Everyone associates spring with different things, but everyone will most likely have similar associations such as warmth, fast streams, drizzling rain or the long-awaited bright, blue sky and sea of flowers on International Women's Day on March 8, especially tulips, for this is a real, feminine flower. Yes, even if it is cheaper than a rose, but more sensual and appropriate ...
It is interesting that, unlike Dutch roses, in the markets by March 8, you can see our tulips, domestic ones, which manage to grow and freeze at the stage of a bud that is about to bloom.
Receiving flowering plants in a period unusual for their flowering is called distillation. This process is not so complicated as it seems at first glance.
Today we will teach you how to have time to drive out tulips exactly by March 8 with our with my own hands without making any special effort.
Through trial and error, flower growers came to the conclusion that some varieties of tulips are driven out much better than others, that is, in this regard, they are more reliable. We present to you an almost secret list of tulip varieties, which has not been published anywhere before, it is they who are distilled much better than others.
Let's start with tulips having red coloring... These are Hell Rem, Princess Victoria, Word Favorite, Lin Van Der Mark and Dow Jones.
Among pink tulips the best for forcing a variety such as Pink Impression, and among the yellow ones there are several at once: Strong Gold, Monte Carlo, Golden Apeldoorn.
Crimson tulips, perhaps, one of the most delicate, here luck will accompany those who use the Christmas Marvel variety in distillation. Stunning purple tulips can be selected for distillation Pöple Prince, and from white Montreux and Chess.
Bulbs of these tulip varieties are not uncommon in our country. The main thing is to examine the bulbs as carefully as possible when buying. They should not have any damage, signs of rot, dents, deep scratches on the surface. Never take small bulbs, try to choose the largest ones, with a diameter of 3.5 cm or more.
Once purchased, the bulbs must go through a specific cooling process called stratification.
There are two ways to do this.
The first implies a long cooling period: from 100 to 130 days. That is, if you want to get blooming tulips it is by March 8, then everything should be done in advance, calculating the deadline.
The bulbs should be placed in a basement or other room with a temperature of about 9 degrees above zero and make sure that this temperature does not fluctuate too much. The bulbs can be folded into simple wooden boxes and left open. As for the humidity in the room, it should be at the level of 75-80%, preferably not higher or lower. It is unacceptable for condensation to accumulate on the bulbs and dry out during the cooling period.
The second cooling option is shorter in time, but this does not require a basement, but a special refrigerators compartment, which must constantly maintain a certain temperature - at the level of 5 degrees Celsius - for "only" 45 days.
Remember firmly: if the tulip bulbs do not undergo stratification in this way, that is, they are not exposed to the cold, then the process of forcing, that is, the growth and development of the aerial part and the appearance of buds, will not occur.
Before placing the bulbs in the ground, it is highly advisable to treat them with an approved fungicide, that is, a preparation that protects the bulb from fungal infection.
If the bulbs are purchased, that is, you have no idea how they were obtained and in what conditions were grown, then fungicide treatments are necessary. If these are your bulbs and you are sure of their health, then just soak them for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate (1-2%).
After soaking, the bulbs must be removed, rinsed in running water and placed on a dry cloth to dry. While the bulbs are resting, let's prepare the soil.
To do this, you need to take any fertile soil - for example, the top layer of soil from the garden and vegetable garden, which rested for at least a couple of years (nothing grew on it), compost and mix with river sand in the ratio: 2 parts of fertile soil, 1 part of compost and 1 part river sand. All this is well and thoroughly mixed and placed in a box, shallow, but rather wide (or several boxes, if you want to drive out a lot of tulips), in a layer of about 10 cm.
The bulbs are not buried in the prepared soil, but with a light movement are pressed into 2-3 cm.In this case, it is strictly necessary to leave a distance between the bulbs of 1 cm if the bulb diameter is 3.5-4 cm, and 2 cm if the bulb diameter is more than 4 cm ...
The next step: when the bulbs are placed in the soil, you need to cover them slightly with soil, as if to cover them, but do not cover them.
In order to invigorate, stimulate, feed the bulbs, it is necessary to water them not just with water, but with water mixed with calcium nitrate (10 l -20 g). Further, it is advisable to warm the water to room temperature and water the soil in such a way that about 50 g of such a nutrient mixture is consumed for each onion. After watering, it is advisable to sprinkle the bulbs with river sand, trying to take its largest fraction.
When the bulbs are watered and covered with sand, they must be placed in a basement or other room with a temperature of 8-9 degrees (without temperature fluctuations and drafts) and a humidity of about 90%, also preferably without hesitation.
Check the soil about once a week. If you notice that it has begun to dry out, then water it with water at room temperature, but without adding additional fertilizing.
Usually in the month of January (if you planned to distill it by March 8), the bulbs, as a rule, form roots and begin to form sprouts.
The boxes with sprouted tulip bulbs should be removed from the basement or other room approximately 20 days before March 8. Thus, from the usual basement, we transfer the revived bulbs to the forcing room.
It can be, in fact, anything. For example, a greenhouse or just a greenhouse or a room in any room with a window and heating. The most important thing is to have plenty of moisture, heat and light. The latter is usually not enough, the day is still short, so about an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset, the bulbs need to be illuminated. And in cloudy weather, you do not need to turn off the light, otherwise the tulip sprouts can stretch out a lot.
As for the temperature, so that the bulbs do not experience the shock of a sudden change in temperature in the room, for three days you need to keep it at a level of 12-13 degrees above zero, and then you can raise it to 19-21 degrees.
If you do everything correctly, then buds will form, which will bloom immediately after cutting and placing in water - exactly by March 8.
Caring for growing bulbs is not much different from caring for anyone, probably houseplant... This is moderate watering with water at room temperature as the soil dries up and adjusting the backlight - if you notice that the stems are stretched, then the amount of backlight time can be increased by a third or a little more.
Then you yourself can adjust the intensity of tulip development. For example, if you notice that they are growing a little slower than necessary, then simply increase the temperature in the racing room to 24-25 degrees. And if, on the contrary, the plants grow too intensively, then lower them to 16-17 degrees, and then their growth will slow down or even stop.
In autumn, the lily of the valley plant is ready to bloom next spring, that is, its underground buds have the rudiments of inflorescences. But besides them, there are also vegetative buds. This is the only difficulty - choose the right rhizomes for forcing... Larger, plump, blunt-pointed buds are capable of flowering. Vegetative - thinner, with a sharper tip.
Usually in October the leaves of the lily of the valley die off, then I choose the rhizomes. It is important to preserve the roots, since new ones do not grow back during forcing. I shorten too long to 10 cm. Lily of the valley rhizome cut with pruning shears, choosing the desired sprouts. Then, without letting them dry out, wash them off the ground and soak for 2-3 hours in clean water... Next, gently lay out the cuttings on a layer of wet moss, cover with another layer of moss and place in a plastic bag. You can lower the lilies of the valley into the cellar, you can dig them into a cold greenhouse, covering them with leaves on top, or place them in the refrigerator.
The first time I drive out lilies of the valley by the beginning of December. For such early distillation of lilies of the valley you need to choose the largest sprouts, pour warm water. Rooted sprouts should be completely covered with water, an inverted plate will prevent them from floating. Put it all on the battery for 12-16 hours. The water temperature should be 30-35 ° .
Usually 7-9 sprouts are placed in a pot with a diameter of 12-14 cm. A layer of moss is placed on the bottom of the pot: on the one hand, it saves land, on the other, it retains the necessary moisture. Then pour leaf humus on top of the moss so that there is enough space for planting rhizomes.
After soaking the rhizomes of the lily of the valley immediately start planting them . I place them evenly in the pot and carefully add leafy humus, making sure that the buds are upright. They should be slightly covered, that is, they should be located immediately below the surface of the ground. Peat or peat-based mixtures can also be used as a substrate. Pots with planted lilies of the valley I water and, to maintain moisture, cover the top with moss, put in dark place with a temperature of 25-30 °. The substrate must be constantly moist, so water as soon as the need arises. Only the lilies of the valley will start to grow, remove the moss from the surface of the pots, but the pots still remain in the dark until the height of the sprouts reaches 10-12 cm (usually after 10-12 days). Then transfer them to a light windowsill. Having planted lilies of the valley, I get the first flowers by December 2, and after 2-3 days all the plants are blooming. Potted lilies of the valley bloom for about 3 weeks. They are alive, don't forget to water them!
You can prolong flowering by placing the lilies of the valley in a cooler place. However, if the temperature is too low, there is a threat of rust damage to the leaves of the lily of the valley.
Forcing lilies of the valley in December takes 3-4 weeks, in March-April - about 15 days. Closer to spring, you need to shorten the blackout period, as well as keep them in a cooler place. Give yourself joy, invite the long-awaited spring to your home in the middle of winter.
Image copyright belongs to flickr.com: M_AG
Lily of the valley (Convallaria) is a genus of the lily family, is a perennial herb with ovoid leaves and a cluster of fragrant white bell-shaped flowers. Lilies of the valley bloom in late May for 10-20 days.
May lily of the valley (S. majalis) has long been known in culture, but still undeservedly rarely used in landscaping.
Varietal lily of the valley - the so-called Berlin, differs in a larger flower. There are varieties with a pink corolla. Lily of the valley, due to the presence of a long branching rhizome (growth up to 20 cm per year), grows rapidly, forming a dense ground cover. Shade-tolerant, drought-resistant, undemanding to soils, grows well on sands and loams.
Lily of the valley grows larger flowers on soil rich in organic matter.
Lily of the valley propagates by segments of rhizomes with a bud of renewal. Planting is possible only at the end of summer, since in spring the plants do not take root well. Lily of the valley can be used as a ground cover plant in shaded areas. Plants stand perfectly in cut, suitable for forcing, have medicinal value.
Forcing lilies of the valley in winter time
Of all the perennials that can be distilled, the most important in floriculture is lily of the valley. This humble plant, with lovely white, fragrant bell-shaped flowers, is loved by all. It is used in bridal bouquets and in gravestone wreaths, and when planted in small pots, blossoming lilies of the valley are a pretty and fragrant decoration for rooms.
Garden lilies of the valley, in beauty, leave their forest counterparts far behind, they have wider leaves, large numerous flowers. In addition, they are much easier to distill.
Lily of the valley flowering timeWhen distilling lilies of the valley, especially the earliest one (in November), a temperature of at least 3 ° C is required, which is practically impossible at home. Therefore, under normal conditions, forcing in rooms is only successful starting from the New Year.
Lily of the valley discovers a peculiar feature during forcing: the plant never gives new roots, but absorbs moisture exclusively with old ones. The nutrients necessary for the formation of flowers and leaves are already accumulated in the rhizomes ahead of time. Heat and moisture are the main conditions for successful flowering of lilies of the valley in rooms. 
Rhizomes are dug up in the garden or purchased in October or early November. They can be dug in beforehand. But it is better to plant it immediately. Use any fresh, loose soil, even clean sand is good. Each pot, depending on the size, is planted from 8 to 12 rhizomes. Before planting, the roots are cut 8-9 cm. 
so that these tops barely rise above the edge of the pot, and pour the earth around. After that, add more soil between the rhizomes and squeeze it around the buds, trying to distribute it evenly between the roots and so that the buds are at equal distances. If at the same time the tip of one or another kidney is in the ground, it must be raised to the proper height. The main thing to watch out for when planting is that the buds rise above the soil surface, and the earth is strongly compressed and fills all the space between the roots. The planted lilies of the valley are well watered and stored until forcing in a cool place (basement). The distillation of lilies of the valley in the so-called pyramids, which are egg-shaped earthen vessels, is very interesting. Supplied with small but numerous round holes. Planting rhizomes in them presents no difficulty if the neck of the vessel is so wide that a hand passes through it without hindrance. The roots are also cut by 8-9 cm. 
A little earth is poured into the vessel - up to the lower holes, then they are pushed into them from the inside along ONE lily of the valley, and the kidney should come out entirely. Having filled the bottom row of holes with plants, pour the earth up to the next row, squeeze it tightly with the back of bent fingers, again push a new row of lilies of the valley into the holes and repeat this technique until all the holes are occupied by plants. After that, several more specimens are planted in the throat of the vessel, which is then immersed in a bucket of water until the earth is completely saturated. Subsequently, watering is carried out in the same way, only using warm water.
The distillation itself in the rooms is carried out as follows. The pots are placed in a tall box filled with moss, and a layer of moss 5-8 cm high is also placed on top.After that, pour plenty of warm water through a strainer, cover the boxes with glass and put them in a very warm place, for example, near a stove or near a daily heating stove ...
Every day, in the morning and in the evening, the plants are watered with water heated to 4 ° C, while the glasses are wiped dry with a cloth or cloth.
When the sprouts of the lilies of the valley touch the glass, it is removed. Before the flowers bloom, the pots are removed from the boxes, cleaned of moss and placed on a window or jardiniere. It takes 20-25 days from the beginning of the addition to flowering.
The earliest distilled lilies of the valley develop only flowers without leaves. Therefore, ferns can be placed between the pots, the green of which enhances the effect of white fragrant flowers. Optimal time for forcing lilies of the valley - February, when both flowers and leaves develop equally well. Closer to spring, the leaves are more magnificent to the detriment of the inflorescences, which sometimes do not even appear at all. This grief can be helped to a certain extent: each sprout is left with only one leaf at the flower arrow, the rest are cut out with a sharp knife as early as possible, at least before they begin to unfold.
At forcing lilies of the valley all success depends on the temperature (it must be high enough). Humidity of air and soil, frequent regular spraying. In this case, the water must be necessarily warm. The worst enemy of the expelled lilies of the valley is the sun, you should never allow direct rays to hit them. To keep the blossoming lilies of the valley in full glory longer, you need to keep them in a cool place. Faded plants are not suitable for further culture.
Probably, everyone in childhood read the famous fairy tale "Twelve Months", in which the little princess demanded lilies of the valley in winter. But even in a cold cold and snowfall, it is not difficult to make a fairy tale come true. Imagine how pleasant it is to admire when under New Year or in early spring lilies of the valley bloom in your apartment. Every gardener can feel like a wizard, for this you need to prepare the rhizomes of the lily of the valley in advance and save them until the time you need.
The graceful and fragrant lily of the valley blooms before anyone else in the spring forest. External appearance This graceful plant lives up to its poetic name: the slender stem of a long peduncle bears beautiful, drooping flowers. Lily of the valley is the favorite plant of flower growers for growing out of season and this is done quite simply. Often the distillation of a fragrant lily of the valley begins for some holiday. However, observing the flowering of lily of the valley in winter is sometimes perceived as a small miracle!
When choosing rhizomes for forcing, pay attention to strong specimens that have flower buds. Planting material can be purchased at a specialized store, or you can dig up lily of the valley rhizomes in the forest or on your site. Perform this procedure with a pitchfork so as not to damage the plant and leave the roots to the maximum. When forcing, the lily of the valley does not give new roots, the plant receives water only through them. Nutrients are also embedded in the rhizome, so it is important to properly preserve it before forcing the peduncles. Lily of the valley sprouts can be stored upright in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator with paper wrapped around the top.
Prepare a container by filling it with soil mixture, not reaching the edges of 10 cm. Take four parts of peat and a part of sand as soil. You can buy regular seedling soil. Place the rhizomes of the lily of the valley vertically, preferably the buds are at the same level. Fill the empty spaces between the roots with earth. Make sure that the flower buds are not covered, but are on the surface. Carefully pour the planted rhizomes with water, if gullies have formed, add the soil again. Forcing lilies of the valley requires high humidity, for this, wrap the buds with moss, cover the container with sprouts with plastic or glass and put it in a very warm place. Spray young shoots every day.
When the flower stalks have reached a size of 8 cm, then remove the film, sphagnum and transfer the container with lilies of the valley to a cool light windowsill. For a long time to please the eye with the sight of snow-white and fragrant little bells, maintain a temperature of 16 - 18 degrees and shade the plant from direct sunlight.
If you want to drive out lilies of the valley every year, then take them to personal plot a special flowerbed with fertile soil. Fertilize in May so that the plant has strong flower buds.
Now a bunch, or even a whole basket of blooming lilies of the valley in large cities you can buy at any time of the year, you just need to place an order and they will be delivered to you. But this service is quite expensive. About growing lilies of the valley on your own summer cottage it was in the article "Lilies of the valley - planting, care, reproduction and protection from pests and diseases", and now let's try to figure out how to grow lilies of the valley at home, just keep in mind that forest lilies of the valley are unsuitable for distillation in the off-season. It is best to use large-flowered varieties such as Grandiflora or Berolinensis.
For forcing lilies of the valley in winter, in the fall, you need to prepare segments of rhizomes with thick blunt buds (see the figure in the previous article), ready to bloom in the coming spring. We tie them in small bunches and set them vertically in boxes, shifting them with peat or moss. We moisten a little, and sprinkle with sawdust on top so that the rhizomes do not dry out. We transfer the box to a greenhouse, a greenhouse, or you can simply leave it outside in a shady place. When small frosts begin to - 7 degrees, we freeze the boxes for 5-7 days, and then we place them in a room with a low positive temperature (basement, well-insulated loggia). It is not necessary to water the sprouts during this period.
To grow lilies of the valley at home for the New Year or Christmas - it will take about a month. This means that at the end of November it is necessary to get the boxes out of storage and start distilling. At the rhizomes we shorten the roots, leaving 10-12 cm (see figure). It is recommended to arrange heat treatment. To warm the rhizomes, we stand for 10-12 hours in water at a temperature of 35-40 degrees, not allowing it to drop. This warm bath awakens the kidneys and accelerates their development, stimulating the supply of nutrients to them. As a result, the time for distilling lilies of the valley is reduced by almost a week and you can count on abundant and friendly flowering.
We plant the rhizomes in pots filled with a mixture of equal shares of moss, peat and leafy soil. We pour drainage from small pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom - then the pots can be placed in a tray with water and maintained high level humidity. Planting density: up to 10 rhizomes in a pot with a diameter of 12 cm.
Cover the top of the planting with wet peat or moss, cover it with a black film, then place it in a warm place, where we maintain the temperature of 25-28 degrees, often spray and ventilate.
As soon as the peduncles reach a height of 8-10 cm, we remove the darkening, but we still spray the substrate. When the lower bells turn white, the process of forcing the lilies of the valley can be considered complete, and the pots are transferred to a cool windowsill. With this content, in the light, but not in the bright sun, flowering will last about 20 days.
Since January, forcing lilies of the valley is easier, heat treatment is no longer needed. And the temperature of the content before the appearance of peduncles decreases: from the middle of the month it is 22-25 degrees, in February - 20-22 degrees. Those rhizomes that are waiting for their turn for distillation are kept at a temperature of minus 2 degrees.
