Amaryllis BulbsAmaryllis’ vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms and their long,
graceful stems are elegant additions to your holiday
décor. Originally from South America, the dramatic
flowers come in crimson, scarlet, rose, lavender, white or bi-colored
combinations. Each stem produces one cluster consisting of two
to four blooms. Some of the individual blossoms can be eight inches
in diameter at their peak, on a stem that can be up 2 feet
tall.
Blooming amaryllis are so striking that many people don’t
realize how easy they are to grow for beautiful blooms indoors, making the
amaryllis a lovely hostess gift.
If you want a bold bloom in time for the holidays, purchase a bulb or
an amaryllis bulb kit now and plant it in early November. Before
planting keep your amaryllis bulbs or Hippeastrum in a cool
place, between 40-50F degrees. These cool temperatures will keep your
bulbs dormant.
Amaryllis bulbs should be planted in containers that are only a just
slightly larger in diameter than the bulbs themselves. Be sure
your container provides good drainage so excess water can drain
away. Pour a layer of Al’s potting soil into the bottom of the
container, then place the bulb so that the pointed narrow end is facing
up. Press the soil in tight around the bulb, leaving about 1/3 of the
bulb above the soil level. Then water thoroughly to
establish good bulb-to-soil contact. Place in a sunny
windowsill and start watching for signs of new growth.
Water sparingly until the stem appears, then, as the bud and leaves
appear, gradually water more. At this point, the stem will
grow rapidly and flowers will develop after it has reached full growth.
The blooms will last longer if you keep the plant in a
cool location, around 65 degrees F. If kept in warmer environments,
the flower stalks may become weak and require staking to support the
weight of the blossoms. Your plant should bloom within 6 weeks, just in
time to show-off for the holidays!
Remember: The amaryllis is a tender bulb that can’t survive
outdoors, even in the mildest Oregon winters.
After Bloom
Care
After the amaryllis has stopped flowering, it can be
made to flower again next year. Cut the old flowers from the stem
after flowering, and when the stem starts to sag, cut it back to the top
of the bulb. Continue to water and fertilize as normal all summer, or for
at least 5-6 months, allowing the leaves to fully develop and grow.
When the leaves begin to yellow, which normally occurs
in the early fall, cut the leaves back to about 2 inches from the top of
the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil. Clean the
bulb and place it in a cool (40-50 deg. F), dark place such as the crisper
of your refrigerator for a minimum of 6 weeks, but do not store amaryllis
bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples. Strangely enough this
will sterilize the bulbs. Store the bulbs for a minimum of 6 weeks.
After 6 weeks you may remove bulbs whenever you would
like to plant them. Plant bulbs 8 weeks before you would like them to
bloom.
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PORTLAND METRO-AREA NURSERY LOCATIONS |
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SALEM AREA NURSERY LOCATION |
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