How to Trick Forsythia Bushes into Early Bloom

Things You’ll Need: pruning shears, a bucket of warm water, a sunny area...



In the cold climates, the ideal months to pick Forsythia stems for "forcing" is February or March. Any later than that, and they'll bloom some warm day without your help...

Make some cuttings from the Forsythia bush with a sharp pruning tool. It is important that you select a warm day to do this as the stems will be less brittle. Brittle bushes snap are easily damaged. Try to pick the stems with the most buds. The length is up to you but it's much easier to handle shorter lengths. Let the size of your vase(s) be your guide.

Take the cuttings inside where you've filled a bucket with warm water. Place the cuttings in the bucket of warm water. Some experts recommend that you re-cut the bottoms of the stems while they are submersed under water in order to protect the fragile "wounds.