There is nothing better than a bit of green on a cloudy winter day. Our paperwhites are shooting up stems and leaves and are almost ready to bloom. We plant the bulbs in lined vintage pots from our collection and count the days until we see the tiny white flowers. The pots get new plantings and go outside in warmer weather. I like to group the planters by color and we use vintage plates and bowls as drip catchers. McCoy and USA pots are some of my favorites. The pots’ happy colors and subtle designs were originally made as inexpensive ways to brighten the home, (although prices for rare pieces can now be high). Most of the pieces in our collection were made in the 1940s and 1950s and we usually find them at antique shops and flea markets for under $15. Ebay and Etsy have a wide variety of vintage flower pots and planters. To plant your own forced paperwhites you will need:
*Forced Paperwhite Bulbs (These have been put through a period of dormancy and tricked into thinking that the inside of your house is a warm spring day)
*Pots
*Plastic Liner (If your flower pot has drainage holes. Two layers of Ziplock bags will also work)
*Pebbles, Rocks or Soil (We use small pebbles which we wash and reuse year after year. The little stones are pretty and they help hold down the bulbs as they grow. Pebbles are available at florist, pet or hardware stores)
*Plates, Saucers, Bowls to Fit Under Flower Pots
1. Line your flower pot as needed. The bulbs need a constant source of water, so any drainage holes must be stopped up.
2. Fill pot about half way with pebbles.
3. Place bulbs into pot. The shoots should face up, roots down. We usually put 1-3 bulbs in each pot, depending on the size.
4. Fill pebbles in around bulbs. Pebbles should reach the top of the rim and almost cover bulbs, leaving the shoots exposed.
5. Place saucer beneath and water your bulbs. Water should be filled to about half-way up the bulb. This will allow the roots a constant water source, but keep the shoots and bulb from rotting.
6. Place pots in a spot with indirect sunlight and watch them grow. They will last longer away from window and bloom faster if they get more sunlight. Ours are near a window and usually bloom in three weeks.
Enjoy!
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