Every year in February 1st I am startled to remember that it is time to bring in the forsythia branches for forcing. Could it really be time to think of Spring again?
For those of you who haven’t done this before: go find a forsythia bush. If it has not been pruned (and remember: forsythia likes to take its own shape and doesn’t pruning….) it will inevitably have several if not many shoots that extend well beyond the main ball of the bush. Choose ones with lots of buds on them, and cut (preferably with clean shears and at an angle, but this works no matter how you do it!) just above a bud. I usually collect 3-4 foot branches, but they can be any length depending on where you are going to put them. Put them in a sturdy, heavy-bottomed vase and fill with lukewarm water. Then: wait and watch!! Within a week you should have hopeful yellow flowers to cheer your days! Changing the water when you think of it is a good idea. Caveat emptor - due to global warming, the cycles of cold and warm weather have sometimes ruined the forsythia’s blooming rhythm. If this happens, please send a note to LincolnTalk to see if it is happening to everyone else! Anne Warner - Sent from iPhone. Typed by thumb. Excuse misspellings! -- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to [email protected]. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
