Growing and Caring for Paperwhites
Paperwhite flowers are super easy to grow and add a nice pop of color to the room during cold weather months. People often ask me how to care for paperwhites so I’ve outlined my process below in a few simple steps.
Five Steps for Growing and Caring for Paperwhites
- Paperwhites belong to the narcissus family, same as daffodils, and are commonly grown inside during the winter months. There are a number of varieties, so have fun selecting your favorites. Bulb size matters, so go for the biggest bulbs you can get your hands on for stronger stems and more flowers.
- Consider using an organic potting soil for your plants. Potting soil is different from garden dirt, its lighter (often containing fertilizer) to help plants develop strong root systems. Some people use stones or marble instead of soil, which is fine too.
- You can use any container (preferably with drainage holes to prevent water build up). The container size needed depends on the numbers of bulbs you are planting. These flowers look nice planted in clusters. For a strong showing, consider combining paperwhites with amaryllis in the planter.
- Plant the bulbs on top of the soil and press them slightly into the dirt. The bulbs should be near fully exposed.
- Place your planter in a location with full or filtered sunlight and water every 2-3 days. (These plants do not like wet feet, so avoid overwatering. (Turn the ceiling fan on if you need to dry them.) More sun is better, but if that’s not an option for you, I’ve tested different locations in my home and have found they do well almost anywhere (regardless of the amount of sunlight). Some plants can get leggy with insufficient sunlight. If so, consider staking them.
Post Harvest Care
Cut the stems once all flowers are spent and store the bulbs and container in a cool dry place. You can store the bulbs in a paper bag in a basement or garage. My bulbs often have babies, which I leave attached to the mother bulb. It may take a couple years, but the babies will flower eventually.
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Happy Growing!