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Well, I may need to buy Christmas lights in a few weeks, but today, my mind is on paperwhites and amaryllis bulbs. If I plant them now, they may not bloom for Christmas, but that�����Ƶ�s OK. I like having something to brighten up the house after the decorations are down and the rooms feel empty.

The bulbs are easy to find, often in kits that include a container and potting soil (pro tip: these kits make great gifts), or you can buy them separately from local garden centers.

Let�����Ƶ�s start with paperwhites. These bulbs can be planted in soil or gravel. I have done both. Using gravel as the planting medium is a fun choice when working with a glass container.

Fill your container almost to the top with either soil or gravel. Give yourself an inch or two to nestle in the bulbs. One by one, place the bulbs �����Ƶ� root or flat end �����Ƶ� into the gravel. The bulbs do not need to be entirely under the gravel, maybe just half way. Think of the bulb sitting securely on top of the gravel with the pointed end up. This is where the stalk will grow.

With Paperwhites, I like the bulbs to be close together. The stems will reach 18-24 inches tall, with the familiar white petals forming at the top. Narrow, sword-like leaves will grow from the bottom.

The advantage of planting them close together is more than forming a beautiful display. Because of the height, the stems can droop. Tying a ribbon around the stems gives them the stability to stand tall.

Here, you can be creative and use red ribbon for the holidays or another color to coordinate with your décor. I sometimes keep it natural and use twine to contrast the delicate flowers.

Keeping your newly planted bulbs in moist gravel or soil and in a sunny spot �����Ƶ� I suggest at least fours hours of indirect sun �����Ƶ� should give you blooms in four to six weeks.

Amaryllis bulbs are much bigger than paperwhites. The blooms are bigger, too. Often seen in bright red, they are also available in pink, white and variegated.

They are beautiful. One bulb will produce several brilliant blooms that will brighten any room.

Planting amaryllis bulbs is very similar to planting paperwhite bulbs. I tend to grow a single bulb in each container, but of course, you could add several to one container. Remember, this is a significantly larger bloom than paperwhites; if you add several bulbs, you will need a larger bowl.

Just like paperwhites, the container can be fairly shallow. These bulbs will sit half in the soil and half above. Keep the soil moist and give the container sun. �����Ƶ the blooms form, the stalks may need a small support stick to help them stand tall.

To take the containers to the next level, try adding a thin layer of moss over the soil to create more interest as the bulbs mature.

Both paperwhites and amaryllis are familiar blooms and easy to grow. They will bring joy to your holiday displays or brightness to your January day.

But before we get into this busy season, let me give thanks to each of you for reading Good 2 Grow and following along with life and gardens at the little house on a big hill.

�����Ƶ�Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; for they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.�����Ƶ� �����Ƶ� Marcel Proust