TIPS + TRICKS: TENDING FORCED BULBS INDOORS
DECEMBER 12, 2024So you grew or recieved a gorgeous pot of amaryllis or paperwhites this holiday season - now what?
Potted paperwhites growing happily on the porch of bungalow blooms!
Amaryllis and paperwhites are some of the best gifts to give and get - they grow indoors, keeping you company through the cold winter months. Then, when their bloom cycle is complete indoors, you can plant the bulbs into your landscape to rebloom for years to come!
Watering Rules
These bulbs are living in pots, so it’s important not to over water! I typically water my amaryllis and paperwhites just once or twice a week!
A warmer home will dry out soil faster - these folks might be watering twice a week.
Fun Fact:
Both amaryllis and paperwhite will grow tall enough that they will topple over. If your plants do this, snip the blooming stem and place it in a vase! It will continue to bloom for a week or more in water.
However, you can stunt the growth of your paperwhite or amaryllis stem (without decreasing bloom quality) with a nip of clear alcohol!
Watering your paperwhites or amaryllis with a touch of alcohol in the watering can has been studied by Cornell - and is a safe way to shorten stems to prevent flopping blooms. Vodka can be used at a ratio of 1 part vodka or 7 parts water. Rubbing alcohol can be used at a ratio of 1 part RA to 10 parts water.
Please note, dormant bulbs or very short green growth should be watered with plain water! Once bulbs have three or more inches of green growth, you can begin adding clear alcohol to the watering can.
Once your bulbs are done blooming indoors, you can add them to your garden or landscape!
In Houston, both paperwhites and amaryllis will naturalize - meaning they will thrive in the ground, reblooming each year
Once your bulbs have finished blooming (and don’t let them trick you, often after the first bloom of both amaryllis and paperwhites, they will produce one or two more blooming stems), you can plant them outdoors.
To prepare bulbs for outdoor planting, you want to remove the blooming stems, but NOT the leaves. Snip any stems that bloomed right where the stem meets the bulb, but leave all leaves in place. (Removing the blooming stem prevents the bulb from spending energy making seeds, while leaving the leaves in place allows the bulb to photosynthesize and store sugar for its dormant season)
Once you’ve removed any blooming stems, plant your bulb in the garden - amaryllis would like to be planted with their necks out of the soil, while paperwhites bulbs can be planted a few inches deep. Ideally, you want a sunny spot with well draining soil, though these bulbs are hardy and will likely survive in less ideal climates.
Finally mark their planting locations, and wait patiently until the following year when you’ll see your bulbs come back to life with green shoots!
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