Paper white stems like a drink of vodka to stay upright

Intensely fragrant paper whites (Narcissus tazetta) are popular bulbs for forcing indoors during the holiday season. Simply fill a shallow glass bowl about half full with decorative stones or colorful marbles, and push the bulbs down into the decorative material just far enough so they're supported in an upright position.

Add water just to the bottom of the bulbs, and refill the reservoir whenever it gets low. Within about 3 weeks of planting, you'll be rewarded with gloriously scented blooms.

The one problem that often occurs in a warm house is that the stems grow too tall to support the weight of the flowers and the flowers inevitably fall over. Solve this problem by adding a tablespoon of vodka when the stems reach about 5 inches tall.

The alcohol burns the roots just enough to slow stem growth. Don't worry: The stiff drink won't make your paper whites tipsy. The stems will remain upright and the flowers will be just as large and long-lasting as ever.

Gift ideas for gardeners

Here are my picks for the best holiday gifts for that gardener in your life.

A top-notch hand pruner is the most important gardening tool, and in my opinion, Felco No. 8 (No. 9 for lefties) is the best you can find. They come with ergonomically curved handles and forged Swiss steel blades that last forever and hold a razor-sharp edge. Throw in a Felco holster to keep them from tearing your back pockets.

A digging spade is essential for digging and dividing perennials. Spend the extra bucks and give one with a top-quality wood handle and stainless-steel head. A quality digging spade is so shiny and beautiful, the lucky recipient will think it's a decoration, but I guarantee it will be in constant use in the garden.

Finally, stock a special friend's stockings with a couple of tickets to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. The show runs Feb. 3-7 at the downtown Washington Convention & Trade Center.

Under new ownership, the show promises to be bigger and better than ever next year. Throw in a gift certificate to a downtown restaurant for a nibble before or after the show and you'll be a real hero.

Ensure living Christmas tree's survival

A living Christmas tree can create a long-lasting memory of your 2009 Christmas. The key to making sure your living Christmas tree survives is to keep it from breaking dormancy while on display indoors.

If that happens, you've got yourself a big houseplant until spring because once planted outside, the first freeze will put the "el kabotski" on it.

Keep the tree in the house for no more than seven days and don't let the room temperature exceed 70 degrees. Stand the tree in a waterproof container and surround the rootball with sawdust to hold the tree upright and hold moisture. Water with ice cubes, making sure the rootball is never allowed to dry out.

When you bring the tree back out of the house, protect it from frost. Plant it as soon as possible (unless a major freeze is forecast) in a sunny, well-drained area making sure there's adequate room for it to grow. Keep the soil evenly moist for the first season.

If it makes it through the first summer, chances are your tree will survive to be a beautiful, living memory of your 2009 Christmas for years to come.

Ciscoe Morris: ciscoe@ciscoe.com. "Gardening with Ciscoe" airs at 10 a.m. Saturdays on KING-TV.