Yesterday in Pittsburgh we reached fifty degrees and had lots of sunshine! Most of the snow had finally melted, and the kids were able to run around in our very muddy backyard. For those of you in warmer climates, this may not seem very exciting, but for us, it was cause for celebration! With spring in the air I thought it was time to bring some blooms indoors, but with nothing actually in bloom yet, what’s a girl to do? Then I remembered something my mom used to do when we were growing up, forcing forsythia to bloom indoors, the perfect thing to try when there is a hint of spring in the air. For those of you who are not familiar with this, forcing forsythia simply means to trick it in to blooming early. In the spring, forsythia is a shrub that is covered with bright yellow blooms. Outside, the forsythia is not yet in bloom, but you can see the flower buds that have formed along its branches. Forcing forsythia is simply done by bringing some branches indoors and placing them in some water. The water and warm air cause the branches to bloom. It will take a couple of weeks for the forsythia to bloom, but I think the branches themselves lend a nice decorative touch to our table in the meantime. Once the branches bloom, the bright yellow flowers will look so cheerful as we endure the rest of winter.
To do this at your home, all you will need is some sharp pruning shears and a vase. If you are not sure what forsythia looks like, do a quick search online. Forsythia is grown everywhere in my part of the country, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding some. Just go outside and snip off some long branches with noticeable buds on them. Bring your branches indoors and fill a vase with water. Cut your branches again at an angle, or crush the edges with a small hammer, and then place them in the water. Change the water every few days, but other than that, just wait. Be fascinated by the intricacies of each branch every time you walk by, and enjoy the burst of yellow when the branches bloom. Sullivan was particularly interested in my branches, I caught him by himself, just gently touching the branches in the vase. He has always been drawn to sticks of all types! Let me know if you force your own forsythia and how it turns out. By the way, this will work for several different flowering shrubs and trees, so if you know you have a shrub that flowers in the spring, snip off a few branches and give it a try!
