How to Care for Narcissus Indoors

Water indoor narcissus plants sparingly once or twice a week. Pour 1/8 cup of water around the bulb whenever the soil feels completely dry in the top 1/2 inch. Increase the amount of water to 1/4 cup as soon as flower buds appear.

Place the narcissus pots where they will receive moderate, diffuse light as soon as the first leaves emerge from the soil. Set them approximately 5 feet away from an east-facing window. Leave them in this position for five days.

Maintain temperatures around 55 to 60 F for the first few weeks after the first narcissus leaves emerge. Lower temperatures to around 48 to 50 F at night to mimic the cool nights in springtime.

Move the narcissus plant to a position with extremely bright light after the five-day period under moderate light is completed. Place them on a south-facing windowsill where they will receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day.

Rotate the pot to ensure all parts of the plant receive equal light. Turn the pot a half revolution every two or three days. Prolong exposure to four or five days during cloudy or overcast weather.

Move the narcissus plant away from the window as soon as the buds crack and the flower is visible. Keep the plants under cool conditions, especially at night, to prolong the blooming period. Avoid temperatures higher than 65 F during the blooming period.

Cut off and discard the flower stalks as soon as the blooming period ends. Use pruning shears to lop off the stalks at the base. Do not cut off the leaves, since the bulb needs them for photosynthesis.

Move the narcissus plant to a warm, bright position after blooming. Water the bulbs with 1/2 cup of water whenever the soil surface feels dry when pressed. Apply slow-release 5-10-20 formula fertilizer diluted to 1/4 strength to the soil once a month.

Cut off the foliage once it dies back completely. Transplant the bulbs into a garden bed with loamy soil and full to partial sun in mid-spring, or as soon as the soil warms to 65 F.