My bulbs were all chosen for a place in my garden, not to be forced. However, almost all spring blooming bulbs can be forced. Those that make the list as "good forcers" are chosen mainly for their earliness to bloom and shorter stature. I know that the late varieties of tulips (usually the tallest) will be harder to keep upright, but I would rather try than throw them away. A trick that will help is to plant combination pots with these tulips touching each other in the center, surrounded by earlier, shorter bulbs such as daffodils that will help hold them upright. Growing them in nursery containers that allow deeper planting will help too. Here's how I make flowering gardens with my leftovers.
Like most gardeners, I have a collection of pots stacked in the garage that I can't seem to bring myself to throw away, so I should have what I need. If you don't, ask your neighbors or friends. They are usually relieved to find them a home other than the landfill. The kind you want are those that small shrubs or larger perennials came in. The best choice will be ones that are at least eight inches in diameter.
Almost any well-drained potting medium will do for the project. Put an inch or so of soil in the pot and begin to arrange the bulbs. Put your tallest ones in the center (like the late tulips) with the bulbs touching each other. Add some soil to anchor them, then plant the outer spaces with daffodils or earlier tulips at a slightly shallower depth. Add more soil until these are almost covered. Now place the small bulbs like crocus or scilla among the tops of the other bulbs. Continue filling the container until everything is covered, leaving only a small amount of headroom for watering. Water the containers well when you have finished to start the rooting process.
Now comes the hardest part. Where will you put them? Anywhere the temperature can be maintained between 35 and 48 F. If you have a second refrigerator, you can put them in it, but don't store them with fruit as it gives of ethylene gas that can cause the bulbs to "blast" (produce deformed flowers) or be "blind" (fail to flower). Another choice is the one I will use. I have a store room at the far end of the basement from the furnace. It is not a heated basement, so that room stays well below 48 F with the door closed. I store dormant plants there too. Many people ask me about keeping them in the garage. If you have a good mini-max thermometer (those that tell you what the minimum and maximum temperature were since you last checked) and can satisfy yourself that the space you use will stay between 35 Fand 48 F, use it. Most garages are either too warm if heated, or too cold if not. For the heated ones I have no answer. In a cold garage, you could try putting your pots in a large container filled with some kind of insulator like leaves, dry peat moss, Styrofoam peanuts or even tightly crumpled newspaper. I've heard brainstorm ideas for containers that range from a stored footlocker to a large garden cart. Remember, we are talking about how to make the best of a bad situation, not the most perfect of all forcing situations. If you had a cold frame it would probably already be full of something you planned on having.
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