Nancy and I had two couples over for dinner Saturday night, and the conversation turned to paperwhites.

I don't know what that says about the conversation at our dinner parties, but one guest was having trouble keeping the paperwhite narcissus all the same height. Some sprouted before the others and were much taller than the rest.

Nancy has had no trouble with ours. She has a number of pots going so that beginning later this week, we will have some in bloom for most of the winter. She keeps them near a window and turns the pot every day, so they grow straight and evenly.

This is the pot that is closest to blooming.

Growing paperwhites is easy. The big advantage to them is that they do not have to be chilled to come into bloom. With tulips, daffodils and most other bulbs you have to put them in a cool spot four six weeks -- the refrigerator, a cool garage or a very cool part of your cellar -- before they will bloom. Paperwhites can go straight from the store to the pot.

You want to use a sterile medium in the pot. The standard is to use pebbles, but Nancy used an orchid medium made out of bark chips this year.

Now is the time to turn your attention to inside plants. Sunday's column is about growing herbs inside so you can use them in your cooking all year long.

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