Learn how to plant, care for, and force the bulbs of your paperwhites.
They’re great gifts for the holidays or all year long.
Ralph Anderson
Key Takeaways
Around the holidays, staying busy is a given.
Credit:Ralph Anderson
Luckily, adding paperwhites (Narcissus tazetta) to a table or your yard is surprisingly simple.
He and his wife, Becky, own Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, Virginia.
All parts of the plant are toxic to pets and to people, but the bulbs are especially so.
Keep bulbs and plants out of reach.
Paperwhite Care
Paperwhites like sun, well-drained soil, and mild temperatures.
Indoors, you may need to stake your paperwhites at some point.
Brent says these flowers can get leggy with insufficient light.
you’re free to also enjoy forced paperwhites outdoorsas long as temperatures will stay above freezing.
Light
Paperwhites require adequate light to get to bloom.
Outdoors, plant in a sunny spot with some protection from the mid-day sun.
Indoors, place them in or near a sunny window.
Rotate containers to keep the plants from leaning toward the light.
it’s possible for you to also plant them in a pot indoors or out.
If you do use soil, good drainage is key.
Use a lightweight potting mix with excellent drainage.
If you plant in the ground, loamy soil or sandy loam is best.
Clay soilmust be amendedto improve drainage.
Water
Because paperwhite bulbs are sensitive to rotting, be careful not to overwater.
The roots will reach down into the water.
If you are growing your paperwhites in soil, water just enough so that the soil is lightly moist.
If you planted paperwhites in the ground, only water when the plants are actively growing.
The bulbs prefer to be drier while dormant.
Bulbs can sprout at lower temperatures of 45 or 50 degrees.
Outdoor containers can be brought inside when a freeze is expected.
Some varieties may be more cold-hardy, so check the bulb or plant label.
it’s possible for you to fertilize paperwhites planted in the ground.
Use a bulb-boosting fertilizer at the time of planting and in subsequent years when the plants begin to sprout.
Fertilizer may be provided a third time once paperwhites begin to die back if your plants bloomed poorly.
Other paperwhite varieties deviate from the usual pure white flowers.
‘Cragford’ and ‘Falconet’ both have dark orange trumpets, but the latter also has yellow outer petals.
‘Avalanche’ is an unusually cold-hardy paperwhite that can be planted outdoors throughout the South.
The blooms are white with a buttery-yellow trumpet.
Wait until the foliage has mostly turned brown and died back.
Using a shovel or spade, gently dig a circle a few inches wider than your clump.
Dispose of any damaged or sickly-looking bulbs.
Divide your bulbs and replant 4-6 inches apart in deep, loose, well-drained soil at the same depth.
Plant in groups of five or more for the most impact.
Add a little holly and a few berries for more color.
Should the mercury threaten to dip, just bring your container inside until the temperature warms back up.
How To Force Paperwhites
With proper planning, you might force paperwhites to bloom right around Christmas.
Choose one of these methods and start your bulbs in November four to six weeks ahead.
Flowers will bloom for as long as two weeks.
In Soil
This is the best and easiest way to force.
Start with a small pot.
Fill with a coarse potting soil mix.
Plant bulbs so that the pointed tip is right side up and about 1/4 of the bulb is exposed.
Water well and let drain.
Then move to a warm spot (around 70 degrees) with bright light to encourage foliage and flowers.
As leaves emerge, rotate your pot every few days to keep stalks straight.
Keep soil slightly moist.
In Pebbles
This is also easy.
Purchase fine gravel from your local pet store.
Natural stone colors work well and will complement the brown, papery skin of the bulbs.
Gently add gravel to a shallow, clear dish or wide-mouthed canning jar.
Place bulbs, and then add a little more gravel, if needed.
Remember to keep at least one-third of each bulb above gravel level.
Add water until it is just below the base of the bulbs.
(Always keep water at that level so that the roots, not the bulb, stay wet.)
From there, follow the same directions you’d use for planting in soil.
Forcing vases fit well on windowsills and in other small spaces.
A tall, slender one will help support the stalks as they grow.
A single vase with one bulb can be eye-catching, but usemultiple vasesfor a bigger show.
Place a bulb in the vase, and add water until it just reaches the bottom of the bulb.
Throw out mushy bulbs and improve drainage or reduce watering for your healthy bulbs.
Paperwhites are fairly pest-resistant.
Deer and rabbits don’t bother them.
Throw out infected bulbs as the nematodes can spread to other plants in your garden.
A more common complaint is that paperwhites don’t bloom in their second year.
Bulbs that have been forced indoors often haven’t stored enough energy to bloom again.
Divide and replant in a sunnier location if needed.
Unfortunately, the flowers flop right over with the plant.
Not to worrywe’ve got a few solutions to this common problem.
It’s an especially festive touch around the holidays.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.Narcissus.
