Forcing Branches into Spring Bloom

Time to force spring to show her blooms!

Forcing Instructions
*Select branches that are at least 12 inches long and that have a lot of flower buds.
* Cut branches from the tree or bush and trim the ends, removing any smaller twigs and buds toward the bottom 6 inches of the branch (or any part that will be under water once in a vase and will rot.)
* Using sharp scissors or kitchen shears, carefully slit the branches at the end in several directions. The slits should be about ¼ to ½ inch long and pound the slit ends on a hard surface to encourage the branch to absorb water.
*Place the branches upright in their vases and move to a room that doesn't get a lot of natural light and leave for a week or two or until the buds begin to show little signs of color. During this time add water as needed.(Photo above is my branches at this point, ready to be arranged and enjoyed.)
* Move to their permanent location, and enjoy the blooms! Depending on the type of branch, the flowers will take between 1 and 3 weeks to reach full bloom.