by Gail Seymour

Created on: July 07, 2010

The first thing to check before setting off narcissus bulbs to bloom in winter is whether or not they are a variety that needs to be chilled, and if they do, have they been pre-treated for forcing, or will you need to do that yourself?

If you need to chill the bulbs, they will generally need around three months in the cold. If you live in an area where you have a naturally cold winter, simply plant the bulbs up and leave them in a shed, garage or cellar. If not, the best idea is probably to put them in the salad compartment of the fridge. If possible, use a separate fridge from your food, but at the very least leave them in their packaging so that they don’t get confused with your food, as narcissus bulbs, like the rest of the plant, are mildly toxic if ingested.

If you buy bulbs labeled as pre-treated, you might still want to chill them for a couple of weeks, but if you choose a variety that doesn’t need chilling, like a paper white, you can go ahead and plant them up right away.

First, make sure your bulbs are all firm and fleshy, have no bruises, and no air pockets or mushy bits that give when you squeeze them between your thumb and forefinger.

Next, select a suitable container. You can either use a pot with drainage holes if you are going to grow your bulbs in soil, which is best for bulbs that need chilling, or a decorative dish or bowl with no holes if you are going to grow them in water. The bulbs don’t need soil, as all the energy they need to flower is already in the bulb.

Planting narcissus bulbs for forcing

Place a few pebbles or a layer of gravel on the bottom of the pot then half fill it with soil. Place the bulbs in the pot pointed side up, so that their noses just peek above the rim of the pot. You don’t need to leave space between the bulbs, as they are not going to stay in the pot after flowering.

Once you have packed the bulbs into the pot quite tightly, fill the gaps between them with compost, sand, soil, or decorative pebbles, leaving the tips showing through the surface. Give them a drink, then leave them in a dark cool spot for a couple of weeks, around 50-60°F.

Once the shoots begin to grow, move the pot into a bright warm spot, but keep them out of direct sunlight for the best results. Water regularly and don’t allow the soil to dry out completely, but don’t leave the bulbs in standing water or they will rot.

Narcissus tend to become top heavy, especially when grown in close quarters like this.

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