When should I plant paperwhite bulbs?
Paperwhites can be planted outdoors anytime from fall through winter in zones 8 to 10, with flowers arriving in the spring. However, those in cooler climates can also enjoy the blossoms by forcing indoors! We recommend planting a new batch every 2 to 3 weeks from October to January for continuous indoor blooms. Paperwhite narcissus bulbs should be discarded after flowering. Paperwhites cannot be successfully forced again and are not winter hardy outdoors.Salad bowls, old pots, jelly moulds all work well, their domesticity seem to suit the emerging bulbs. Paperwhite narcissi don’t need a chilling period – so they are not hidden away – but can be appreciated in all stages of growth, so it is nice to plant them into a pretty container.Paperwhites can be grown any time of year as long as they aren’t subject to frost. The plants will be more compact and flowers will last longer when kept slightly below room temperature at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Bulbs can sprout at lower temperatures of 45 or 50 degrees.Answer: Paperwhite narcissus bulbs should be discarded after flowering. Paperwhites cannot be successfully forced again and are not winter hardy outdoors. Learn more about growing paperwhites in this article: Forcing Paperwhite Narcissus Bulbs.
Do paperwhites grow back every year?
Even in warm climates, paperwhites are usually treated as annuals. The bulbs require hot, dry summers in order to produce a good show of flowers the following year. For this reason, they are considered perennials only in Southern California and parts of Texas. Try growing them outside. You folks are the lucky ones. You can poke your spent paperwhite bulbs in the ground in the spring with a little fertilizer. It will take 2-3 years for them to bloom again this way, but once they’re in the dirt, you can forget about them until they start blooming again.Mike shows us what to do once they are done blooming! Steps: 1) Stop watering them and let them dry out! Cut the roots of the bottom and the leaves off the top. Store in a dark, cool space.Be sure to water your paperwhites every few days, but avoid leaving them waterlogged since the bulbs will rot. You can expect your paperwhites to bloom 4-6 weeks after planting depending on the temperature of your growing space.Take them out of the soil, put them in a paper bag, and keep them in a cool, dry location until the fall. Then you can re-pot your Paperwhite bulbs all over! This process usually only works for three or four seasons before the bulbs become unviable.Paperwhites are very easy to force in either moist potting soil or water. The water trick is the simplest: Stick bulbs part-ways into clean gravel, glass beads, or other loose material in which roots will grow and intertwine to support the top-heavy growing plants so they don’t tip over.
Can paperwhites be planted outside?
GROWING PAPERWHITES OUTDOORS Plant the bulbs anytime in the fall or early winter for blooms the following spring. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and plant the bulbs in holes about 6 inches deep, spacing them several inches apart. For maximum impact, plant in groups of 10 or more. A common problem with paperwhites, however, is that they often grow too tall and flop over. Recent research conducted by the Flowerbulb Research Program at Cornell University has found a simple and effective way to reduce stem and leaf growth of paperwhites. The “secret” is using dilute solutions of alcohol.Paperwhite stems can become very tall and leggy as they stretch towards the light and sometimes flop. To keep the stems from flopping you can keep the stems shorter and stockier by giving them little nip of alcohol.Paperwhites are fantastic indoor or outdoor plants that fancy well-drained soil but can also be grown in water and pebbles. Place them indoors near a bright, sunny window or outdoors in a spot that receives full sun.Extra Tip: Give Your Paperwhites A Strong Drink When Topple Over. Paperwhite flowers will continue to grow indoors if it’s too warm outside. Are your plant’s flower stems too long and topple over? Give the Paperwhites bulbs some strong alcohol, such as vodka, to keep them short (source: Cornell University).
When to plant paperwhites to flower at Christmas?
Daffodils: Daffodils, such as Narcissus ‘Paper White’, are also planted in September. Their natural flowering period is January or February, but good quality bulbs will flower in 6 to 10 weeks from planting. Like daffodils, paperwhites are a type of narcissus. But these are tender bulbs, native to frost-free regions of the Mediterranean. Here in the US, paperwhite narcissus are winter hardy only in growing zones 8-11. In colder areas, the bulbs are grown indoors during the winter months.Paperwhite narcissus are the flower of December as in the wild they do bloom in the winter months, but these days they symbolize good wishes, respect and faithfulness. Accordingly to floriography, receiving narcissus means the recipient is “the only one”.
What do you do with paperwhites once they bloom?
Maintain your paperwhite greens like you would a houseplant until the foliage dies back, usually around mid-July. Take them out of the soil, put them in a paper bag, and keep them in a cool, dry location until the fall. Then you can re-pot your Paperwhite bulbs all over! Sometimes if you plant them outside in USDA zone 10, you may get another bloom the next year but usually, paperwhite bulb reblooming will take up to three years.You can “force” the blooms by planting them indoors 4-6 weeks before you want them to bloom. Forcing” a bulb means you encourage a plant to bloom outside it’s normal conditions. You can find paperwhite bulbs in most garden centers this time of year. They can be planted or “forced” in water or soil.Paperwhites can actually be planted indoors any time of year, but the bulbs typically don’t start to become available until September if you’re keen on a Halloween bloom, and you’ll only really start seeing them available in large numbers in October so they can be planted up in early November and bloom in time for .Maintain your paperwhite greens like you would a houseplant until the foliage dies back, usually around mid-July. Take them out of the soil, put them in a paper bag, and keep them in a cool, dry location until the fall. Then you can re-pot your Paperwhite bulbs all over!Allow the foliage to die back naturally then dig up the bulbs about 6 weeks after blooming. Discard any damaged or diseased ones and let them dry. Store in trays or nets in a dark, dry place over the summer and replant in them in the fall.
How deep should paperwhites be planted?
Plant the bulbs about 6 deep and 4 apart. There are only a few areas in the country (S. California and parts of Texas) that have the hot, dry weather conditions that paperwhites require for long-term success. In other areas where paperwhites are hardy (zones 8-11), the bulbs are treated as annuals. You can either keep the bulbs in the refrigerator over the winter months or pot them in a container and place them in a sheltered location in a garage, insulated shed, or porch. Come spring, move the container outside and its first shoots will emerge.Store the bulbs in a dark, dry, cool place like a garage or basement. Avoid bright light. The bulb will go dormant, and you won’t need to water until the next blooming cycle.Place the flower pots in a dark refrigerator or cooling unit that maintains a consistent temperature between 35°F and 45°F. Never put them in the freezer! Do not prechill bulbs with apples or pears which release ethylene gas as they ripen.When you are ready to start a new batch of bulbs, just bring out a pot and add water. Try growing paperwhites in water rather than soil. It works just as well.If storing the bulbs, keep them at room temperature (about 70°F) in a dark place for up to 4-6 weeks. If you receive one of our 24-bulb collections, consider potting 6-12 bulbs at 2- to 4-week intervals for a staggered display. Bulbs generally bloom 4-6 weeks after potting.
Can you plant paperwhite bulbs in potting soil?
Paperwhites are a variety of daffodil that are easy to grow and force into bloom. They are great to start now in Mid-November and have them ready for the holidays. They also have a beautiful fragrance. Paperwhites can be grown in potting soil or gravel. For a basic rule of thumb, deadhead your spent flowers and stems back to ¼ inch above a new lateral flower, lateral leaf or bud. This encourages new growth and healthy foliage.Deadheading Paperwhite Flowers There’s no need to deadhead forced paperwhites, but if the flowers on some stalks begin to fade before others, you can cut them back at the base of the plant to keep it looking tidy. Spent flowers on outdoor paperwhites can be removed for the same reason.While pruning is a selective and targeted technique — its goal to remove unproductive, unhealthy, or otherwise undesired plant tissue — the more specific practice of deadheading eliminates “spent” blossoms from plants so new ones can take their place.Deadheading Paperwhite Flowers There’s no need to deadhead forced paperwhites, but if the flowers on some stalks begin to fade before others, you can cut them back at the base of the plant to keep it looking tidy. Spent flowers on outdoor paperwhites can be removed for the same reason.