The last few years, I've started doing a bit more gardening and bulb planting. Every winter I look longingly at beautiful large red amaryllis blooms and crisp white paperwhites, wishing I had some on display in my home. This year I decided to grow my own. I did some research and found out it's actually quite easy.
I also decided that if I liked looking at the blooms, then perhaps others like looking at them as well. So, I decided to try my hand at forcing paperwhite bulbs for holiday centre pieces (for me) and for hostess gifts (for others).
I think that hostess gifts are really important, especially during the holiday season. If someone is taking the time, during the busiest time of the year, to invite me into their home, I want to make sure that I show my appreciation. A bottle of wine, bubbles, craft beer or homemade baking is always appreciated, but giving something that you've spent a month growing hopefully says "thank you" on another level. It's the extra thought and love that goes into the growing something that counts.
When forcing bulbs, the most difficult decision is the vessel. I decided to go with a few different candle votives from favourite local Vancouver stores, The Cross and Parliament, to gift. That way, after the paperwhite is finished blooming, the host or hostess still has a lovely votive candle holder. For my table centre piece, I decided to use a silver antique ice bucket that belonged to my grandma. It's a vintage piece and something you would never expect to see flowers growing in - I love that little bit of unexpected!
Now, there is a time factor involved in forcing paperwhite bulbs. As a general guide you will want to
plant the week of Nov 11th to have blooms the week of Dec 9th (for holiday party blooms)
plant the week of Nov 25th to have blooms the week of Dec 23rd (for Christmas blooms)
plant the week of Dec 2nd to have blooms the week of Dec 30th (for New Year's blooms and gifting).
I hope you will try your hand at forcing bulbs, as the end result will bring a smile to anyone's face!
Happy gifting,
Krista
Forcing Holiday Paperwhite Bulbs
Here's what you will need:
Paperwhite bulbs ( I used one bulb per candle votive and 5 bulbs clustered in the centre piece - my bulbs were from a local garden centre)
Vessels
Rocks or pebbles (mine are from the craft store - I wanted a soft grey brown colour to go with the votive colours)
Water
Here's what to do:
Add rocks to vessel leaving some spaces in between. Nestle paperwhite bulb into rocks so that it sits flat and won't wiggle around. Fill vessel with water up to and touching the base of the bulb (you do not want the bulb submerged in water as it may begin to rot). Place vessels in direct sunlight, topping water up as needed and watch them grow!
Here's a quick growth guide visual for the stages...
My paperwhite bulbs at Week 2 (above)
My paperwhite bulbs at week 3 (above)
Below, at week 4 are some paperwhites waiting to be handed out for the holidays.
To gift, I cut one large square of decorative burlap (mine has white christmas trees on it). Place votive holder in the center of the burlap square. Bring the four edges together toward the center and tie a piece of ribbon around to hold burlap in place. Add a hand written tag with watering directions (keep waterline at the bottom of the bulb) and attach tag with some decorative greenery. If taller stems begin to flop, stabilize and wrap red berry sticks around stems to keep upright.
Or use as a holiday table centre piece tied with ribbon, like I plan too (below).
*Note: Paperwhites, as you can see, can grow to be quite tall and leggy, thus requiring a stem holder so that they don't flop.
After forcing bulbs this year, I am going to try to stunt their growth next year by adding a 5% alcohol (vodka) water mixture. The alcohol makes it more difficult for the stems to drink, altering their overall height. This alcohol mixture can be added after the bulbs form roots and green stems 1-2" high, about a week or so after planting. After you see stems and roots, drain the water from the vessel and add a 5% alcohol water mixture (1/2 cup water to 3 1/2 cups water or a 1:7 ratio). You do not want any higher than a 5% alcohol mixture, as it will have negative effect on the bulbs growth, you just want a small amount to decrease stem height. Continue watering with this 5% alcohol solution until blooms finish. A shorter height centrepieces or bloom decor is better for indoor plants and display.
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