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Growing Christmas bulbs inside

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ATLANTA -

Melodie McDanal from Pike Nurseries joined Good Day Atlanta with some tips on how to grow Christmas bulbs, Paperwhites and Amaryllis, inside your home!

CLICK THE VIDEO ABOVE TO WATCH THE VIDEO!

Growing Paperwhites an Amaryllis -- now is the time!

  • Once planted, they will take 4-6 weeks to bloom, so if you want them for a Christmas party, plan accordingly
  • They also make great hostess gifts

Paperwhites -- Paperwhites earned their botanical name, Narcissus, based on Greek mythology.   Narcissus, infatuated by his own reflection in a pool, stared at himself until the gods turned him into a flower

  • Paperwhites have a lovely, sweet fragrance

Amaryllis

  • Amaryllis have a big, bold flower with a thick stem
  • Great for a centerpiece since the flower sits higher, still allowing you to visit with guests across the table

Forcing Paperwhites & Amaryllis

  • In order for your Paperwhites and Amaryllis to bloom during the Christmas season, plant in November
  • Use a shallow dish, glass bowl, or bulb vase and fill with three-quarters of gravel - make sure you rinse the gravel first
  • Place the bulbs in the gravel and add more gravel between the bulbs to anchor them in place
  • Fill your container with water to the bottom of the bulbs and place them in a well lit room; window sills are a great location
  • To keep your bloom stalks from falling over, when the bud has emerged, replace water with a mixture of half water and half drinking alcohol (gin or vodka work best)

Care

  • The most important thing for paperwhites, whether you are tending to them indoors or outdoors, is to never let them dry out

If you have a question for the experts from Pike Nurseries the Good Day Atlanta crew at goodday@myfoxatlanta.com. Include your name, your city, your question, and a picture if you can. We may use your question on a future segment.

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