Paper Whites and Amaryllis

Don't forget to go to your local nursery and buy some paper whites and amaryllis. I got mine planted on Thursday. It's been a tradition with me for years to plant paper whites. It's just part of getting ready for the holidays for me. They are so beautiful....I just love them. They will brighten your day and they are very easy to care for.

I have a lot of natural light in my home so it's not hard for me to find a place to sit them. But they really do best where they can get some good light. You can plant them in small decorative rock or in dirt (the container can be shallow - 4 or 5 inches deep). You just stick the end of the bulb (the widest part) into the dirt or rock. One fourth of the bulb should be submerged. Once a week, water lightly around the base of each bulb.

After they have bloomed you can plant your bulbs in your flower bed. I never knew you could do that until last year. The master gardener that I listen to on the radio said she plants hers and they will come up. I'm trying it this year. Just plant them at the depth you would plant a tulip.

This year I bought a red and white amaryllis and I planted it in the center of my paper whites. Visualize this, lots of paper whites with the delicate white flowers and towering above them a huge red and white amaryllis. I think it will be beautiful. On those cold and wintery days it will be a beautiful site.

Be sure and do this for yourself! If you love flowers, you will be glad you did.