We had a tease of spring day yesterday. Temperatures almost reached 70 degrees! We threw open the windows to air out the house, hung out sheets on the clothesline, and soaked up some sun and fresh air. Today we had snow and wind chills of 15 degrees.
I know spring is happening in other areas of the country, but in case you are anxious for signs of spring like me and my family, then here is an idea to bring in the season a bit early.
If you have a forsythia bush, you can have a flowers a few weeks early. I’ve read that pussy willow branches and even flowering fruit trees can be forced to flower too, but I’ve never tried them. Cut some long branches from the plant with sharp pruning shears. If you don’t have shears, scissors or knives work too. Put the stems in a bucket of warm water. Then cut another inch or so off the bottoms of the stem while they are submerged in the water. This keeps air bubbles from getting inside the woody stems and helps the plant soak up more water. Some people say to cutting the branches at an angle helps the plant get water and recover faster. After a few hours pour out the old water and add fresh warm water. Keep the water fresh each day. You and the children will be able to watch over the next few days as the buds enlarge and blooms start to form. Then you’ll have cheery yellow flowers, a few weeks ahead of time.
Early forsythia branches are a fun gift to bring to teachers or to people who have been cooped up all winter. Sometimes the branches even develop roots, in which case they can be planted outdoors once the weather has warmed up.
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