How to Force a Narcissus Indoors

Purchase large, firm, good-quality narcissus bulbs from garden supply stores in September, when they first arrive in the stores. Choose from among the miniature and multi-flowered varieties like Tete-a-Tete, Little Gem, or Topolino for the most successful forcing.

Ensure that draining holes in your containers are open, then put enough potting medium into the pot to ensure that the tips of the bulbs are just above the top rim. Set three to five bulbs in a 6-inch pot, or set bulbs about a 1/2 inch apart in larger pots, with their flatter sides down on the potting medium and their more pointed noses sticking upwards. Gently fill in around the bulbs with more potting medium, but leave the bulb tips sticking out.

Water the potted narcissus bulbs, then place them into storage where the temperatures will remain 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 16 weeks. Water the pots regularly but keep them in darkness for this cooling period.

Remove the pots from cold storage and place them in bright light with temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees three to four weeks before the desired bloom time. Continue to water as needed to keep the soil moist, but do not add fertilizer of any kind. Flowers will bloom within a few weeks of removing the pots from storage, depending on the variety. Take a new pot out of cold storage every week or two to ensure a continuous display of blooming narcissus indoors throughout the spring.