Article: The cool and dark space encourages the plant to grow its roots rather than shoots, which is a better use of energy in the first few weeks. 60 F is the optimum temperature. This is a rather cool room temperature, such as you might get in a cellar or garage. This step is optional but highly recommended. After a month, you can bring the tulip and its vessel out into a bright warm room. You should always make sure the water is topped up. Make sure the water in your vessel is topped up so the roots remain in water, but don't let the bulb itself soak. Unless you home is very hot and dry, you should check once or twice a week. It's best to keep forcing tulips out of direct sunlight but they will appreciate a bright room out of direct sunlight. You are advised to keep rotating the vase. Tulips will grow pointing towards the light, such as from the nearest window. Rotating the vase encourages them to grow straight and even. Depending on when you want your tulips to be fully flowered, decide when you want to begin the forcing process. If you start forcing tulips in the fall, they will need around 3 or 4 months to come into flower. However, those that started right in the middle of winter, for example in December, won't need as long to come to flower; possibly only 2 months. If you want tulips in flower over the holidays for indoor displays, you'll need to get started no later than October. If you are keen to have tulips for a very specific date, it's usually wise to try forcing them at intervals. Start in early September and start forcing one bulb each week until the middle of October. This will make it more likely that you'll have flowers by the holiday season. Unfortunately, forcing a bulb tends to take a toll on the bulb's reserve of energy. Some kinds of bulbs can recover from forcing and go on to flower again, but tulips are less good at this. It's fairly unlikely a tulip will flower again once forced, and a tulip bulb won't stand being forced twice. If you are really reluctant to give up on a bulb once its been forced, you can try planting it in an out of the way corner of the garden with some fertilizer. Possibly it may recover after a few years but you'll get a better display if you buy new bulbs to replace forced ones. Spent forced bulbs can be composted, unless they show signs of disease. In this case, burn them or dispose of them with household waste.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Place your forcing receptacle into a cool, dimly lit place for a month. Keep your tulips hydrated. Keep rotating the vase to ensure even sunlight. Decide when to force your tulips. Understand that you can't force tulips multiple times.