ASK MARTHA\Force branches to flower by bringing them inside.

Byline: Martha Stewart

As I walked through my Connecticut garden this past weekend, I noticed that flower buds were already swelling along several of the branches on one of my forsythia bushes.

This reminded me it was time to begin one of my favorite garden rituals: "forcing" flowering branches to bloom indoors in the dead of winter.

If you have a yard or access to shrubs that normally flower in the spring, "forcing" is a delightful way of experiencing a bit of springtime in winter.

Though "forcing" sounds a bit heavy-handed, it's actually much more like an act of gentle persuasion: You cut a branch, bring it inside, give it lots of water and allow it to think that the indoor warmth is the warmth of spring.

At my Connecticut home, I begin forcing forsythia in late January or early February after six or eight weeks of very cold weather. I choose young branches loaded with flower buds - which are fatter and more wrinkled than the pointy vegetative buds, which produce only leaves.

If you want to try this, think about shaping your shrubs, trees and bushes as you cut branches. Be careful not to tear or bruise the plant. I recommend using very sharp secateurs or clippers for this task.

Once indoors, cut the ends of the branches on a slant and peel back the bark about an inch above the cut. Some people also gently mash the ends of the branches to aid in water intake.

Place the branches in about 12 inches of TEPID water. Change the water often and mist the branches daily to emulate outdoor springtime conditions.

Keep the branches in a room where the temperature is about 58-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures will speed forcing but diminish flower size, color and life span.

It may take a week to a month for the buds to begin to flower. When they do, create arrangements in vases and then move them to a well-lit spot that is not in direct sun. The branches should flower for a week or so, mimicking the blooming time of the species.

You'll find that some branches placed in water will easily grow roots. Once the blossoms are spent, such branches can be planted outdoors to become a new shrub or bush.

If you want to grow new plants, feed the roots with a weak solution of 10-10-10 soluble plant food until they are about -1/4 inch long. Prune the branches to 6 inches in length and then bury each rooted section in a pot filled with good potting soil. Keep the plants moist until they are sturdy and leaf-bearing.

These plants can be kept in a nursery or greenhouse and allowed to thrive until ready to transplant to a permanent location.

There are many branches that respond well to forcing. Check with local gardeners or tree experts about what works best in your area.

The earliest candidates are usually forsythia (try the gold charm and Lynwood gold varieties, which flower dramatically), witch hazel (try Hamamelis mollis and Hamamelis japonica) and pussy willows.

Later-flowering trees, such as magnolias, fruit trees (apple, cherry, plum and peach) and fruited and flowering quince can be forced about six weeks before outdoor flowering times. The larger flowering species, such as magnolias, should be left outdoors until the buds are fat and well-developed.

For beautiful arrangements, try forcing the fabulous pale-yellow, lemon-scented magnolia Elizabeth or the pink and white dogwoods. Finely cut leaves from Japanese maples, copper beeches, crab apples or even different birches and willows all contribute to a fresh breath of spring indoors.

Here are some other nice ones to try:

Bright-red twiggy quince 

Graceful white shad

Highbush huckleberry (pale, vase-shaped flowers)

Spicebush (miniature flowers with a pleasant fragrance)

Sugar maple (fancy, chartreuse tassels)

Red maple (red, fireworklike blossoms)

Moosewood (huge green leaves)

Honeysuckle (very fragrant)

Privet (small white flowers)

Pieris (white flowers)

Mock orange

Currant

Gooseberry 

The only shrubs to stay away from - especially in Northern climates - are lilacs. These are best left outdoors to flower at will in the spring.

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Photo Tepid water, changed often, helps plants bloom indoors during winter.