A Showy Plant
Your amaryllis gift probably was a large bulb, healthy and well formed. Hopefully, the flower bud had not yet opened on arrival so that you could have the sweet anticipation of watching this blossom do its thing from beginning to end. When it comes to quality, bulbs give themselves away in their size and shape. When buying bulbs, and keeping them, it is important to remember that they give us clues about the quality of the flowers, ready to burst into view when the time is right. It stands to reason, therefore, that the larger the bulb the larger the flower – and, the better formed and shaped the bulb, ditto the flower.
You may have had one of the huge reds, such as “Hercules” or “Sensation,” or “Picotee,” a white with delicate red edging on each petal. They come in pure colors of coral, pink, and peach, sometimes striped or streaked, and often produce two or three flower stalks that each bear their own huge flowers. This obviously makes for quite a show.
After the Show
But as with all good things, the show must end at some point. And then what? Fortunately, amaryllis bulbs can be coaxed into bloom for another season if given the proper care. And the key to this care is to recognize that the bulb must be nourished now in order to begin the process of forming the flower within, for the next cycle of bloom.
When the flowers have faded, remove the flower head, but leave the stalk on for a while and continue to water and feed it just as if it were still blooming.
Keep the soil moist, and feed it once or twice a month with a half strength balanced fertilizer (20/20/20.) You might want to remove the plant to a location away from your other houseplants where it is not obvious, as it will get to be a bit of a mess. But never mind. This is the most important time in the life cycle of the plant, as the bulb is beginning the internal process of forming its next flower and it needs to be nourished.
This process may take several months, and it might be mid to late summer before the foliage finally yellows and dies off. When this happens, cut off the remaining foliage and give the bulb a total rest, without food or water and in a cool place, for at least a month. This can take place in the shade outdoors or in a cool cellar.
Getting Ready to Bloom Again
When you are ready to trigger the next blooming season, probably early in November, move the bulb into a warmer location, remove a layer of the topsoil, and give it a new dressing of potting mix and a light feeding of bone meal. Water it generously, and then leave it alone until you see the first little green shoot, the sign of new life. Then you can begin a regular schedule of watering and feeding as before.
Once a flower shoot starts its upward surge, and some leaves appear, you can move it into sunlight to hasten its bloom. Be sure to rotate it so that the stem will grow straight upward and not turn into a “leaning tower!” The flower stalk will be so strong that it will not need staking.
Sometimes it seems as if the thing will never getting started, but don’t be discouraged. Amaryllises have a mind of their own, and it is iffy to predict when they will bloom. But once they get started, look out! The rate of growth is amazing, and this is another reason why this bulb makes a great gift even if it hasn’t bloomed yet. It is interesting to watch and even measure day by day.
The amaryllis does not like to be repotted. In fact, it does not like to be disturbed at all. If a season’s growth seems weak, or a pot has cracked, or if the bulb is being pressed by numerous offsets, repot it in the middle of its dormant period when the roots may not realize what is happening to them. This is the time to pot up any offsets in smaller individual pots, and grow them on for a few years until they begin to bloom.
As you will see, when you give an amaryllis, you give a gift for a lifetime!
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