Get must-know tips on planting paperwhite bulbs indoors to enjoy their fragrant flowers in the wintertime.
Their pretty white blooms last for about two weeks and produce a sweet fragrance.
Growing paperwhite bulbs is an easy way to addfresh flowers to indoor holiday decor.
Credit: Michael Garland
Here’s how to plant and grow these festive bulbs.
Paperwhites are toxic to dogs and cats if ingested.
Keep out of reach of your pets.
Create a temporary holiday centerpiece by placing paperwhites in a large vase filled with cranberries. The fruit will rot in water, so return the bulbs to pebbles after a day or two.Credit: William N. Hopkins
Plant between five to eightbulbs together in a potthat’s at least 4 inches deep.
Fill the pot halfway with potting mix, then set the bulbs on top.
Add a little more potting mix until the top third of the bulbs are left exposed.
It’s okay to pack paperwhite bulbs snugly into your selected pot.
They look more impressive in large groups than if they’re more sparsely planted.
Each bulb will give you a multitude of small flowers.
To grow paperwhite bulbs in water, use decorative shallow dishes or trays at least 4 inches deep.
Fill the containers with 2-3 inches of stones, pebbles, or glass beads.
It takes paperwhite bulbs about 4-6 weeks to bloom after plantings.
Light
Start by placing paperwhites that are settled in their containers in a cool, dry place.
Once roots have grown, move them to a spot withbright but indirect sunlight.
Water tokeep the soil moist but not soggy.
Stash your planted bulbs in a cool spot (55-65F) for a couple of weeks.
Paperwhite bulbs are very sensitive to water.
An ideal location could be acool windowsill with indirect sunlightor a tabletop near a sunny window.
Avoid a southern window with the sun streaming in all afternoon.
Fertilizer
Paperwhites don’t need fertilizerjust air, water, and sunlight.
Pests and Problems
When grown indoors, pests are not a problem for paperwhites.
Mold and rot can develop if there’s too much water in their pots or soil.
Nir
Nir has short stems, a mild fragrance, and showy white flowers.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/paper-white
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/miller/bulb/Pickling_your_Paperwhites.pdf
