An easy way to get a jumpstart on spring blooms is by trying to force paperwhites to bloom indoors! There are many different kinds of flowering bulbs you can try, however this post focuses solely on paperwhites!
What Are Paperwhites?
Paperwhites also known as, “narcissus papyraceus”, are small yet fragrant flowers which you can force to bloom indoors during cold winter months. They closely resemble daffodils with their tall stems and star shaped flower appearance.
Once planting the bulbs, they should bloom within 4-6 weeks depending on the amount of light and water you provide them. An added bonus is once your paperwhites are blooming, the blooms last typically two weeks and you will get between 20-60 flowers from each bulb!
How To Force Paperwhites To Bloom?
So how do you force paperwhites to bloom? Well, it’s actually quite simple! And for a bigger visual impact, plant bulbs snugly together.
Here’s how to plant and force paperwhite bulbs for early spring blooms:
- Place the paperwhite bulbs pointy side up in either soil OR on a bed of pebbles!
- If planting on a bed of pebbles: make sure they are planted at least 3-4 inches deep.
- If planting in soil: use a well draining container, only add soil to cover 2/3rds the way up, leaving the neck and top of bulb exposed.
- Water bulbs in and continue to keep the soil moist. *Be careful not to overwater as these bulbs are prone to rot if exposed to too much water.
- Keep bulbs in a slightly cooler environment, between 55-65˚F.
- They prefer indirect light, so a windowsill that does not receive full sun all day would be perfect.
- Expect blooms in roughly 4-6 weeks!
What To Do After Blooms Have Faded?
Once your paperwhites are done blooming, simply trim off the spent blooms and toss them into your compost! After the bulbs have pushed out all of their blooms you can leave the stems in place as they will stay green for a few more weeks longer.
Additionally, most people choose to compost the bulbs completely after all the growth has died back as it can take several years to get them to rebloom. However, I have not tried to rebloom old paperwhite bulbs myself so you may have luck trying. If you’re up for a fun gardening challenge it’s certainly worth a shot!
Cheers!
-Kate