Alcohol - Good for the body. Good for the bulb?

There have been stories both pro and con about moderate consumption of alcohol to help improve our health. Now Cornell University has found that moderate levels can also help with some of the bulbs that we force. Paperwhites, Amaryllis and Hyacinths will grow shorter, stouter stalks and therefore stand up prettier for us with a 4% to 5% alcohol mix. Start the bulbs normally with water, until the roots show. Dump the water and replace with 7 parts water to 1 part booze, assuming 80 proof. (FYI proof is double the percentage of alcohol, ie. 80 proof = 40% alcohol) Don't use wine, beer or sugary liqueurs. Gin, vodka, bourbon, and even rubbing alcohol will work, provided you do the math. The rubbing alcohol I have is 70%, so do a 13 part water to 1 part alcohol (1:14 --> 70 divide by 14 = 5) As usual, keep the bulb out of the water/alcohol mix. Keeping them in a cool bright area also helps to keep the stalks shorter. All of this helps reduce the droop of leggy stems. Reportedly the fragrance is just as pungent, so those new to the scent, be warned!
Resouces: http://research.cals.cornell.edu/entity?home=6&id=20890 http://research.cals.cornell.edu/entity?home=6&id=20200 or nice printable pdf http://www.hort.cornell.edu/department/faculty/wmiller/bulb/Pickling_your_Paperwhites.pdf

Huh! Who knew??

I'm wondering if it would also work to water a bulb planted in potting mix with the same solution of alcohol & water....

Same here.

I have never tried to grow amaryllis in just pebbles and water, hmmm...I may have to give that a try next year..or maybe go get a couple of cheap to try ...lol They would be jolly I bet with the alcohol! LOL

The article refers to planting in soil, as well as the other methods. I would think the alcohol mix would work as affectively in soil. I am going to give it a try in those I already have going.

Interesting. I read the pdf form. The only thing that I noticed is the alcohol is being used as a type of growth retardant. The thing that I would worry about though and did not read in the article is what wil happen to the bulbs after their alcohol bath and blooming.

After they bloom and that bloom fades all the sugars and carbs produced in the stalk and bloom then return to the bulb storage organs for the following year and for next years strength and increase. It doesn't say in the article unless I missed it somehwere how the bulbs will act for the following year.

If somebody is trying this after your plants bloom and then die back, if you have the room and the time, it might be interesting to take a few of the bulbs, plant them in soil and put in your fridge for about 8 weeks to allow them to go to sleep and rejuvinate, then bring them back out into a warm sunny room to force bloom again and see if any growth habit has been done .

This is just a theory, but as we are what we eat, so is plant. It is quite possible that the alcohol may stay in the cell walls and not freeze which could cause damge or rot to the bulb. Only way to be sure would be to test the theory.

LOL... Was just sitting here thinking about how funny it would be in the bulbs didn't come back up becaus e they were to tipsy to get themselves out of the ground.

starlight pondered:
"This is just a theory, but as we are what we eat, so is plant. It is quite possible that the alcohol may stay in the cell walls and not freeze which could cause damge or rot to the bulb."

Increased hardiness from a little tipple--wouldn't that be great!

You point about the followup of treated plants is well-taken. For forced bulbs that will be tossed, no problem, but for perennials, that would be very important.

Robert.