How to Care for Paperwhites After They Bloom

Paperwhites are a type of fragrant daffodil sold as a houseplant when the winter holiday season approaches. They are an easy bulb to force to bloom indoors, since they do not require a chilling period. It's possible to plant spent paperwhite daffodils for future enjoyment. Paperwhites may not bloom the year following their forced blooms, but will bloom the year after to provide a permanent spring display in your garden.

Water-soluble fertilizer
Hand trowel
Shovel
Rototiller
Compost
Phosphate fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Remove flower heads as soon as they begin to fade to discourage seed production. Producing seesds draws from the paperwhite's energy reserves -- they need this energy to survive dormancy.
- 2
  Place the paperwhites in a sunny window, and water so that the plant does not dry out. Leave the foliage to naturally wither and die, instead of cutting it back. Apply a small amount of water-soluble fertilizer monthly until the paperwhites have died back completely.
- 3
  Prepare a bed for the paperwhites by loosening the soil by hand or with a rototiller. Incorporate plenty of compost and phosphate fertilizer into the bed. Plant the dormant bulbs 6 inches deep in the soil.

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