Forcing bulbs indoors is a great way to have fresh flowers in the house in winter, and if planted within the next few days, an Amaryllis or Paperwhite Narcissus will likely be flowering for Christmas.
I chose to force Paperwhite Narcissus, which are known for their beautiful fragrance, as well as for being very simple to force.
Because the stems of Paperwhites sometimes sag or flop, I chose a tall glass container for my three bulbs, which will give support to the emerging stems. They can be planted in pebbles or rocks, with no soil necessary, and then partly submerged in water, a process known as water culture. It is extremely important not to submerge the bulbs completely, as they will rot if they are too wet.
To plant, choose a glass container with no drainage (you will be able to watch the roots grow through the glass), and fill with about three inches of pebbles, then place the bulbs, roots down, into the pebbles. Next, add a few more pebbles so that just the top of the bulb is visible. Then pour in enough water so that the base of the bulbs are covered, and place it in a cool place (about 18 degrees C).
Once you see the roots begin to develop, you can move your Paperwhites to a very sunny window (the sunnier the better) until they begin to flower. Once they are flowering, they will last longest moved out of direct sunlight.
If you would like a continuous show of Paperwhites, you can continue to force the bulbs every couple of weeks all winter.
When bulbs have finished flowering, if you are in a zone 8 area, you can try to save them to re-use again, but it is not guaranteed. The best way to do this would be to keep the leaves on the bulbs and plant them out in the garden in a sunny location with well-drained soil, where they may be able to restore their energy.
.........
A great book on forcing bulbs that I have used is ‘Forcing Etc: The Indoor Gardeners Guide to Bringing Bulbs, Branches and Houseplants into Bloom’ by Katherine Whiteside. Check it out!