How to plant indoor bulbs for forcing

To enjoy prepared bulbs indoors in winter or around Christmas, start in September and check the timing for the bulbs you choose. The video allows around 15–18 weeks for the full process.

Pot them up. Use multipurpose compost or bulb fibre in a pot with drainage holes. If the container has no holes, use bulb fibre and water sparingly. Gloves can help when handling hyacinth bulbs, which can irritate skin.

Set the bulbs close together without touching, with the tips just above the surface. Leave about 1 cm below the rim for watering. Label the pot and water gently.

Give them a cool, dark period. Keep the pots dark at about 6–8°C and check that the compost stays slightly moist. When shoots are around 2.5–5 cm tall, depending on the variety, bring them into a cool room with indirect light to flower.