Learn how to easily force paperwhite narcissus in water. It’s easy to get these deliciously fragrant bulbs to bloom and perfume your home in winter. The video also covers how you can get them to rebloom next year.
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Today, we are going to talk about growing paperwhite narcissus in your home during the winter months. This process is called “forcing,” as you are essentially tricking the plant into blooming indoors during the winter when it would normally bloom outdoors in the spring. The warmth of your home in winter convinces the plant that it’s time to bloom.
I love growing these plants every winter in my indoor garden. The scent of the beautiful paperwhite blooms is absolutely wonderful, and the foliage is also very attractive. The more you plant, the more fragrant your indoor space will become. It’s a fun activity, especially if you enjoy having beautiful scents in your home.
Today, I’ll show you how to easily and quickly plant them for blooming and provide tips on what to do after planting. This guide is for water forcing of paperwhites, which works very well, although planting them in soil is also effective.
Keep in mind that bulbs like the paperwhite narcissus don’t require fertilizer because they store all the nutrients they need inside the bulb. You can grow them in water or soil, as they only require moisture to start growing.
After they finish blooming indoors, you can plant them outdoors, and in more temperate climates, they may come back year after year.
To start, you’ll need rooting jars for forcing bulbs. These jars have a narrow neck to keep the bulb above the water, ensuring that only the roots, not the bulb itself, come into contact with the water. It’s essential to check that the bulb stays dry, as too much water can cause it to rot.
There are different methods for forcing bulbs. One is to place them in a dark closet to simulate winter before gradually exposing them to light. Another method is to place them in a dimmer area of your home. Both methods work well, but make sure to monitor them closely, especially if you use a dark closet.
Once the stems reach two to three inches in height, move them to a brighter area. Depending on your environment, they should bloom in four to eight weeks. The fragrance and beauty of the flowers will fill your home, making the wait worthwhile.
After blooming, you can either plant them outdoors or allow the foliage to die back indoors, store the bulbs, and use them again next year. If you want to regenerate them, remember to fertilize the bulbs every two weeks after blooming, using a bulb-blooming liquid fertilizer. This will help the bulbs store enough nutrients to bloom again in the future.
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