home and Garden Information Center Fund for #GivingDayUMD!

The Garden Thyme Podcast – February 2021

Garden Thyme podcast player

Hello Listener,

The long cold days of winter are upon us and even though we might like to dig in and hibernate, there’s still plenty of things to do in the garden. In this month’s episode we chatted about winter pruning, adding plants for winter interest, and the “language of flowers”!

Listen to podcast

Timing:

  • The Language of Flowers at ~2:10
  • Winter Pruning at ~8:10
  • Plants for winter interest ~16:45
  • Native Plant of the Month (River Birch) at ~21:30
  • Bug of the Month (EarWigs) at ~24:45
  • Garden Tips of the Month at ~29:00

Resources:

A Guide to Successful Pruning, Shrub Pruning Calendar

A Quick Guide to Pruning Roses

 

We hope you enjoyed this month’s episode and will tune in next month for more garden tips. 

  1.  If you have any garden related questions please email us at  UMEGardenPodcast@gmail.com or look us up on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GardenThymePodcast
  1. For more information about UME and these topics, please check out the UME Home and Garden Information Center website at  https://extension.umd.edu/hgic

The Garden Thyme Podcast is a monthly podcast where we help you get down and dirty in your garden, with timely gardening tips, information about native plants, and more! The Garden Hoes Podcast is brought to you by the University of Maryland Extension. Hosts are Mikaela Boley- Senior Agent Associate (Talbot County) for Horticulture, Rachel Rhodes- Agent Associate for Horticulture (Queen Anne’s County), and Emily Zobel-Senior Agent Associate for Agriculture (Dorchester County). The University of Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Equal Access Programs. We want to remind everyone that we are open to all audiences, and will continue to serve our communities.

November Tips and Tasks

  • Prune dormant shade trees that need to be pruned. Begin by removing all dead, diseased branches, and making any necessary cosmetic cuts. Do not cut branches flush with the trunk. Leave the branch collar (swollen area on the trunk of a tree or a larger branch) but do not leave a stub. 

improperly pruned tree
Incorrect pruning and over mulching

  • Topping (photo above) is the not the correct pruning technique to help control the size of a tree. Crown reduction, pruning entire branches at their point of origin, is recommended if a tree must be reduced in size. 

several rows of brown eggs on a tree trunk
Spotted lanternfly eggs. Photo: Lawrence Barringer, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org

  • Be on the lookout for spotted lanternfly adults and egg masses. Report any finds to the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
  • Mulch your perennials after the first hard freeze. This helps to protect them from frost heaving caused by the freezing and thawing of soil.  Mulch helps moderate temperature fluctuations, reducing this problem.