How to Care for a Narcissus in Water & Pebbles

All narcissus flower varieties grow well when forced in water and pebbles.

Forcing bulbs indoors allows you to enjoy the beauty of the flowers when they normally are in season. Narcissus flowers don't require soil to send up foliage and blooms, making them one of the simpler bulbs to force indoors. Paperwhite narcissus begin flowering in as little as six weeks after planting them in pebbles and water. Daffodils, another type of narcissus, bloom within eight weeks. The bulbs flower over a period of four weeks or longer, providing a long-lasting display to your home.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Pebbles
• Bulbs

Instructions

1. Fill a shallow bowl or tray with a 3-inch layer of clean pebbles or florist's marbles. Use a container wide enough to hold between three and five narcissus bulbs.

2. Push the bulbs into the pebbles, flat side down, until they remain upright on their own and approximately a third of the bulb is inside the gravel. Place the bulbs so they are nearly touching.

3. Add water to the bowl until the bottoms of the bulbs are touching the water, but the bulbs aren't submerged.

4. Set the bowl in a cool room in a brightly lit location, such as near sunny south- or east-facing window. Narcissus grow best at temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Replenish the water in the bowl as it evaporates so that the water level remains constant. Drain and replace the water completely if it becomes cloudy or dark-colored.

6. Cut off the old narcissus flowers once they begin to wilt. Removing the old blooms improves the appearance of the display and diverts the bulbs energy to opening any remaining buds.

Tips & Warnings

• Dispose of the bulbs after they have all finished blooming. Growing the bulbs in pebbles expends all the energy in the plants so they won't flower a second time. Use new bulbs the next time you force the flowers.

• Daffodil bulbs require a cold period to flower. Store in a sealed plastic bag filled with slightly moistened peat moss in the refrigerator for 12 weeks prior to planting. Paperwhites don't require cold treatment, so plant these immediately.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension; Forcing Bulbs for Indoor Beauty In Winter; Deborah Brown, et al.; 2009
• Washington State University Extension; Paperwhite Narcissus for the Holidays; Mary Robson; December 2000