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Paperwhite flowers, alongside amaryllis, are generally associated with the holiday season in our northern climate. Paperwhite bulbs will start to appear in stores and garden centers in mid to late fall—sometimes pre-planted, sometimes ready for you to take home and create your own arrangement. They are a daffodil cousin (Narcissus papyraceus) adapted to the mild climate of the Mediterranean region. Some love their fragrance, while others don’t at all. I suppose it’s the olfactory equivalent of cilantro! If you do decide to plant some of these easy-to-grow bulbs, I’m going to explain how to care for paperwhites until they bloom.
How to care for paperwhites planted in soil
If you are potting up bulbs yourself and want them to bloom around mid December, keep in mind that it takes anywhere from about four to six weeks from planting.
For paperwhites planted in soil in a bulb pan or pot, keep the potting soil consistently moist, but not saturated, which will prevent bulb rot. Choose a pot with a drainage hole so the bulbs are never inadvertently sitting in water.
If you’ve planted your paperwhites in a glass container with pebbles and water, make sure that only the base of the bulbs where the roots are touch the water and that the whole bulb itself isn’t taking a bath. This prevents the bulb from rotting. The benefit of growing in a glass container is that you can see where the water level is. Keep an eye on the water levels and replenish so just the roots are always touching the water.
Prevent paperwhites from flopping
One of my favorite pieces of indoor plant advice that I like to dust off around the holidays concerns preventing your elegant pot of paperwhites from unceremoniously flopping over. Rather than allowing paperwhites to grow too tall (causing them to fall over from their own weight), research has shown you can stunt their growth by adding a surprising ingredient to your watering routine: booze. An alcohol solution will keep your paperwhites nice and compact and less likely to droop. You can read more about the concept at Cornell University’s Flowerbulb Research Program.
At the time of planting, place the bulbs atop a layer of stones or glass beads. Leaving the top half of the bulb bare and dry, water normally until the roots start to grow and the shoot is green and about one to two inches long (about one week). Then, replace the water with a four- to six-per cent water/alcohol mix. For example, f the spirit is 40 per cent alcohol, you would use one part booze to seven parts water. Stick to the hard liquor—vodka, gin, rum, etc.—as the sugars in beer and wine are not good for the plants.
Another option is to plant paperwhites in a cylindrical vase. The sides will help hold your paperwhites upright as they grow.
If you’ve planted paperwhites in a deeper flower pot, you could try using bamboo stakes or the plant supports used to stake amaryllis. A simple piece of twine will do in a pinch if you have nothing else at your disposal, though both these last options aren’t as attractive as the first couple.
What to do with paperwhite bulbs after the blooms are done
Paperwhite blooms should last for about two weeks. Plants grow well in indirect light (avoid direct sunlight) in a room that hovers around 65 F (18 C) to 70 F (21 F). If plants are straining towards the light, turning the pot every few days will help keep plants straight. You can deadhead them as they start to wilt, but continue to enjoy the foliage.
However, it’s notoriously hard to save bulbs for next year. Most will send the bulbs to the compost and purchase anew the following year.
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You can fertilize with a regular indoor fertilizer about once every two weeks. Be careful not to give your Paperwhite too much water or too little - The soil should be moist but never wet. In six to ten weeks you'll be rewarded with abundant clusters of multi-flowering blossoms!
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.
You'll want at least 2 inches of soil or gravel for drainage. Set the bulbs gently in the soil or gravel, and pack more soil around the bulbs, leaving the tips visible. Water the bulbs thoroughly until the soil is soaked. Allow time for the soil to absorb enough water so it is thoroughly soaked, but not soggy.
Like most bulbs that are forced for indoor flowers, paperwhites should be discarded after they finish blooming. In warm climates, where temperatures don't go below 20°F, paperwhite bulbs may be planted outdoors in late fall for blooms in late winter.
Check the bulbs frequently and water thoroughly when the potting mix is dry 1" below the surface (but not more than once a week until the bulbs begin active growth), or when the water level is more than 1" below the stones or glass in your vase.
"A fun fact about paperwhites is that they naturalize outdoors, meaning their bulbs multiply underneath the soil," she explains. "Every three years in the fall, it is recommended to dig up the bulbs, split them up and plant them so they may produce new paperwhite blooms in the spring."
It can take several years for the bulbs to build up enough energy to rebloom. (If you still want to try this, do not cut off the wilted foliage, store the bulbs in a cool but not cold place, and try planting them out in the garden in spring. Paperwhites will naturalize outdoors in warmer climates–zone 9 or 10.)
Fortunately there's a simple trick that can prevent this from happening. When the stems reach 5 inches, add vodka to the water. Much as you might expect this treatment to make the plants tipsy, it instead burns the roots, which slows growth and prevents the stems from toppling.
For container planting, select a shallow container and keep in mind that Paperwhites only need 3 to 4” of space, so a 6” deep container is plenty! Fill the container ⅓ of the way with a well-draining potting mix.
To prolong their bloom period, move the paperwhite narcissus from direct sunlight when the plants begin to flower. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs should be discarded after flowering. Paperwhites can't be forced again and are not hardy outdoors.
Whether in a container or planted in your garden, Paperwhites like a sunny location. If they don't get enough light, they can get too tall and floppy. But they can be grown in light shade.
"A fun fact about paperwhites is that they naturalize outdoors, meaning their bulbs multiply underneath the soil," she explains. "Every three years in the fall, it is recommended to dig up the bulbs, split them up and plant them so they may produce new paperwhite blooms in the spring."
It can take several years for the bulbs to build up enough energy to rebloom. (If you still want to try this, do not cut off the wilted foliage, store the bulbs in a cool but not cold place, and try planting them out in the garden in spring. Paperwhites will naturalize outdoors in warmer climates–zone 9 or 10.)
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