Northern Shade Gardening

We wanted to have a Hottest January 15 Ever Party here in Alberta, but it was  a little hard with Mr. Arctic Air Mass hanging around all the time. He tends to bring the mood of the party down, running around knocking people’s hats off, and pinching their ears and noses. We all chipped in to send Mr. Arctic Air Mass on a winter vacation, taking a tour of the south.

Like the other snowbirds, he packed his bathing suit and shorts, and headed south of the Canadian border to have some fun. He volunteered to bring the party ice. We hope you are showing him some Southern hospitality. We understand he’s applying for a green card now.  Our border guards have strict instructions not to let him back into Alberta.

Woohoo, we made it up to 4° C (39° F), not quite the 7° C (44° F) record high that was predicted, but still a pretty good party. We’re planning to extend the party, so could you keep him busy a little longer? Excuse me while I check out the palm section of the garden catalogue.

Narcissus day 18 closeup

Forcing bulbs indoors in the winter allows you to watch the magic of unfurling flower petals up close. The florets of these Narcissus create small bouquets on each stem.

Paperwhites are especially fun, because they bloom so quickly, and don’t need a long chilling period like most bulbs. It took 15 days for these Narcissus bulbs to flower,  with dainty white blooms. When I first planted them, two of the three bulbs had a tiny tip of green already showing.

Since these bulbs were a present, I wasn’t sure which type they would be, when I wrote about forcing bulbs a week ago. They are labelled as paperwhites ‘Pistachio’, but the only green to be seen is on the long leaves and stems. They have the typical multiple florets of tazetta daffodils, paperwhites.

The top cluster opened first, the initial peek of white gradually expanding to create this lovely white bouquet of florets on the 18th day. Then the other buds opened, each creating a new cluster. Each individual floret has  a tiny corona (cup) which protrudes from the perianth (petals), typical of Narcissus.  The petals are delicate and slightly crinkled, with their rounded edges slightly overlapping.

Narcissus day 19 roots

Here you can see a closeup of the Narcissus roots, which are gradually spreading across the container. Sometimes paperwhites are forced in pebbles when grown indoors. These seem to be doing fine in the soil mixture. Even the tallest flower stem is managing to hold up the blooms without toppling.

Narcissus day 19 leaves

The thick leaves of the paperwhites rise up, creating a miniature forest at eye level.  Some gardeners have experimented with adding a small amount of alcohol when watering the bulbs, to shorten the stems, and keep the flowers from flopping. Mine have managed to keep a mostly erect posture, despite remaining sober.

Narcissus day 20 newer flowers

These are the smallest and second smallest flowers on day 20. There are 4 or 5 more buds ready to open, and each will create a new cluster of pretty white daffodil flowers.

Narcissus day 20 smallest flower

Fresh growing bulbs brighten up the house on a winter day. Do you have any bulbs opening, either forced indoors, or growing outside?

Narcissus day 9

Forcing Narcissus bulbs indoors during winter highlights the more fun part of gardening, the nurturing and anticipation. For very little work, you get a lot of beauty. Outdoors, there is some interest to be had in the winter garden. My conifers are green, while  some shrubs have colourful stems, and some plants retain dried flowers. However, I miss the joy of watching green plants emerge, and the anticipation of unfurling buds.

These Narcissus bulbs were a present. The 3 bulbs were plump, and in good shape. To help keep them upright as they grow, I packed them tight together in the square glass container. I used the soil mixture that came with them, instead of pebbles.

The top picture shows them on day 9 after planting. They grow quickly, giving pleasure long before the outdoor bulbs will finish their cooling period. It’s satisfying to watch them extend, with more green tips appearing and thickening every day. I observe them several times a day, about as frequently as I study the first outside bulb of spring. It’s fascinating to watch the roots spread to anchor the bulbs, visible through the clear glass dish.

Narcissus roots closeup

They are labelled as paperwhites, with the variety name ‘Pistachio’, but  I can’t find a paperwhite with that name. However, there is a trumpet daffodil called ‘Pistachio’. I wonder if these bulbs will grow tall, and whether they will bloom in white, yellow or green? When they flower it will be easier to tell which type of Narcissus they are. The next picture shows them on day 13, with the first enlarged bud on the upper right.

Narcissus day 13

Something’s green and growing and smells like spring.

Here is  a followup of what the Narcissus bulbs looked like when they bloomed.

Do you force bulbs indoors during the winter? Which have you had the best success with?