While we are a resilient and hardy genus, the request to grow us indoors is a significant departure from our natural lifecycle. It is not our preferred existence, as we are outdoor, temperate-climate bulbs that require a period of cold dormancy. However, with careful attention to our core needs, it is possible to coax us into a temporary indoor bloom. Understand that this process is for a single season's display; for our long-term health, we must ultimately be planted outdoors in the garden.
Our most non-negotiable requirement is a period of cold dormancy, known as vernalization. Without this, our internal biological clock will not trigger root development or flower formation. To bloom for you indoors, you must simulate winter. Purchase healthy, firm bulbs in the early fall. Place us in a paper bag or a pot of dry peat moss/sand inside your refrigerator's vegetable crisper for 12-16 weeks. It is crucial that we are kept away from ripening fruit (like apples), which emit ethylene gas that can destroy the embryonic flower inside the bulb.
We prefer a well-draining environment as our bulbs are prone to rot in soggy conditions. Select a pot that is at least 6-8 inches deep with adequate drainage holes. Use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix. You can plant us closely together, nearly touching, for a lush display. Plant us with the pointed tip (our nose) just below the soil surface, about 2-3 inches deep.
After the cold period is complete, you can begin the forcing process. Move our pot to a cool, dark location with temperatures around 50°F (10°C) for about two weeks to encourage strong root development. Once you see shoots emerge a few inches, gradually introduce us to brighter, indirect light. Our ideal growing temperature is very cool, between 50-60°F (10-15°C). Avoid placing us near heat vents or in direct, hot sunlight, as this will cause our foliage to flop and flowers to fade rapidly.
Water us thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry, but never allow us to sit in water. We enjoy consistent moisture during our active growth but will perish in waterlogged soil. We thrive in bright, indirect light. A north-facing window or a spot away from the intense afternoon sun of a south-facing window is ideal. Cooler ambient temperatures will significantly prolong our flowering period.
Once our beautiful, nodding flowers have faded, please do not discard us. We have expended immense energy for this display and wish to recharge. Continue to water us until the foliage begins to yellow naturally. This allows nutrients to return to the bulb for next year's growth. Then, you must plant us outdoors in a shaded or partly shaded spot in your garden. We will likely skip a blooming season as we recover but should return to our normal cycle thereafter. We cannot be forced successfully a second time indoors.
