Difficulty in Growing Forced Narcissi with No Cold or Dark Space Indoors
in Plants
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?
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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.
I tried Googling for pre chilled daffodils but could not come up with anything.
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
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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.
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.