A wonderful, easy indoor gardening project this winter is to start a dish (pot) of paperwhite narcissus (Narcissus tazetta). Paperwhites make a lovely white centerpiece on your dining table. Paperwhite bulbs are outdoor hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 – 10.  Store the bulbs in a warm dry location such as on top of a refrigerator until you’re ready to plant them. Never allow the bulbs to freeze.

Fill a shallow container about 80% full with a porous sandy potting soil mix similar to planting cacti and succulents into.  Set the bulbs a few inches apart on top of the soil and add coarse sand or colored aquarium gravel to the top of the container. Set the bowl or pot in a sunny house window until flowering begins.

Generally, the blooms may be forced in 3-4 weeks inside a warm sunny greenhouse. Begin by forcing bulbs in a cool room (or outdoors on mild days) at 50-60 degrees to stimulate root growth. As buds swell and open, move the pot to a cooler spot out of direct light to extend the life of the flowers. Floral life average 7-10 days.

The small trumpet shaped flowers are pure white and exude a strong sweet fragrance. Flower buds may “blast” (never open) if too hot and low humidity inside your home. Plant height varies from 1-2 feet depending on available light and temperature inside the room. Fewer hours of light per day means taller flowers and a greater need for staking. Rotate the container every few days to keep floral shoots growing straight.

You may purchase bulbs at many full-service local garden centers and Brent and Becky’s Bulbs on-line.