I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice
smell and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent"
and should be deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if
so, how? Or should I toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

Just toss them, unless you live in a frost free climate, in which case you
could plant them out. Spent hyacinths, crocuses, bulbous irises,
non-paperwhite daffodils, and primroses can be deadheaded and held until
the weather warms a bit, then planted out. Tulips can also be planted out,
but only as an experiment; some varieties will do well, others won't.
Amaryllis are, IMO, worth the trouble of keeping as a potted plant over the
summer, drying off, and starting again in the winter. I toss florist
cyclamen, but have a friend with a greenhouse who keeps them.

If you think of these forced indoor bloomers as much cheaper, prettier, and
longer lasting alternatives to cut flowers, you can toss them guilt free.

Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Beth Pierce" wrote in message
...
I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice
smell and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent"
and should be deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if
so, how? Or should I toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice smell
and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent" and should be
deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if so, how? Or should I
toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

If you mean 'Paper White' or 'Soleil d'Or' narcissus which are sold for
forcing, those should be discarded. If you mean temperate yellow daffodils,
such as are grown outdoors, you can remove the tops & dry them off a bit. Then
plant them outdoors as soon as possible. If they survive and recover, they will
bloom again in a few years.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Beth Pierce wrote in message ...
I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice
smell and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent"
and should be deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if
so, how? Or should I toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

Toss them. It's really not feasable to bring them back into blooming condition.

Thanks everyone. They are paperwhites and not daffodils.
Sorry, I'm originally from Southern California and out there
they are named separately even though they are from the same
family. Now that I live in Northeastern Pennsylvania, (cold
zone 5) it's such a treat to take off during a dreary
mid-January and drive to the local Agway and buy them at
their cheapest. Your comments have helped me to continue
that tradition.

SugarChile wrote:
Just toss them, unless you live in a frost free climate, in which case you
could plant them out. Spent hyacinths, crocuses, bulbous irises,
non-paperwhite daffodils, and primroses can be deadheaded and held until
the weather warms a bit, then planted out. Tulips can also be planted out,
but only as an experiment; some varieties will do well, others won't.
Amaryllis are, IMO, worth the trouble of keeping as a potted plant over the
summer, drying off, and starting again in the winter. I toss florist
cyclamen, but have a friend with a greenhouse who keeps them.

If you think of these forced indoor bloomers as much cheaper, prettier, and
longer lasting alternatives to cut flowers, you can toss them guilt free.

Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Beth Pierce" wrote in message
...

I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice
smell and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent"
and should be deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if
so, how? Or should I toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

In article , Beth Pierce
writes:

Thanks everyone. They are paperwhites and not daffodils.
Sorry, I'm originally from Southern California and out there
they are named separately even though they are from the same
family. Now that I live in Northeastern Pennsylvania, (cold
zone 5) it's such a treat to take off during a dreary
mid-January and drive to the local Agway and buy them at
their cheapest. Your comments have helped me to continue
that tradition.

The part of me that thinks your spent bulb should have the same chance I did
wants me to tell you to find someplace to stick it into the ground again. It
may recover and bring some joy to the landscape. The roadsides of Oregon are
full of these random wonders in the spring.


David Giunti email: unity
What is the question? Gertrude Stein's last words
No one mouth is big enough to utter the whole thing. Alan Watts

On Display in the UK http://www.web-gallery.co.uk

"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...
I forced some narcissus bulbs to bloom indoors, in water. Such a nice
smell
and sight on wintry days. Now that the bulbs are almost "spent" and
should be
deadheaded, is deadheading done on forced bulbs, and if so, how? Or
should I
toss the bulbs and get new ones for next year?

If you mean 'Paper White' or 'Soleil d'Or' narcissus which are sold for
forcing, those should be discarded. If you mean temperate yellow
daffodils,
such as are grown outdoors, you can remove the tops & dry them off a bit.
Then
plant them outdoors as soon as possible. If they survive and recover, they
will
bloom again in a few years.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

I received a gift basket a few years ago, of miniature narcissus, treated it
like a house plant until early (like 4/15 here) spring and planted it
outside. The first spring after, only foliage, the next spring blooms.
Personally, I don't like the smell of paper whites, and from what I've read
they're not hardy in my zone, they're a single use bulb.

Carlotta
zone 4/5