How to Care for Narcissus in a Pot

Narcissus Daffodils

• 1

  Keep your daffodil pot in a cool, dimly lit room where the temperature is between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for the first week or until its growing shoots are green. Place your plant on a flat surface away from direct light, and avoid placing your daffodil near heat sources, such as furnace vents, baseboards or wood stoves. Heat causes it to grow more quickly, cutting short its lifespan.

• 2

  Set a shallow saucer or small dish under your potted daffodil. It likes loose, sandy soil and drains away excess water.

• 3

  Move your daffodil to a warmer room or area after the first week. When your plant's shoots are fully green, your daffodil will enjoy an environment that's brightly lit and where the temperature is between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 4

  Water your plant when the soil is dry to the touch. Water in 1/4-cup increments, waiting a minute after each watering to see if excess water seeps into the dish. Stop watering when the liquid seeps out.

Narcissus Paperwhites

• 5

  Place your potted paperwhites in a cool room with indirect light while the bulbs are developing roots. Keep the room temperature or the area around the plants between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

• 6

  Keep a shallow dish under your pot to catch water. Never allow the bulbs to sit in water or the soil to become waterlogged.

• 7

  Water your paperwhites weekly for the first three weeks. Press your finger 1 inch into the soil or planting medium to detect moisture. If the soil is dry, water the plants.

• 8

  Transfer your growing potted paperwhites to a sunny windowsill after they have been growing for three weeks. They are thirsty plants, so check their moisture needs every other day so they get enough water.