During the cold, dark months of winter, fragrant Narcissus flowers (paperwhites) bring the beauty of the outdoors, indoors. A common problem, however, is that they often grow too tall and rangy. Plant Narcissus in tall glass cylinders or follow Cornell University's Flowerbulb Research Program's special "martini" concoction to keep forced paperwhites from flip-flopping over its bowl of pebbles or marbles. After the green shoots are 1-2 inches tall, pour off all the water and replace with a mixed drink of one part liquor such as gin, vodka, whiskey to 7 parts water (for example, to get a 5% solution using a 40% distilled liquor, add 1 part of the spirits to 7 parts water). Use this solution instead of plain water, whenever watering your bulbs and the plants will be 1/3 to 1/2 shorter, but with normal flower production and blossom size. Apparently this alcohol elixir reduces the plant's ability to uptake water, inhibiting plant growth. Rubbing alcohol is also effective, but change the ratio to one part rubbing alcohol to 10 parts water. Two caveats: do not overdose your paperwhites with a 10% or higher solution and do not use beer, wine or liqueurs because of the sugar content.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Paperwhites
A JOLLY COCKTAIL FOR PAPERWHITES
During the cold, dark months of winter, fragrant Narcissus flowers (paperwhites) bring the beauty of the outdoors, indoors. A common problem, however, is that they often grow too tall and rangy. Plant Narcissus in tall glass cylinders or follow Cornell University's Flowerbulb Research Program's special "martini" concoction to keep forced paperwhites from flip-flopping over its bowl of pebbles or marbles. After the green shoots are 1-2 inches tall, pour off all the water and replace with a mixed drink of one part liquor such as gin, vodka, whiskey to 7 parts water (for example, to get a 5% solution using a 40% distilled liquor, add 1 part of the spirits to 7 parts water). Use this solution instead of plain water, whenever watering your bulbs and the plants will be 1/3 to 1/2 shorter, but with normal flower production and blossom size. Apparently this alcohol elixir reduces the plant's ability to uptake water, inhibiting plant growth. Rubbing alcohol is also effective, but change the ratio to one part rubbing alcohol to 10 parts water. Two caveats: do not overdose your paperwhites with a 10% or higher solution and do not use beer, wine or liqueurs because of the sugar content.
During the cold, dark months of winter, fragrant Narcissus flowers (paperwhites) bring the beauty of the outdoors, indoors. A common problem, however, is that they often grow too tall and rangy. Plant Narcissus in tall glass cylinders or follow Cornell University's Flowerbulb Research Program's special "martini" concoction to keep forced paperwhites from flip-flopping over its bowl of pebbles or marbles. After the green shoots are 1-2 inches tall, pour off all the water and replace with a mixed drink of one part liquor such as gin, vodka, whiskey to 7 parts water (for example, to get a 5% solution using a 40% distilled liquor, add 1 part of the spirits to 7 parts water). Use this solution instead of plain water, whenever watering your bulbs and the plants will be 1/3 to 1/2 shorter, but with normal flower production and blossom size. Apparently this alcohol elixir reduces the plant's ability to uptake water, inhibiting plant growth. Rubbing alcohol is also effective, but change the ratio to one part rubbing alcohol to 10 parts water. Two caveats: do not overdose your paperwhites with a 10% or higher solution and do not use beer, wine or liqueurs because of the sugar content.
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