Have you heard the term “forcing blooms”? It’s a neat gardening trick. In early spring, snip a few branches off of certain flowering shrubs or trees, like Forsythia, Quince, Witchhazel, or Redbud. Bring them indoors and place them in water, as you would a bouquet. Give them bright but indirect light, mist them occasionally as the buds form and refresh the water if it gets mucky. In about 3 weeks, they’ll bloom! Wait until late winter or early spring to do this so the plants can experience their full cycle of winter dormancy. You are essentially tricking the living cuttings of the plant into thinking it’s spring!
Plants That Can Often Be Forced To Bloom
Azalea
Crabapple
Flowering Quince
Forsythia
Magnolia
Pussywillow
Redbud
Rhododendron
Serviceberry
Spirea
Witchhazel
Cherry, Pear, or Apple trees