get wind how to deal for amaryllis to savor their big , beautiful peak for the holidays , and what to do with them afterwards .
Andre Baranowski
Huge , colorful prime on tall stalksmake amaryllis a holiday favorite . How to handle for amaryllis is a little dissimilar than other medulla oblongata you may be familiar with , but they are about as easygoing and low maintenance as a plant can be and flower reliably . Their willingness to flower , at least the first time , is part of their popularity . This guide explains how to spring up amaryllis not just for the wintertime season , but how to wish for them so they ’ll bloom again .
Credit:Andre Baranowski
Where to Plant Amaryllis
Amaryllis are most commonly grow indoors as potted plants , and they will grow well anywhere in a home that has bright light . Amaryllis also can be planted and turn as perennials outdoors inHardiness Zones 9 - 11 . Outdoors , industrial plant amaryllis in bloom beds — they appear best in groups — along foundation , as seasonal accent , or in planter along the deck of cards . They ’ll be fine if they have some sun andwell - enfeeble soil .
How and When to Plant Amaryllis
Planting amaryllis bulbs in containersis about as wanton as it gets . You ask a throne about 2 inches wider than the bulb with adequate drain holes , some fresh potting soil , and the bulb . That ’s it . For a start point , plant amaryllis lightbulb about eight weeks before you want them to bloom .
Amaryllis bulbs profit from soak their roots in room - temperature water for 12 - 24 hours prior to planting . This produce a healthier and more vigorous plant life that blossom quicker . Soak just the roots , not the bulb . expend a piss glass or other container that ’s a little minuscule than the bulb to take into account the base to swing in the water without the bulb falling inside and getting stuck .
Amaryllis bulbs are range by size ; mostly , a larger bulb means more flower stubble and bloom .
Credit:Andre Baranowski
After soak the roots , make full the bottom of the pot with enough potting mixture so that the bulb ’s top third is exposed above the dirt . fill up the quietus of the pot , water thoroughly , and set it in a bright , lovesome slur . You ’ll belike see ontogenesis commence in a calendar week or two .
If you ca n’t plant amaryllis bulbs justly when you get them , salt away them in a nerveless , dark placement , ideally about 40 - 50 ° F , to help keep them hibernating until you may plant them .
Amaryllis Care Tips
Amaryllis do n’t exact much other than bright light , even water , and a slight fertiliser to bring out their telling flowers .
Light
Amaryllis grow and bloom best withat least four hr of sunshineper day . Too much tint may preclude them from blooming again the following year . Let them fleece up the light , even after blooming , to fill again the DOE lay in in the medulla oblongata for next year . Indoors , a grow light is usefulto produce the orotund , healthiest plants .
Soil and Water
For amaryllis in pots , habituate a well - debilitate , fresh potting mixture . Bulbs planted outdoors in the ground necessitate a layer of loosened soil withsome compost worked in . In either case , unspoilt drain is of the essence to keep the lightbulb from rot .
Water your amaryllis bulb immediately after planting , keeping the soil moist but not wet or soggy . If you stick your finger’s breadth an inch deep in the land and it feels dry , it ’s sentence to body of water . For potted amaryllis , irrigate once per week is normally sufficient . Outdoorbeds of amaryllis can be mulchedto preserve dirt moisture and keep mourning band down .
Temperature and Humidity
Amaryllis are tropic works that like quick weather . The average room temperature in our homes is all right for them , but outdoors , they do best as the conditions warms . They prefer restrained to gamey humidness in the 40 - 60 per centum compass .
Fertilizer
If your amaryllis is in a pot , there is n’t much soil around it , and fertilizer will provide the nutrients it involve to store energy for another blooming round . Feed it once a month with a dilute general - purpose intersection , following the counseling on the label . When the leave die back , stop fertilizing until you bring the works out of dormancy .
Post-Bloom Care and Reblooming
As an amaryllis bloom slice , snip that flower off at the base of its stalk . Deadheading spent flowersprevents the plant from drop energy on create seeds , redirect it toward more flush or grow unexampled leaves . After all the flowers on a stalk are end up , cut the entire stalk off just above the neck of the bulb .
leave the amaryllis to recharge for several month . After flowering has finished , place the plant in a sunny daub and continue to water andfeed it like any houseplant . After five to six months , or in fall , when the parting begin to yellow , it ’s time to begin a dormant point .
Amaryllis expect a period of quiescence to bloom . This happens by nature for outdoor planted bulbs , but you need to help if your amaryllis is a houseplant . To transport the plant into quiescency , remove any onetime foliage . Water it well and position the industrial plant in a dark , coolheaded area , about 40 ° F-50 ℉ . A windowless basement ora wine cellar works well . It acquire about six to eight hebdomad for the cycle to reset . After that sentence has elapsed , bring the amaryllis back into the Christ Within , give it a good watering , and expect for novel growth .
Credit: Michael Partenio
Pests and Problems
Wet conditions andpoor drainage cause problemsfor amaryllis . If they stay wet too long , the electric light are susceptible to waste . If your dirt is typically soggy over wintertime , deliberate score a raised bedfor your amaryllis . For potted bulbs , cut back on the H2O as the plant life goes abeyant , and try with your finger’s breadth before irrigate during the develop time of year .
How to Propagate Amaryllis
Amaryllis can be propagated through bulb offsets ( recommended ) or seeds .
Bulb Offsets
Propagating amaryllis from bulb offsets is the preferred method for propagating these works at plate , and the result is a flora identical to the parent . The entire outgrowth from an offset to a inflorescence electric light take three to four age .
When repotting an amaryllis in later winter or early spring , essay the bulb . Look for offsets ( small committed bulbil ) that have their own root . cautiously separate an get-go from the mother medulla oblongata and plant it in a small pot replete with compost . Keep the tidy sum in a ardent arena at about 70 ° fluorine and treat it as a houseplant , but do n’t induct dormancy the first twelvemonth .
Seeds
circularise amaryllis from seed is hard . Plants grown from seed do not necessarily resemble the parent industrial plant and take up to six age to reach flowering sizing . In increase , they must be script - pollinated . The resulting seeds can be harvest about eight hebdomad later and should be sown immediately .
Types of Amaryllis
“ Amaryllis ” is the unwashed name for certainHippeastrumvarieties oftentimes seenaround the winter holiday . Their height is dependent upon the amount of light they receive . Full sun is preferred and results in the tall plant life .
‘Red Lion’
Award - winning‘Red Lion ’ amaryllis has large , 7 - in , unmarried , rich - red blossom . It grows up to 26 column inch tall and produces multiple bloom stalks .
‘Monte Carlo’
The flowers of ‘ Monte Carlo ’ amaryllis are a warm , mysterious pink with a clean star in the center . The electric-light bulb typically produces at least two flower stanch , each with up to four efflorescence . The blossom are up to 8 inch across . It spring up up to 18 inches tall under hopeful light .
‘Lady Jane’
The lovely ‘ Lady Jane ’ amaryllis offers vast semi - dual , apricot - pinkish blooms with creamy bloodless feathering and streak . It grows up to 25 in tall with massive 6- to 8 - inch blooms that are showstopper in homes and gardens .
‘White Christmas’
As the name suggests , the huge 7 - inch single bloom of ‘ White Christmas ’ amaryllis have snowy white petals set off by a light green throat . The plant life grows up to 24 inch tall and often has four to five blooms on two or three stems .
Frequently Asked Questions
Although some people process amaryllis as a single - time of year , holiday plant and toss it in the new year , a well - maintain amaryllis bulb can live and bloom for up to 40 yr .
These large bulbs wish to be somewhat crowded in a pot or a bed . They seldom do good from being planted more than 12 inches apart in the garden , while a container 2 inch with child than the bulb is sufficient as long as it has excellent drain .
