Question: I’d like to grow paperwhite narcissus and hyacinths indoors, for flowering in winter. Should I grow them in water or soil? Do I need to feed them? Can I set them into the garden after they bloom?

Answer: You can do it either way. There are special hyacinth vases for those bulbs, or you could use shallow bulb pots that are half as tall as they are wide. Paperwhites are grown in shallow decorative dishes filled with gravel and water, or you could also grow them in pots filled with soil. In both cases the bulbs will grow and flower much more quickly than you might imagine, often within just a few weeks. Both types are wonderfully fragrant. They will need no special fertilizer. They probably won’t grow very well in your garden after they have been manipulated this way indoors.