Plant Care & Gardening Tips@ HortChat.com©

During the cold gray winter why not grow paperwhite narcissus and add a ray of sunshine to your home? Narcissus papyraceus, a cultivar of Narcissus tazetta, is available during the holiday season and sold as bulb kits or as single bulbs in garden centers. The white clusters of fragrant flowers can brighten up any home in the dead of winter.

Paperwhite narcissus can be easily forced to bloom anytime in winter thru spring because unlike tulips they , do not require a cooling period (vernalization)
Plant the bulbs in well-drained soil mix with the tips 1/2 above the soil line. Water the soil thoroughly and place in a warm location. When the leaves begin to emerge, move the container to a sunny area.
Another popular way to start paperwhites is without a soil medium. Simply place them close together, flat end down in a container with a layer of rocks, marble or gravel in the bottom and just enough water to keep the bottom of the bulbs moist but not wet. They should not sit in water or they will rot. It will take about a week for the roots to grow into the water soaked gravel. No fertilizer is required.
When bulbs are planted in the fall (Thanksgiving) blooming will occur in 4-6 weeks, but if planted later in the season they should bloom within 2-3 weeks.
The flowers should last from 1 - 2 weeks, but for optimal longer lasting blooms move the container to a cool, bright spot out of direct sunlight when the flowers first appear. If grown in temperatures too warm or not enough light, the plant may get tall and top heavy and require some kind of support to keep it from flopping over.

New research by Dr. William B. Miller at Cornell U. has shown that the use of alcohol can shorten the stem length of paperwhite narcissus thus reducing the too tall, flop over problem. Replacing the existing water with a 5% solution (1 part isopropyl alcohol to 10 parts of water) when the shoots are 2 inches tall will keep the foliage and stems at 1/3 to 1/2 shorter than their normal height with no affect on the flowers. Don"t use beer or wine and an alcohol solution no higher than 10%. The reduced growth is believed to be caused by the alcohol making water absorption difficult for the bulb resulting in “water stress".

Forced paperwhites will not re-bloom; the bulb depletes all its energy in flower production. They should be enjoyed at the time and then discarded. In warmer climates, zone 8-10 Paperwhites can be planted outdoors.
source:www.hort.cornell.edu/