Ever since the kids have been on the own we've opened our gifts at 12:01 AM Christmas morning so we can sleep in later, not because we can't wait any longer, at least that's why I think we do it LOL.

Nell, as you can see I don't have any garden traditions at Christmas or does opening presents at one minute after midnight count as I usually get something for the garden LOL.
When I was just a youngster a neighbor an avid gardener always started his onion seed Christmas day on top of the warming oven on the old wood stove they had in their kitchen.
Those were back in the days (2nd World War) when people at least around here had HUGE veggie gardens.

Annette

The ladies in my Sunday School class said their mothers didn't force paperwhite narcissus, either.

The preacher's wife, who isn't from around here, revealed she didn't know what a 'wash pot' was when when The Teacher quoted a former pastor as having said, "You can't play around the wash pot without getting smut (soot) on you."

Annual live decorations would qualify as tradition, as would garden gifts, yes.

Nell

No, no garden traditions at Christmas. My Mum was big on plastic/silk flowers. lol. Later in her life, she would grow an amaryllis, if the budget allowed. I usually start an Amaryllis, or some paper whites - I love the scent. This year I have a red lion amaryllis on the sill in the plant room, which has 2 flower buds poking up out of the bulb. Not sure whether I'll get a flower for Christmas, but maybe New Year's.

Nancy.

If Amaryllis doesn't bloom in time for Christmas, then you'll have a bright blossom in those dark days of January when all of Christmas is packed away.

I have my Grandmother Nickerson's beautiful bowls that Momma said were used to force bulbs. My grandmother had a very green thumb. I tried to force bulbs 2 yrs ago but had no luck. They were the right kind but they never bloomed. Not enough sun. They all finally grew green shoots but then rotted. Any hints...? c

C- they needed the cold. Put the bulbs into a low pot that fits into the cache pot -ie, your grammas pot. Put them into your fridge, a month, I think. I've listed a good link below. As with all other good things, timing is everything!!

Cheers, Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Forcing Bulbs

I can only tell you how I did mine, Caroline. I left them in the bag they came in until they had sprouts; some were two inches long. (This step is not necessary, lol.) When I remembered, I got a plastic bag and lined my container, which is metal, filled the bag to where I wanted the bulbs to sit, put in the bulbs and finished filling with stones half way up the bulbs.

Then I added water to the bottom of the bulbs. I put the container under a table skirt where it would be sort of dark, until the shoots were upright again and about 4-5 inches tall. Then I set them out in the light. Watch the water level and don't let the roots get dry, but don't cover the bulbs. Paperwhites do not need chilling.

I chilled bare hyacinth bulbs for 9 weeks before I put them in stones and water. Tulips were potted and then chilled for 8 weeks. The hyacinths have green nubs showing now and the tulips are beginning to peek out of the soil. I never put bulbs that are in water in direct sunlight, but the potted tulips are in sun in the greenhouse now.

Don't obsess, just put some bulbs in and watch what happens. Make a note for next year.

Nell

P.S. I read to put alcohol in the water to stunt the leaves and stems. I just tie mine up with a bit of raffia and let them be tall.

I heard that the alcohol was to keep the leaves of the paper whites upright. I always put cross-hatched willow or dogwood to do the same thing.

Nancy.

One of the best sources for bulb info is Cornell University Hort Bulb Research.

They've saved me years of experimentation.

Here's the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Paperwhite Research at Cornell

I do hyacinths, tete a tete daffodils and paperwhites for after Christmas. I also do amaryllis. (I buy them late because they get reduced as Christmas approaches.) Out goes the tree and the pointsettias and in comes Spring. Paperwhites don't need chilling or dark. We can buy hyacinths already 'prepared' ie pre-chilled. I put the hyacinths in water glasses or bowls of bulb fibre and put them in the dark in my shed. When the noses begin to grow fat and a few inches tall I start to bring them indoors in succession. That way you can control the speed of growth and have hyacinths for weeks.

About the only flowers that I seem to have allergy problems with are INDOOR paper whites or daffodils. Never have figured that out.

Cameron

Well, I wait until Christmas is over, then collect as many discarded spruce trees as I can, and use them for winter mulch...