How to care for paperwhites

 Tips for growing your planted bulbs until they bloom

Paperwhite flowers with amaryllis are commonly associated with the holiday season in our northern climate. Paperwhite bulbs will begin to appear in stores and garden centers as late as mid-autumn - sometimes pre-planted, sometimes ready to take you home and make your own arrangement. They are a daffodil relative (Narcissus papyrus) adapted to the temperate climate of the Mediterranean. Some like their scent, others don’t. I think it equals the smell of coriander! If you decide to plant some of these bulbs that are easy to grow, I'm going to explain how to maintain paperwhites until they bloom.

How to care for paperwhites planted in the soil

If you pot the bulbs yourself and want them to bloom in mid-December, keep in mind that it takes four to six weeks before planting.

For paperwhites planted in the soil in a bubble pot or pot, keep the potting soil constantly moist, but not saturated, which will prevent bubble rot. Select a pot with a drainage hole so that the bulbs do not sit carelessly in the water.

How to care for paperwhites planted in water

If you plant your paperwhites in a glass container with pebbles and water, make sure only the base of the bulbs where the roots are is touching the water and not the whole lamp. This prevents the bulb from rotting. The advantage of growing in a glass container is that you can see where the water level is. Monitor water levels and make sure the roots are always filled with water.

Prevent paperwhites from failing

One of my favorite indoor plant tips I like to dust off during the holidays is to prevent your elegant paperwhite pots from falling off unexpectedly. Research shows that instead of allowing paperwhites to grow too high (for them to fall off their own weight), you can stop their growth by adding a surprising ingredient to your irrigation routine: alcohol. An alcohol solution will keep the white color of your paper beautiful and concise. You can read more about the concept in Cornell University's Flowerbulp Research Program.

At the time of planting, place the bulbs on top of stones or glass beads. Leave the top half of the bubbles to dry and water until the roots begin to grow and are pale green and about one to two inches long (about a week). Then, replace the water with a four to six percent water/alcohol mixture. For example, if the spirit is 40 percent alcohol, you would use one part alcohol to seven parts water. Since the sugars in beer and wine are not good for plants, stick to hard drinks such as vodka, gin, rum, etc.

Another option is to plant the paperwhites in a roller mug. Pages will help keep your paperwhite as they grow white.

If you have planted paperwhites in a deep flowerpot, you can try using bamboo stocks or the plant support used to make amaryllis. While these two last options may not be as attractive as the first pair if you have nothing else at your disposal a simple rope will do the trick.

What to do with paperwhite bulbs when the flowers are finished

Paperwhite Flowers last about two weeks. Plants grow well in indirect light (excluding direct sunlight) in a circulating room of 65 F (18 C) to 70 F (21 F). If the plants are filtering towards the light, turning the pot once every few days will help keep the plants straight. You can reduce them when they start to rot, but continue to enjoy the foliage.

However, it is very difficult to store the bulbs for next year. Most will send the bulbs to the compost and buy new ones next year.