Paperwhites-Easy Décor Throughout The Winter

Known as the scent of winter, paperwhites are beautiful, fragrant, and easy décor to add to your home throughout the winter.

They are easy to plant, easy to grow and known to be easy to bloom. Growing paperwhites indoors is referred to as “forcing” which sounds negative to me, but it will have a beautiful, fragrant outcome.

You will see.

 

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Bringing the outside garden in for the winter, especially if your winter is long and bitter, has many benefits. Having fresh flowers inside will not only brighten your décor but will also brighten your spirit. Flowers bring cheer.

I’m taking on this fun project, and I thought you might want to join me. We can have beautiful paperwhites this Christmas to brighten our holiday. And make our homes smell wonderful.

Pinterest is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?

While pinning last week, I found paperwhites, researched, and decided I would try to plant them this year. Inside.

In December, I always buy the Amaryllis in the white and red pots sold at all the big box stores. I love them, but about half the time, the flowers never bloom.

So, I hope I have better luck growing the paperwhite bulbs.

The earth laughs in flowers.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last year, however, I found Amaryllis in a red wax entrapment, and they bloomed beautifully—several times. So, if you see bulbs in red wax at a nursery, I recommend them. I will be looking for those wax ball thingys again this year. I place the wax ball in a silver vase or a weathered terra-cotta pot. No watering, no soil, no rocks, just a beautiful flower appeared. Talk about easy décor!

And last November, I planted tulip bulbs along our front walkway. They were beautiful and caused a smile when they emerged and again when they bloomed.

I love all plants! I am a crazy plant lady in the spring. Possibly all year long. Here is a blog about fall mums.

“I must have flowers, always, and always.” Claude Monet

Okay, back to paperwhites.

I ordered the Paperwhites on Amazon. They arrived in just a few days, and today, I planted them. I bought the paperwhite bulbs below, 40 bulbs for $49.99. Follow the link by clicking the picture. Or click here for 20 bulbs for $29.95. There are several choices on Amazon. I also bought these pebbles.

A few things to know first

• You can grow paperwhites in soil or rocks. I chose rocks.
• The stems start growing once you water them. They are known to grow fast.
• Paperwhite bulbs are also known for flowering quickly. They should bloom six to eight weeks after you first water the bulbs.
• Unlike other bulbs, paperwhites don’t need to sit in a cool, dark place to bloom. They simply need water. But, they do need bright sun.
• You can plant some once a week, and you should have pretty flowers all winter long.

Remember, it doesn’t really matter the size of the dish you plant the paperwhite bulbs in as long as you have plenty of pebbles and bulbs.

What you need to get started

• Dishes of different sizes.
• Pebbles or small river rocks
• Paperwhite bulbs
• Water

That is it. Simple, huh? Paperwhites don’t need anything fancy. But they look fancy sitting in a dish.  And they look pretty even before they start growing.

Fun activity to do on a rainy afternoon! And instant, easy décor!

I looked around my house for white, shallow dishes. Shallow because the deeper the container, the more pebbles you need.

All you do is…

• Pour the pebbles into the container.
• Add water to the dish so you can barely see the water on the top of the pebbles.
• Place as many bulbs as you want in the dish; the more, the merrier. Make sure the roots are on the bottom. If you can’t see any roots, look for a brown circle. The pointy side always faces up. If you see a tip of green, that’s even easier to determine up or down.
• Put your container, or in my case—containers, in bright sunny spots. They begin to grow once you add water. Sit back and watch. (Not literally, because it will take a few weeks!)
• Make sure you monitor the water. It needs to stay at the tip of the rocks. But never allow the bulb to drown.
• Once the stem grows an inch or longer, turn the dish every few days so the stem will grow straight and not lean awkwardly toward the sun.

You can begin forcing the bulbs indoors in October. You can continue to plant them throughout the winter.

[I have crooked Psoriatic Arthritis fingers.]

In my research, I read that you might need a stick or limb if your stem is falling over. This will create support like a trellis. And can provide interest visually, as well. I prefer a pretty little ribbon tied around the stems for support.

Just think of the possibilities

Think of the possibilities—gifts for teachers, neighbors, and hostesses, and the easy décor options! You could plant the bulbs in adorable containers. Or provide the pebbles, bulbs, and a container with simple instructions. (Be sure to send this link to my blog along!)

This is an excellent project for the kids to help you with, and they will have fun watching them grow and giving the bulbs as gifts. You can even plant the paperwhites in a glass container, and your children can watch the roots grow.

I chose white dishes because I love them in my home. The white brightens darker areas. I collect white pitchers and ironstone for my dining room hutch. Can’t wait to see the paperwhites against the dark wood in there.

I also have my grandmother’s silver. Paperwhites will look pretty in those, too!

'Bringing the outside garden in for the winter, especially if your winter is long and bitter, has many benefits. Having fresh flowers inside will not only brighten your décor but will also brighten your spirit. Flowers make you feel more cheery.' -dedra davis Click To Tweet

I plan on buying more, and I will plant them here and there to enjoy the paperwhites in January and February. My house always looks empty in January after putting all the Christmas away.

The paperwhites will bring a bit of joy and easy décor throughout the winter months. And into pre-spring.

Will you do this with me? Will you plant paperwhites in rocks? If you do, please comment below and let me know if yours bloom!

Gotta go! I am off to order more paperwhites!

I hope for you a winter full of cheery blessings, joy, and smiles. And some paperwhite bulbs and blooms!

love and blessings~dd

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