Starting Paperwhites and Amaryllis for the Holidays
STARTING PAPERWHITES
For The Holidays
Why Plant Indoor Bulbs?
Fill this winter season with fragrance and beauty by growing indoor bulbs. Planting beautiful Paperwhite Narcissus and Amaryllis can make your season bright!
Basic Supplies for Planting Paperwhites
- Narcissus Paperwhite bulbs
- A glass jar, vase or bowl without drainage holes
- Decorative rocks, exotic pebbles, exotic beach glass or even marbles!
- Super moss, sphagnum moss or Spanish moss
How to Plant Paperwhites
- Fill container with rock, pebbles, glass or marbles to desirable height. Consider adding levels of different materials to create color effects layering red or green glass on top of each other creates a holiday theme.
- Place Paperwhites in container with pointed ends up.
- Gently nestle bulbs in the medium for stability. Plant bulbs close together without letting them touch each other or the side of the pot.
- Add moss to the top of the container for effect.
- Fill container with water. Add enough water so that the bulbs are sitting out of water but the beginning roots are wet. Bulbs rot when they sit in water.
- Keep container in indirect sunlight for two weeks at temps around 60°F.
- Move the pot to a bright, sunny window at temps around 68°F once shoots are 3-5”.
Place container in a sunny location and keep the temperatures around 60°F.
Leaves should start appearing in three to seven weeks depending on temperature and light.
Flower stems appear a bit later.
Basic Supplies for Planting Amaryllis
- Amaryllis bulb
- Clay pot or a heavy pot (plastic not advised)
- GreenAll™ Potting Soil
- E.B. Stone® Organics Bulb Food
How to Plant Amaryllis
- Choose a container keeping in mind that Amaryllis Bulbs develop very large, heavy flowers. Prevent flowering bulbs from falling over by selecting a heavier pot with drainage holes such as a clay pot. Pots should have a 1-2” diameter that is larger than the Amaryllis bulb.
- Secure a screen or rock over the hole so the soil does not come out when watered.
- Fill the container with GreenAll™ Organic Potting Soil.
- Place the large bulb in the soil so that the top inch of the bulb narrow end is above the soil surface. Try planting multiple Amaryllis bulbs in a single container as long as each bulb is about an inch apart.
- Water the soil thoroughly after planting the bulb. Wait to add more water after you see stem or leaf growth. Be careful not to keep soil too moist. Soggy soil causes bulb rot and can prevent blooming.
- Add E.B. Stone® Organics Bulb Food
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