Holiday Forced Blooms

Paperwhites are fragrant, winter-blooming bulbs that can be grown indoors. They are an excellent way to have a bouquet of flowers in your house all winter long. If you plant a few bulbs each month you’ll be able to enjoy fresh flowers all winter long.

Paperwhites and other forced bulbs are the perfect gifts for co-workers, neighbors, and nature lovers. Buffy has been gifting these for years and several people return the bulbs and containers so she can replant and regift!  Talk about a gift that keeps on giving.  Forced bulbs are easy and beautiful.

Blooms begin 3 to 5 weeks after planting and last 5 to 6 weeks

You will need

Paperwhite bulbs
Water-tight containers
Rocks
Water
Moss/Pinecones/bark (all optional)

Paperwhite bulbs (Narcissus Papyraceus). Look for fat, firm bulbs with no soft spots or mold. Try to find loose or bagged bulbs so you can see and feel what you’re buying. Look at Lowe’s (Large 8/$10) or Wal-Mart (Medium 20/$10).

The ‘Ziva’ variety is inexpensive and easy to find. It is super easy to grow and survives some neglect. It’s the most popular variety although there are other bulbs you can grow like Inbar, Amaryllis, and Narcissus all of which need soil to grow and will not grow as tall.

Glass containers

You can plant bulbs in any water-tight container.  We prefer glass which allows you to watch the root systems grow and adds to the organic feel of the plant.  A trip to your Goodwill, Deseret Industries or thrift store is a good place to find containers. I am looking for the perfect galvanized bowl.  It’s gotta be out there.

River rock or pebbles

I found 3 different kinds of rocks at Dollar Tree for (drum roll please) $1.  I also had a pile of river rock in my backyard.

Moss/wood

While exploring the mountains you will find many varieties of moss. You might even grow it in your own yard. You can bring it home and stick it in a pot in a wet, shady place so it’s healthy when you use it. You can also use dried moss available at craft stores.  Buffy and Brent took a trip to the mountains Foraging for moss and other natural decorating items.

Directions

Add rocks or pebbles to your container covering 2 to 3”. Set bulbs with the pointed end up into the rocks. Don’t be afraid to crowd them a little.

Add a few more pebbles or larger rocks to secure the bulbs, but don’t bury them. Tuck some moss between the rocks. Don’t let the moss touch the bulbs as this may cause rot. Adding moss is not necessary it just adds to the “look”.

Dampen the moss with mists of water then add enough water to barely touch the bottoms of the bulbs. You will need to watch the water level. Don’t let it dry out.

Place in a sunny spot and within days you’ll start to see roots sprout from the bulbs.  Rotate them every day to keep the stalks growing upright. The green stems will grow quickly and flower in about 4 weeks.

Some examples of paperwhites