Forcing Paper Whites: A step by step
Looking for a fun, family project that is simple and yields beautiful flowers? Paper white bulbs are so easy to force indoors, it may become a family tradition. They are fragrant and their cheerful, white, daffodil shaped flowers will bring bright color to a gray winter day.
- Select a container for your bulbs and chose a planting medium. This could be pebbles, rocks, marbles or potting soil. Fill bottom of container with medium.
- Nestle the bulbs side by side, pointy side up. Add a little more of the medium to support the base of the bulbs.
- Fill container with enough water until just the base of the bulb is covered. You will want the roots to consistently be in water.
- Place container in a cool spot, away from light for two weeks.
- At the end of two weeks move the container to a bright spot. Green stalks will appear followed by blooms. This takes about four weeks.
- For best results rotate your container occasionally to encourage upright growth. If staking is needed chopsticks work great tied with raffia or ribbon.