Difficulty in Growing Forced Narcissi with No Cold or Dark Space Indoors

pinkskyinthecity

Currently, I have 25 bulbs in pots under my kitchen table covered with a black shading mesh but the bulbs have curled lop-sided shoots on them. I know it isn't ideal, so I shall be buying a black storage box and cover for them and place them outside. Will they be ready to bloom in time for Christmas, I wonder? 

strelitzia32

Unfortunately no. They need a period of vernalization, so indoors they need to be in the fridge for 8 to 10 weeks, after which you can take them out and pot up etc. You don't say what variety, but broadly to get daffs in flower by Xmas you need them in the fridge by early October.

Don't feel too bad though, because a black box wouldn't have helped you much either, depending on your location. It's 13 degrees here today, and 15 degrees forecast for Saturday - nowhere near cold enough to get daffs started. Also remember that humid conditions with no Air movement is the enemy of bulb storage, so depending on what your black box is, you may want to replace it with newspaper, a hessian sack, a wooden crate etc.

This is why people often buy treated bulbs instead. 

celcius_kkw

@strelitzia32 do you know of a good online nursery that sells prepared daffodils? I have only come across prepared hyacinths for sale but not daffodils (excluding paperwhites) - I’ve tried planting some grand soleil d’or and erlicheer indoors back in October but only left it in a cool dark room.. they’re quite floppy at the moment but one or two are starting to produce flower buds.. early cheer on the other hand have not done as well.. having only produced 3 inch shoots and their growth is well stunted currently.. 

I tried Googling for pre chilled daffodils but could not come up with anything. 

Kmeh

Peter Nyssen and Farmer Gracy both had them. My local klondyke garden centre has loose indoor paperwhite narcissi and taylors branded indoor ones too. The latter was a fortnight ago. Hope that helps

strelitzia32

@celcius_kkw sorry, I can't really help with that. Apart from the usual over-priced pre-potted stuff in garden centers etc and supermarkets, I know Peter N has an "indoor bulb" section as @Kmeh says.

I just took a quick look and although it doesn't specifically say "prepared bulbs" (except for hyacinths) I assume the daffs have been treated, otherwise they're not going to perform. Maybe drop them an email to check, or Google for "indoor flowering daffodils"?

I don't really force many bulbs myself. I mainly leave pots of daffs in the conservatory. That way, whenever the unforced ones flower in Jan, I'm excited to see my favorite flowers and know that Xmas is over and spring is on the way. Silly, I know, but I like it 

celcius_kkw

@Kmeh @strelitzia32 Thanks.. I’ve had a look, paperwhites dominate the indoor daffodil range but they also have avalanche , erlicheer and grand soleil d’or.. I bought mine from crocus before (sold under the category indoor daffs) but when I emailed them they just said they don’t offer planting advice and basically couldn’t answer my question as to whether they’re pre chilled /prepared. 

I think I should see how my current indoor daffs do and plan for next year rather than being overly obsessive about it all lol. 

Dovefromabove

It’s a bit late for this year but Sarah Raven is a good source of indoor bulbs. 

pinkskyinthecity

strelitzia32 said:

Unfortunately no. They need a period of vernalization, so indoors they need to be in the fridge for 8 to 10 weeks, after which you can take them out and pot up etc. You don't say what variety, but broadly to get daffs in flower by Xmas you need them in the fridge by early October.

Don't feel too bad though, because a black box wouldn't have helped you much either, depending on your location. It's 13 degrees here today, and 15 degrees forecast for Saturday - nowhere near cold enough to get daffs started. Also remember that humid conditions with no Air movement is the enemy of bulb storage, so depending on what your black box is, you may want to replace it with newspaper, a hessian sack, a wooden crate etc.

This is why people often buy treated bulbs instead. 

Hi Strelitzia and others who've posted, 

I'm growing Paperwhites  which are bought from J Parkers Wholesale which are treated. I have since read that they need a cool darkened room to grow in https://www.sarahraven.com/flowers/plants/indoor-bulbs/narcissus-papyraceus-ziva-for-forcing.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwMP9BRCzARIsAPWTJ_F5tFNE5Br7a3OkeXwh2p9_8i4-tJHG93WvIJ6HK4wwOms7EYA25acaAuWFEALw_wcB

but I didn't follow this method properly. Due to the curled up shoots, I think I'll attempt to sit the bulbs on top of the compost again and take them outside. with the floppiness, it seems that Sarah Raven has given a good suggestion in using a nest of twigs to support the foliage. 

I want to grow paperwhites as their scent is so strong and lovely - same goes for Erlicheer, Avalanche and tazetta varieties. 

pinkskyinthecity

An update: 

They were put outdoors in my plastic greenhouse and brought in for flowering which had done well this winter. I realised that I were only getting one or two buds on each bulb for Paperwhites, would that be normal for this variety? I'd like to grow others which give more buds if anyone can advise me, please? 

Thanks.