Potting Paperwhites: Everything You Need to Know about Narcissus

Each year, I pot narcissus and scatter throughout our home. They’re the quintessential winter flower, otherwise known as paperwhites that feel dreamy, yet traditional.

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I’ve planted narcissus in everything from a pretty brass planter, to bowls and traditional terra cotta. Sometime’s I’ll add a double faced satin ribbon to help the stand tall while adding a hint of color, but there are a few more paperwhite tricks I wanted to share with you.

Love gardening? Check out my favorite Gardening Tools for more inspiration!

Paperwhite bulbs generally take 3-4 weeks to bloom once planted – I like to stagger them to have beautiful blooms all winter. I plant the first bulbs around Halloween, the second right before Thanksgiving, and often a third before Christmas because nothing is prettier in January than a little winter white! I use the holidays as my guide.

A few notes about narcissus:

• they love indirect sunlight
• prefer cooler temperatures {I keep recently planted bulbs in the garage}
• you can use gravel or soil, a vase or pot
• they only bloom once, no need to keep them beyond their bloom
• they like to drink {see below}
• rotate the container so paperwhites don’t reach for light in one direction or another

Once bulbs have 2″ shoots, you can water them with a 7/1 solution of whiskey, gin or vodka to prevent narcissus from becoming floppy. Another option is to add a stake and tie a ribbon around them – whichever you prefer.

The roots will push the bulbs up, so choose a deep container {3+ inches} or make your peace that bulbs will show. I personally love seeing a hint of bulb. If the roots peek out, you can simply tuck them back in. Technically you should have a well draining container if using soil and a water tight container, like a vase if you’re using gravel, but since I don’t keep them beyond their bloom, I use whatever fits our decor and have had a lot of success.

Narcissus also make beautiful gifts potted in a mug, bowl, glass jar or planter!

I hope you enjoyed these tips for growing paperwhite bulbs / narcissus flowers. If you have any tips or just a love of paper whites, I’d love to hear!