Keep paperwhites standing tall

Tired of paperwhite daffodils flopping over like those on the left? Try this: When leaves are 1 to 2 in. tall, replace plain water in the vase with a 1:8 alcohol-to-water solution. This will stunt the daffodil’s growth just enough to keep the plants compact and sturdy, like those on the right. Use the same solution if you need to add water to the vase until the plant is done flowering. Vodka, whiskey or rum all work well, but don’t overindulge! Too much alcohol in the mixture can kill the plants.

Before you add the alcohol mixture, pour out any plain water in the vase so you don’t dilute the alcohol-to-water ratio.