11 comments for “Paper Whites & Alcohol

  1. Clay,
    I don’t know the answer but suggest that they may not be able to stand up and the flower heads will be at ground level if that helps.

  2. Apparently this works.  Go to http://www.dafflibrary.org and search for Pickling your Paperwhites, or even just pickling paperwhites.  You’ll find several articles.  The research was done at Cornell University.

  3. It works for me Clay, I stop growing and just fall over! If you are suggesting watering with alcohol while still growing they will stop as you are more than likely killing it.

    I have heard of adding various sprites to cut flowers to extend the flowering time, but this I think is minimal and a waist of good staging
    fluid!

    Ian

     

  4.  

     

    This info has circulated many times and it is legit I am told. I believe NC State has done a lot of research and perhaps this was the original source of the info. I think I recall Brent Heath talking about it in one of his ADS presentations. I’m thinking you give the bulbs a little taste of vodka to retard growth, and you pour some for yourself, too. I suppose that if you drink enough of the alcohol—you won’t care if the paper white foliage and bloom scapes are 3 feet tall and flopping all over your table. Consider this: “Holiday Humor”.

    Cheers,
    Jaydee Atkins Ager

     

  5. Mine are blooming right now. I’ll pick two stems, one with alcohol and one without and let you know.

    Jackie

  6. Hi David,

    This alcohol business was being handed out in written form by a local bulb farm by the name of Terra Ceira farms that had provided the Center Pieces at the local garden club “Christmas” lunch celebration. The garden clubs swear by them, however, I have found that only once in a while do you get the daffodil bulbs that you ordered. They seem to be good at paper whites and Amaryllis.

    Clay

  7. I always heard it had to be gin!! I tried it but don’t recall any miracles… Janie Vaughan

    Sent from my iPhone

  8. Thanks everyone for the comments on alcohol and paper-whites.  I like the comment that it’s best to give the daffodil a little and take some for yourself, specially the Gin. :-)  Ian had it right.  Thanks guys you are a hoot!!!  I will not try the paper-whites or the alcohol.

    Clay

  9. I do this, and it works.  You let the shoots start growing, then add just a touch of vodka or gin once.  They bloom normally but the stems stay shorter.  Only takes a little—plenty of gin left for the grower.

    Janet

  10. The garden club considers me the daffodil expert so now I have one more item that I can add to my presence as the “walking directory of useless information.”

    Thanks Janet. It is truly new information for me.

    Clay

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