Blooming indoor bulbs lighten dark days of winter

Exotic amaryllis and fragrant paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) signal the onset of winter. Both can be forced to bloom from bulbs in December and January.
The intoxicating scent of paperwhites is like catnip to most people, but some folks find the aroma somewhat rancid, to put it politely. They will burst into bloom approximately seven weeks after they are watered. If you didn’t get around to preparing paperwhites in bulb form, you can usually find ones in bloom at local nurseries even at this late date.
If you already have these plants in containers, there are some tricks to ensure they look good once they start to bloom. Paperwhites that have been forced indoors have a tendency to grow too tall and leggy. To keep them from flopping over, try adding alcohol.
Wait until shoots are green and about one to two inches above the top of the bulb, then replace the water with a solution of 4- to 6-percent alcohol. Then continue to water the growing plant with this solution whenever water is needed. The result will be stockier, somewhat stunted plants (maybe one-third to one-half shorter than normal height), but the delicate white flowers will still be normal sized.

Planting paperwhite bulbs
Paperwhites can be planted in containers with or without drainage holes. If you are using a container without holes, pick a decorative one that is three to four inches deep. Put a couple of inches of washed stones or gravel in the bottom, set the bulbs on top and then gently add more gravel or stones around the bulbs to keep them in place. Add water only up to the base of the bulbs and maintain that depth when you rewater. Only the root plate should be in water.
You will have more leeway if you use a container with drainage holes. The pot should be three or four inches deep and whatever width you need to accommodate as many bulbs as you want. Use a well-drained, sterilized planting medium with a pH of 6 to 7. Plant the bulbs so that their noses are even with the rim of the pot or slightly below it. Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist. Paperwhites prefer an indoor temperature of 60 to 65 degrees, somewhat cooler when the plants are flowering. Paperwhites can tolerate any light conditions, but it’s best to start by placing them in front of a window with a southern exposure. Again, when flowers begin to emerge, remove the plants from direct light and place them in a cool part of the house to prolong the bloom period. No fertilization is necessary.
Paperwhites will flower under any light conditions. However, for best results, initially place them in a window area with a southern exposure. When the plants begin to flower, remove them from direct sunlight and place them in the coolest area of the home. This helps to prolong the flowering of the plants.

Amaryllis season is about to end
There is still adequate time to force amaryllis to bloom during the winter, though undeveloped bulbs are hard to find at this point. You can still find ones that are already producing white or red flowers at Wedekind’s, though. A true bulb that originated in tropical South America, performs best in temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees in nature, but to force bloom indoors, keep it cool (55 or so). This plant is cherished for its dramatic, tropical appearance rather than for its scent.
Most marketed bulbs produce from two to six flowers per stalk in colors of red, white, pink, orange or salmon (or bi-colored, usually whites with pink or red flushes). Traditionally, amaryllis plants grow as tall as 18 to 36 inches, but now dwarf varieties are available. Examples are Naughty Lady (scarlet red with white hearts) and Green Goddess (glowing green center.) These and other dwarfs produce up to 18 flowers per bulb, and although the flowers are smaller, they are equally impressive on 16- to 20-inch stalks. They take about 7 to 10 weeks to flower.
The amaryllis has all the nutrients it needs right in its bulb, so you don’t have to add anything but water. (Look for specialty vases at your favorite nursery.) The cooler the location, the prettier the flowers will be.
For container planting, use a sterilized potting medium like peat and perlite (almost anything but pine bark) with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Use a pot about 6 inches in diameter with drainage holes. Plant the bulb so that one-third of it is above the rim of the pot, add water and keep moist. Place the bulb in an area with southern exposure but avoid direct sunlight once bloom occurs.
Both paperwhites and amaryllis will bloom for about seven weeks. When you see paperwhite foliage beginning to emerge, it’s time to prepare the plant for next year. Keep watering and feeding. When the flowers wilt, cut off the entire bloom stalk but not the leaves. Those leaves absorb nutrients and deliver them to the bulb, so pamper them if you want the bulbs to bloom next year. Take them outside for summer and continue to feed them, but ever-so-lightly.
In the fall, whens the leaves are dying back, hold off. Don’t cut them until they are yellow and unattractive. Then place the bulb and pot away in a dark place. Don’t water them; they need to rest and gather energy. The plant will let you know when it’s time to take action by signaling with emerging green growth. (You may even get a dividend next fall when small offset bulbs appear. You can detach these and pot them up, but these babies will not be ready to bloom for about three years.)
To get amaryllis to re-bloom naturally, take similar steps, allowing foliage to grow. Keep it indoors or out, but always in bright light and always with moist (but not wet) soil. Stop feeding in August and bring indoors to a cool spot with indirect light. Leaves will yellow and drop by December and the plant will send up new flower stalks soon thereafter. As you repeat the cycle, allowing the plant to bloom naturally, you will wind up with larger plants and flowers. And, like paperwhites, amaryllis sometimes produce side bulbs that can be potted up for new plants down the road.

Wedekind’s Nursery, 21095 Broadway, 707.938.2727. Hours: Daily 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Sonoma Mission Gardens, 851 Craig Ave., 707.938.5775. Hours: Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.