Freshly cut grass, laughter from kids on swing sets, little blooms peeking out of the dirt to make way for a beautiful flower - nothing can top a sunny spring day. It's hard waiting for the winter months to turn into colorful, warm days, so why not get a jumpstart? Growing bulbs indoors is a great way to bring a bit of spring into your home. With a bit of knowledge and planning, anyone can be successful in growing vibrant, indoor bulbs.

Some bulbs need to be chilled while others don't. Bulbs native to warm climates, like amaryllis and paperwhite, do not require a cooling period to trigger blooms. Let's talk about how you can successfully grow these vibrant blooms in your home.

How to Keep Bulbs Happy Indoors

Amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs do not require a cooling period or a pot with drainage. We recommend a shallow bowl or container filled with a growing medium of your choice —crushed rock or pebbles. When you order Winter Bulb Kits through Greendigs, we include your choice of amaryllis or paperwhite bulbs, an 8 x 4 glass vase, and recycled glass growing medium so you can plant as soon as the kit arrives on your doorstep. The amaryllis kit includes one beautiful, vibrant red Picotee bulb while the paperwhite kit includes three bulbs.

The bulbs should be placed upright in the container and gently pressed into the growing medium. Place in a cool, sunny location. There is some waiting time for these two varieties to bloom, but we promise, it is worth it. Amaryllis blooms appear 6 to 8 weeks after planting. Paperwhite blooms appear 3 to 5 weeks after planting.

How Do I Know When to Water My Indoor Bulbs

When caring for a paperwhite, add water until it just covers the base of the bulb. To prevent your paperwhites from getting too tall and floppy, give them a shot of alcohol. Paperwhite bulbs grown in water with a 5% concentration of alcohol bloom beautifully on stems ⅓ shorter than paperwhites grown in unspiked water. Most clear liquors are about 40% alcohol (80 proof), so that works out to 1 part liquor to 7 parts water.

When watering amaryllis, avoid soaking the buld. Amaryllis bulbs do not like sitting in water, so add just enough water to the container so that it's just below the base of the bulb.

Do I Feed my Indoor Bulbs

Bulbs do not need to be fed during the blooming stage, as they rely on the reserves they have already stored.

How Do I Prune and Maintain My Indoor Bulbs

Simply trim off flowers near the base as they fade, being careful not to damage any leaves. Once the bulbs are done flowering, they can continue to be enjoyed for their foliage or composted.

How Much Lighting Does my Indoor Bulb Need

Indoor bulbs need a decent amount of bright, indirect sunlight in order to bloom. If you are worried that your space will not get enough sunlight for your bulbs, a grow light is a great solution. Grow lights bring the strength of the sun indoors, even in basements or other dark areas of your home. Rotating the vase a quarter-turn each time you water will allow it to keep the flowering from stretching towards the light. We offer beautiful and functional trivets to make rotating a breeze

How To Address Common Indoor Bulb Issues

The bulbs we ship are living organisms and should be started as soon as possible upon receipt for the best results. Store in a cool, dark place if giving as a gift. If by chance roots haven't started growing in 10 to 12 days, place the vase in the fridge until they do (this may take 5 days).

What to Do If You Still Have Questions

Our plant experts are here for you if you need advice about your indoor bulbs or buying plants online. With a vast array of plants for delivery, you'll be sure to find the right option to elevate your space. Visit our website, email at [email protected], or chat live with a Greendigs team member to get all of your growing questions answered.

Sources

^{https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/growing-bulbs-indoors/5158.html}

^{https://modernsprout.com/products/winter-bulb-kit-paperwhite-bulbs}

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^{https://www.miraclegro.com/en-us/library/small-space-gardening/growing-paperwhites-winter-flowers-can-grow-indoors#:~:text=Grow%20paperwhites%20indoors%20in%20a,the%20bottom%20of%20the%20bulbs.}

^{https://www.miraclegro.com/en-us/library/trees-shrubs/how-care-amaryllis}