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Q: Recently I started reading an article at a checkout stand about forcing bulbs. I was fascinated, but then it was my turn, so I put the magazine back and went on my way. I haven鈥檛 been able to get it out of my mind since and want to know if you鈥檇 guide me on what I need to do in order to do bulb forcing. 鈥� S.I., sa国际传媒官网网页入口

A: Forcing bulbs is such an easy process that it鈥檚 my pleasure to help you along.

Right now in garden centers and most nurseries you鈥檒l be able to find bulbs that have been 鈥渢riggered鈥� that are ready to force. The usual ones are paperwhite narcissus bulbs and amaryllis bulbs. You鈥檒l find prepackaged, ready to plant sets, and at most nurseries bulbs are also sold loose. But don鈥檛 think those are your only choices. Any bulbs you find this time of year, if treated properly, could be forced.

With that said, I want you to really think about the mature size the bulb will grow to. A mature King Alfred daffodil can easily get two feet tall and, without some sort of support system, very ungainly. In other words, read the packaging and choose bulbs that tend to have a mature size of maybe 10-to-12 inches. You can have tulips, smaller daffodils, Dutch iris, crocus and hyacinths growing indoors.

Now, the secret 鈥� you have to chill the bulbs you choose for thirty days in the vegetable crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Sounds odd, I know, but your aim is to keep them cool (not in the freezer) so they get tricked into preparing to grow. This chilling process has a few caveats too. Once you鈥檝e gotten your treasures home, you鈥檒l want to be sure to repackage them into paper bags. Do not store them in the fridge in plastic. They do still need to breath.

If you鈥檝e chosen several different types, staple part of the label to the paper bag so you鈥檒l be able to keep track. Then, weekly, take them out of the drawer and rearrange them. That way, no one should get squished or develop soft spots. Just be sure to get them right back into the drawer to continue chilling. They really need a full thirty days of chill in order to do their magic later.

Also, don鈥檛 store any apples in the same drawer as the bulbs. Apples emit a gas that can stunt the growth of your bulbs, so keep them separate.

So for the time being, it鈥檚 bulb shopping and chilling time. Since it鈥檚 already nearly the end of October, thirty days of chilling will put you well into November so you can create lots of displays for decorating or gift giving. In the next couple of weeks I will explain the different ways you can grow them, so stay tuned. For now, get those treasures chilling.

Q: My neighbor, she鈥檚 new here, is still watering every day. I tried to explain the 1-2-3 water suggestions that the city has, but she didn鈥檛 get it. I didn鈥檛 make as much sense as I wanted to. Could you redefine it for us, since it鈥檚 time to slow the watering? 鈥� H.T., sa国际传媒官网网页入口

A: I believe you鈥檙e referring to the city鈥檚 1-2-3-2-1 watering suggestions, and you鈥檙e correct, it is time to wean the watering offered to the landscaping, unless the plant life has been newly planted.

In March, it鈥檚 suggested that you water one time a week. In April and May, you bump up the watering to two times a week. For June, July and August, water three times a week. In September and October, bump back the watering to two times a week. In November, dial back to one time a week. That鈥檚 the 1-2-3-2-1 watering schedule.

For December through February, 505 Outside recommends watering once to twice a month, depending on the plant life.

Now remember that there needs to be some wiggle room, especially if it stays really hot and dry for extended periods of time, or we don鈥檛 get much winter precipitation, or something is newly planted. All that suggested planning goes right out the window.

I won鈥檛 suggest your neighbor go from daily watering now to once a week watering in the blink of an eye. There needs to be some weaning back to be taken into consideration.

As the daylight hours shorten and the temperatures drop, the plants aren鈥檛 going to use or need daily drinks. Hope this helps you better explain the suggestions that the city created to guide us about the use of our precious water.

Happy Diggin鈥� In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, sa国际传媒官网网页入口, 7777 Jefferson NE, sa国际传媒官网网页入口, NM 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.