Force Branches Into Bloom
04/04/2022
Bring spring indoors, even if it’s just a handful of sticks, and look for new beginnings as you share your time and talents with those you love.
Take a nature walk in your yard and look for young budding branches. With garden shears, clip off branches that are about 20 inches long. Good choices are forsythia, lilac, tamarack, weeping willow and silver maple.
Lay the branches on a hard, flat surface and pound the cut ends with a hammer. Or, make a slit or two in the bottom of a freshly cut stem. This will help the branches absorb water and encourage the blooms. Set them in a tall, sturdy vase filled with warm water. Change water occasionally so that it stays fresh.
Extra idea: Decorate the blooming branches by hanging colorful miniature ornaments: baby chicks, robins, baskets or decorated blown Easter eggs.
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