Amaryllis has been called the queen of the window garden – brilliant colors, beautiful simple pastels, striped and bordered blossoms holding geometric fascination, capped off with pure white blooms seem to be a little bit of Heaven.
Originally a dainty flowered species from South Africa, the Amaryllis is now cherished for its ability to produce beautiful huge blooms indoors during winter.
Amaryllis are not all bloom – a well-grown plant has foliage, giving needed height indoors.
Selecting And Planting Amaryllis Bulbs
When buying or ordering online Amaryllis bulbs, select bulbs at least 2 ½” inches in diameter. Larger bulbs 4″ inches in size produce better, and smaller bulbs will not bloom.
The larger bulbs often develop two flower stalks instead of only one. Check the bulbs for firmness; they should be free of soft spots and discoloration.
Use a pot or container with drainage holes when planting bulbs in the soil. Amaryllis can also be “planted” in a vase with no soil – see the video below.
The container or pot should be roughly two inches larger than the bulb – 4″ inch bulb = 6″ inch pot. The potting soil mix should drain well; a 50/50 mix of peat and perlite works well.
Cover two-thirds of the bulb with soil when potting, and leave the rest uncovered. Thoroughly water the soil/potting mix after planting.
Keep the mix consistently moist, NOT wet. When watering, do not allow water to get into the nose of the bulb. Water, if it seeps into the bulb, may cause it to rot.
Caring For Amaryllis Bulbs
During the rooting phase and early stalk development, keep the bulb in a well-lighted room/area, a room with temperatures around 70° to 75° degrees Fahrenheit.
When flower buds begin forming, reduce the temperature to around 65° degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your plant in bright, indirect light during flowering, and help extend flowering time.
It helps to give the pot a half turn every two or three days, so it gets an even amount of sunlight on all sides.
As the stalk develops, fertilize (liquid plant food is easiest to apply in small quantities) with a complete fertilizer – (containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Follow the fertilizer labeled directions on how much to apply. Fertilize about every 2-3 weeks.
Your Amaryllis should begin flowering 6-8 after bulb planting. Flower duration will vary depending on a room’s temperature and light levels.
Cut off each flower as it fades; no use wasting energy to produce seeds. When flowers have all faded, remove the entire flower stalk, cut the stem as close to the bulb as possible – but do not remove the leaves. The leaves continue to produce food and strengthen the bulb for future flowering next year.
Now treat it like any other houseplant. When warm weather returns, the plant can be moved outdoors. The key to ongoing success with Amaryllis is keeping the foliage alive to feed the bulb.
Storing Amaryllis Bulbs
When storing bulbs, ensure they are clean and free of disease. Place them neck up in sand or peat moss. Watch for conditions, poorly developed bulbs, or pest infestation.
Although Amaryllis is nearly disease-free, the red fire disease proves very harmful if not checked. A good treatment is a robust solution of Lysol – two teaspoons to one pint of water.
Remove the bulbs from the soil and soak three to five hours in the solution before replanting.
Control red spider and mealybugs with any good house plant spray. Mealybugs can be incredibly mean.
Scale, a roundish tan-colored sucking insect, may attack Amaryllis. If in small numbers, they may be wiped off with a soft cloth. Otherwise, use a spray for them.
The tiny black, thread-like thrip may also attack Amaryllis, but it is easily controlled with a natural insecticide like neem spray oil.
During the latter part of August, or when the nights begin to be calm, gradually reduce watering your Amaryllis and stop feeding.
The leaves should start to yellow and die for their natural dormant season. Bring the plants indoors and remove all old leaves as the weather becomes cooler.
A cool basement around 50° degrees Fahrenheit is an excellent place for Amaryllis during their rest period. After a rest of six or eight weeks, please bring them back to a warm window and repeat the cycle.
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