HOW TO PLANT AMARYLLIS + PAPERWHITES INDOORS FOR WINTER BLOOMS
OCT 28, 2025Late Fall and early Winter are the best time to plant amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs indoors, if you want them blooming for the holidays
Amaryllis and paperwhites are easy to plant and care for, making them the ultimate flower to enjoy as a beginning gardener or to gift to just about anyone you know!
Materials
Amaryllis and paperwhites both prefer to be cozy in their pots. To enjoy these bulbs indoors you’ll need:
small pot
fresh potting soil
jumbo bulbs (for the most blooms)
water
Three Easy Steps:
Grab your pot and fill the bottom with fresh potting soil. For Amaryllis, you want the neck and shoulders of the bulb to be above the lip of the pot. For paperwhites, fill the pot so that the bulbs sit 3-4” below the top of your pot.
Note, this is not a time to reuse old potting or garden soil - if you do, you may be inviting buggies inside your home for the holiday season.
From there, place your bulb/s on the base layer of soil and backfill - amaryllis will have soil up to the tapering of the bulb’s shoulders, while paperwhites will be buried 2-ish inches below the soil’s surface.
Then, add water - you just want your bulbs to be in damp soil (as overly wet or soggy soil can eventually cause bulbs to rot).
You have an option to decorate the soil’s surface with reindeer moss, river pebbles, jingle bells, or anything that feels festive for the holiday season! It’s not required and your bulbs will grow beautifully in bare soil.
Bungalow Blooms has an entire post about watering, tending, indoor care, and spring outdoor planting your amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs. Read it here!
A few other notes + tips:
Amaryllis and paperwhites can also be grown in a combination of water and pebbles, ensuring the the water only ever touches the roots and very bottom of the bulbs (never submerging)! This looks particularly striking in tall clear glass hurricane vases.
If you choose a pot without a drainage hole, plan to water less frequently to prevent rot, and add a scoop of activated charcoal to the bottom of the pot before planting - this way, any water that does accumulate at the bottom is less likely to get funky.
Bloom times for varieties are as follows -
Peruvian Amaryllis: 4-6 Weeks
Dutch Amaryllis: 8-12 Weeks
Paperwhites: 4-6 Weeks
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