Q: I saw a display of Paperwhite narcissus and amaryllis bulbs at the store. The sign said that the bulbs didn't even need to be watered — they would just grow and bloom on their own. That seems too good to be true. I bought several. What kind of soil and pot should I plant them in? Can I plant them outdoors in the spring?

A: The Paperwhite bulbs originally came from a dry climate and don't need to be chilled like other narcissus (daffodil) bulbs. They need to go through a dry dormancy during which they are not watered. They went through this before they were sold. When they are potted and receive water, they begin to come out of dormancy. Amaryllis bulbs also come from a dry climate and are ready to grow as soon as they are sold. They may begin to grow without water and may even bloom in the box they are sold in.

Paperwhite flowers have a strong fragrance that some people don't like, but they are easy to grow. If you plant them in a flowerpot, use normal potting soil and bury the bulb until just the neck is exposed. They can be grown in a glass pot filled with pebbles so you can see the roots growing. Add the stones; place the bulbs on top; and add water to just touch the bottom of the bulbs. You can buy an hourglass-shaped jar that lets the roots grow down in the water while the bulb sits above the water level.

Amaryllis bulb flower stalks are tall and heavy. They will topple over a small pot or jar with pebbles and water. Plant them in a wide flowerpot that is a half inch wider than the bulb all the way around. Bury them until just the top of the bulb is visible.

Planting or starting the watering of bulbs every couple of weeks will give you an entire winter of blooms. While paperwhites are only white, there are other daffodils in the same group that are yellow and are occasionally found in stores selling paperwhites. Amaryllis flowers come in many shades of red, pink, orange, green and white, with a lot of them having stripes or pastel tints.

Keep the plants in as bright of light as possible. If the light is not bright enough, the leaves and flower stalks will grow very tall and flop over. The air temperature regulates growth rate. If kept in the 50s and 60s, the bulbs will flower in two months or longer, but if kept in the 70s, they can bloom in six weeks.

After paperwhites bloom, it is difficult to keep them alive. They rarely bloom a second time. Forcing bulbs to bloom early usually causes them to consume more carbohydrates and to not be prepared for another year's growth. It is typical for a forced bulb to take several years of recuperation to bloom again, even if it is planted in normal conditions and taken care of properly.

Amaryllis bulbs will shrink in size and may or may not bloom the next year. Growing them in bright sunshine all summer will help. They then need a two-month dry spell to go dormant. When repotted, they will bloom in about two months. If you want them to bloom at Christmas, you need to start the dry spell at the beginning of August.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@greenerview.com. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Pixabay