What to Do With Paperwhites When They’ve Finished Blooming

There’s a lot of talk on the internet about what to do when your paperwhites finish blooming. Some gardeners throw them away, while others try to get them to bloom the following year. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum shows you what to do with paperwhites when they’ve finished blooming.

A shot of a cluster of white flowers that showcases what to do with paperwhites finished blooming

Contents

Paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) are gorgeous and aromatic flowers that bloom in winter. They’re bulbous perennials native to the Mediterranean. Unlike some other popular bulbs, they don’t need to be chilled to wake up from dormancy. 

These bulbs produce striking white flowers that produce a sweet floral fragrance until they die back. When this happens, they can smell unpleasant. That’s why many gardeners simply toss them away after blooming. But did you know that with a little patience and care, it’s possible to get the gorgeous white blooms to return?

Unlike other bulbs, these relatives of daffodils may not re-bloom the following season if you don’t handle them right. Read on below to learn what to do when your paperwhites finish blooming. If you’re patient, you may see these gorgeous little blossoms again next season. 

Overwinter Them

A close-up of Paperwhite flowers reveals delicate blooms with slender, white petals in full blossom. Each petal holds a slight hint of translucence, evoking a sense of purity and grace. The blooms stand out against a backdrop of vibrant, blurred green leaves, creating a serene garden tableau.
It is possible to overwinter them when grown indoors.

If you’re growing them as houseplants, why not try overwintering them for the following season? This isn’t a guarantee—paperwhites are notoriously hard to predict—but it’s worth a shot. The trick is storing them away properly to get them into dormancy. 

If you’re willing to try overwintering them, try reviving them the following fall. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to enjoy their blooms the following winter. 

Deadhead the Flowers

Close-up of a female gardener deadheading a plant in the garden on a blurred green background. The gardener holds red pruning shears in her hands.
Deadheading the flowers stops them from producing seeds.

After they bloom, wait a few days until the flowers die back. They may start to smell a little unpleasant, which is the perfect time to deadhead. Deadheading is the process of removing dead flowers from plants. It stops them from producing seeds and is an important step before overwintering. 

Deadhead your paperwhite flowers by trimming them off at the base of their stems with sterilized pruners. The leaves will continue to grow like a normal houseplant until they’re ready to go dormant. 

Let the Foliage Die Back Naturally

A shot of white flowers in the process of entering dormancy in a well lit area
Let the foliage naturally die back after deadheading.

After your paperwhites finish blooming and you remove the spent flowers, let the foliage continue to grow until it naturally dies back. The leaves will continue photosynthesis and send energy back into the bulb. If you cut their foliage back too early, the plants may not have enough stored energy to bloom the following season. 

One reason gardeners don’t have luck in getting their paperwhites to rebloom is because the foliage is cut too early. They need the extra time to build up enough energy to bloom the next season. 

Stop watering the plants when the leaves turn yellow and wilt. They should come off the plant easily. This means they’re done producing energy for the bulb. This process usually happens in late spring or mid-summer. 

Remove From Water or Soil

An overhead shot of bulbs of a perennial that is still covered in soil and is placed on top of a white wooden surface
Remove them from where they’re growing, rinse with clean water, and take off any dead material.

After the foliage dies back, remove the bulbs from the soil or water they’re growing in. Rinse them with clean water and remove any potting mix that is still attached. Take off pieces of leaves or dead material. 

Inspect the Bulbs

An overhead shot of a person's hand holding a bulb of a perennial in a well lit area
Inspect the corms for any signs of diseases or damage.

When digging up your paperwhites after they’ve finished blooming, it’s always a good idea to give them a good inspection and choose the healthiest bulbs. Look for soggy bulbs, unhealthy roots, or signs of disease. Check for cuts, abrasions, or anything that could signal an unhealthy plant. 

If you find bulbs with these issues, toss them in the trash. You don’t want them infecting your other plants. This can happen if they’re cured side by side. 

Select the Healthiest Ones

An overhead shot of several healthy corms of a bulbous perennial that is placed on brown paper surface in a well lit area
Select corms that feel firm and heavy.

Now it’s time to choose the healthiest bulbs to overwinter. Look for ones that feel firm and heavy. Don’t worry about saving every plant for the next season. The more selective you are, the more chance you’ll have at enjoying the blooms the following season. 

Cure in a Dry, Dark Space

An overhead shot of bulbs alongside paper bags on top of a white surface in a well lit area
Store them in paper or mesh bags and in a cool, dry space that doesn’t get sunlight.

Once you find the healthiest paperwhites, it’s time to cure them. Curing involves storing them away in a cool, dry space and exposing them to the air. Make sure the space doesn’t get sunlight. The best temperature for storage is no warmer than 60°F, and no colder than 38°F (16 and 3°C). 

Keep them in a paper or mesh bag on shelves. Check on them from time to time. Keep pests and hungry critters away. Bulbs can be delicious treats for several small animals. 

During this time, they can be infected with diseases or simply die. Throw our dead or diseased bulbs immediately upon discovery. 

Revive for the Next Season

A shot of several developing bulbs in a pot with rich soil in a well lit area
Plant the bulb upright in well-drained soil and ensure the soil is moist.

After dormancy, bring them out for planting. The best time is usually around October. Plant them upright in well-drained potting soil and keep the soil moist. Let the top third of the plant stick out above the soil. 

Maintain a consistent watering schedule. Keep their pots in a warm, sunny spot near a south-facing window. Try applying an organic fertilizer or compost to stimulate new growth. 

After a few weeks, you should start to see new growth emerge. If you’re lucky, you may see all your paperwhite flowers return for winter. 

Plant Them Outdoors in Warm Climates

An overhead shot of a person in the process of planting perennial bulbs in dark rich soil in a well lit area outdoors
In warm climates, plant them outdoors in a location with full sun to partial shade.

These Mediterranean native flowers are hardy in zones 8-11. This means they’ll survive winters in most of the Southern U.S. and the Southwest. If you live in these zones, plant the paperwhite bulbs directly in the ground after they’re finished blooming. This will encourage them to go dormant. 

Plant them in an area with full sun to partial shade. They need at least six to eight hours to flourish in their new location. They need well-draining soil to prevent bulb and root rot from forming after it rains. The drier the soil, the better. 

Add a layer of mulch to help stabilize the soil temperatures. If you’re lucky, they may rebloom within weeks of being replanted. However, some gardeners don’t see re-blooms for several years. A lot of this depends on where you got your bulbs and how healthy they are. Give them time to take root and build up enough energy to bloom outdoors. 

Compost Them

A hand holding a metal bucket with vegetable peels, leafy scraps, and organic waste, ready to be added to compost.
The plants can be used as compost when mixed with other plant materials and food waste.

Like daffodils, you can compost your paperwhites after they finish blooming if you don’t want to go through the hassle of regrowing them. They contain valuable nutrients that microbes can break down in your compost bin. 

To compost them, first cut them up into smaller pieces. This will make them easier to break down. Add the leaves and spent flowers too. Double-check for diseases or pests. If you find infected plants, throw them away, and don’t use them in your compost bin. 

Stir your compost and add other plant material and food waste as well. Within a few weeks, your spent paperwhites will break down into reusable soil. 

Use Them as Mulch

Hands holding dark brown, chunky bark pieces with a mix of fine and coarse textures.
Spent flowers and bulbs can be used as mulch.

Another use for your spent flowers is chopping them up for mulch. If you have a mulch grinder in your garden, chop up your spent bulbs and add them to your mulch pile. As the cut pieces dry, they’ll work like wood chips. 

Throw Them Out

A shot of a person's hand in the process of throwing trash in a blue trash bin outdoors
Throw away specimens that have diseases and pests.

If your compost bin is full and you’d rather buy new paperwhites the following season, go ahead and throw them out. This is what most gardeners choose to do with the flowers after they’ve finished blooming. 

As mentioned above, toss any diseased or pest-ridden plants away immediately. You’ll avoid spreading these harmful insects, fungi, and bacteria in your garden. 

It’s easy to find paperwhites at your local nursery or online. There are several stunning varieties to grow. If you want something new this season, toss them and buy new ones. 

What About Outdoor Bulbs?

A shot of a small composition of developing perennials in a well lit area outdoors
In warmer climates, the flowers can be left to grow outdoors.

If you live in a warm climate and have gorgeous paperwhites growing outside, you’re lucky! You won’t have to do much to enjoy them the next season. These sub-tropical flowering plants are perennials. This means they’ll come back for more than two seasons. 

If you’re successfully growing them outdoors, let them go through their bloom cycle. If you want them to go to seed, go ahead and leave their flowers on the stalk, otherwise, deadhead them. The foliage will stay green until the bulb is ready for dormancy. 

At this stage, you can leave them in the ground during their dormancy period or dig them out for curing indoors. Try using both methods to see which works best for your area. 

Key Takeaways

Cluster of delicate white flowers with star-shaped petals and sunny yellow centers growing on tall, slender green stems.
The flowers are easy to grow and add color to indoor and outdoor spaces.

If you love winter blooms and soft white or yellow flowers, it’s hard to top paperwhites. They can smell fantastic and fill your indoor and outdoor spaces with color. 

This winter, after they’ve finished blooming, consider overwintering them indoors. You may be able to start them again the following season. 

However, if you’re tired of the same variety or don’t want the hassle of re-planting them, go ahead and toss them. They’re easy to find, inexpensive, and easy to grow.

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