Forcing Paperwhite Narcissus to Brighten the Season

Even though I’ve grown paperwhite narcissus indoors every fall for years, I never tire of the process and results. Planting these sturdy bulbs is always a pleasure, as is watching them grow. Weeks later when the papery buds bloom and their heady fragrance perfumes the house, I feel like a kid enjoying a long-awaited present.

Stimulating bulbs like paperwhites to bloom out of season is known as forcing, although tricking is a more appropriate term. By providing favorable conditions indoors, you “fool” paperwhites into blooming long before they would normally flower outdoors.

A variety of bulbs can be forced during the fall and winter months, but paperwhites are one of the easiest and most reliable.

Now, when bulbs are plentiful at the nursery, is the time to select your paperwhites. Plant right away and you can enjoy paperwhites just in time for the holiday season.

Though the effects are stunning, forcing paperwhites is really quite easy. Here’s how:

Steps for Forcing Paperwhite Narcissus

Selecting Bulbs

Select bulbs carefully. The bigger the bulb, the larger the flowers you’ll get. Choose bulbs that are firm. Soft bulbs are likely to rot during forcing.

Container Selection

Paperwhites can be forced in just about any container. If you will be growing just one bulb, a hyacinth forcing jar works well. For more than one bulb, try a ceramic pot or a large glass container.

Planting

You can plant paperwhites in water or soil:

Water Forcing: For one paperwhite, place the bulb just above the water in a hyacinth forcing jar or a similar container that has an hourglass shape.
Group Planting: Plant a group of bulbs in a shallow, drainless dish filled with sand, polished pebbles, marbles, or soil. Plant paperwhites tip-end up with one-half to three-quarters of the bulb covered.

Because you are planting in a drainless dish, it’s important to keep the water level just below the bulbs to prevent rot. When planting in soil, check with your finger to make sure that the bottom of the bulb is not sitting in water. Plant paperwhites one to two inches apart, as they can be planted close together since they don’t need soil nutrients to flower.

Forcing

Cool, Dark Location: Place the bulbs in a cool, dark location for four to six weeks, or until the plants are 3-4 inches tall. Keep them moist, but not soggy.
Dimly Lit Area: Move bulbs to a dimly lit area for a week. You may need to prop the foliage as the plants grow to avoid flopping.
Medium Light: Transfer the plants to an area with medium light. You may see flower buds starting to form at the foliage tips. The foliage should also be greening up.
Bright Final Destination: Place the bulbs in a bright area that is free of drafts. Strong light helps stunt their growth, keeping the flower stalks compact and standing straight. Paperwhite blooms last about a week.

For a continual display of narcissus throughout winter, try succession planting.