Paperwhite Narcissus: Grow-It-Yourself Holiday Project

If you're sure you don't have a green thumb, this project is for you! You'll overcome your fear of plants and create beautiful holiday décor at the same time.

Poinsettias and holly aren't the only plants associated with the holiday season. In recent years, many have welcomed the delicate, stately Paperwhite Narcissus into the ranks of Christmas tradition. And here's a secret: although these exotic looking, elegant blooms look as if only a master gardener could force them into bloom, they are the absolute easiest ever plant to grow!

All you need is, first of all, a handful of Paperwhite Narcissus bulbs. These are available at any greenhouse or nursery at this time of year. You'll pay a dollar or so for each bulb, maybe less, maybe more, depending on where you go and the type of bulb. All of the bulbs in the stores are sold ready to force, which is the term used for making a bulb bloom out of its natural season, inside as opposed to outside.

Once you've got some bulbs, all you need is one from, as they say, "Column A," which is some type of planting medium, and one from "Column B," which is a suitable container.

To plant these bulbs, you do not bury them deeply in soil as you would other bulbs such as tulips. Rather, the bulb is simply nestled into the planting material to about 1/3 of the bulbs depth. Consequently, the bulbs can be planted in a variety of mediums, since the only role of the planting material is to hold the bulb in place and allow water to reach its base. The bulb doesn't need any nutrients from the planting material, so many substances, other than soil, may be used.

You will plant the bulbs in containers that do not have holes in the bottom, since you need to keep the water around the base of the bulb. Therefore, you can use all sorts of containers you might never think of using to grow plants in.

And after the plant has finished, the container can be re-used for its original purpose.

Paperwhites grow a very tall (12" or so) stalk at the top of which are clusters of small white flowers. The plants can become top heavy and may tip over, so you may want to stake them, or, as below, grow them in containers with tall sides.

Planting Materials: use any of these, depending on your container. You can use potting soil, but be careful not to overwater your bulbs. Also, don't use potting soil in a clear container, as it will not be attractive to see.

Gravel: use pea-sized gravel for a natural looking base.
Stones: use almond-sized polished stones for an elegant contemporary look
Glass rocks: from the hobby store, these come in colors and form a colorful accent in a clear container.
Marbles: use marbles from the toy store for a whimsical planting.

Containers: For accents of small gifts, plant single bulbs in individual containers. Groupings (odd numbers are always better than even) make a larger impact.

Tea cup: a perfect use for a saucerless beauty from a tag sale.
Glass punch cup: just the right size for one bulb.
Glass measuring cup: a fun container to use for a kitchen accent.
Tall glass: a bulb planted in the base of a glass will have the sides of the glass for support as it grows.
Clear glass vase: growing a cluster of bulbs in the bottom few inches of an 8"-10" vase will mimic a bouquet once the bulbs bloom.
Tin can: strip off the label for a mod look or leave it on for a funky look.

In all cases, the instructions are the same. Place 3' or so of planting medium in the bottom of the container. Nestle the bulbs (right side up—there will usually be growth coming already from the top, or pointier, end) 1/3 to1/2 way into the material, water, and within one to two weeks, your Narcissi will bloom.