Treat yourself now to spring-flowering amaryllis and paperwhites. Here's how to make them bloom.

Forcing is a gardening term that usually refers to making plants bloom out of season. Forcing is done by manipulating a plant’s environment, primarily light and/or temperature. Really, it’s not so much forcing plants as convincing them to bloom at the desired time.

Although you may not realize it, you are already familiar with many examples of forcing. For instance, the date Easter occurs varies widely from year to year. Yet, by properly manipulating growing conditions, growers are always able to produce blooming Easter lilies at exactly the right time.

Spring-flowering bulbs are relatively easy to force. Two bulbs, paperwhites and amaryllis, do not need much special treatment and are very easy to force. Most of the other spring-flowering bulbs need a cold treatment first, but otherwise