Growing a potted Amaryllis

Published February 27, 2012 | By Jane

The flower of the 'Naked Lady' Amaryllis growing outdoors

Cheering up homes during the cold, dark days of winter, the potted amaryllis plant can be forced into a showy bloom reminding house-bound gardeners that spring is just around the corner. The Amaryllis is a bulbous plant that will grow outdoors in frost-free gardens, usually blooming in the spring and summer depending on variety. There are many cultivars with single and double flowers sporting blooms in whites, pinks, reds, and bi-colors, some even with a tinge of green in the petals. Some varieties can take cooler temperatures than others. The Amaryllis is also very adaptable and will show nicely in a container both indoors and out.

When grown indoors, give your Amaryllis good light and water like any ordinary houseplant. These plants will grow best in regular potting soil. The Amaryllis is easy to grow. It is adaptable and forgiving of a wide range of conditions. But the better the environment the larger and stronger the bulb will grow. Bigger bulbs tend to bloom with more flower spikes.

Like some other bulbs, the strength of the blooms are directly related to leaf growth and bulb size. Leaves frequent make the plant attractive much of the year and usually precede flowering. Typically the leaves die back and are followed by the flower stalks. Occasionally leaves and blooms occur at the same time, but most often the leaves come first. You want your Amaryllis to grow lush, deep green leaves because these leaves will create the nourishment for big, healthy blooms.

The trick is to get the best green growth as possible so when the leaves die back they pour lots of energy back into the bulb for impressive blooming. Potted plants benefit from feeding. I always recommend diluting plant to half the strength suggested on the label of your food. This way you can avoid accidentally over-feeding and burning the roots, and if you prefer you can safely feed a little more often.

The other helpful aspect of successfully growing an Amaryllis is to make sure your plant gets a rest period. This usually takes place after blooming, but in some Amaryllis varieties there is a rest between the die back of the green leaves and the bloom period. When your plant seems to be fading away, water the bulb less frequently. Bulbs can even be stored dry in a cool, dark location during the winter. Most varieties sold for home growth tend to go dormant or partially dormant during the winter. Dormancy is NOT essential for the Amaryllis. But most plants seem to do better with at least a semi-dormant period for 8 to 10 weeks in cooler temperatures (below 60′F). You can also force dormancy by withholding water, dimming light and cooling temperatures. A forced dormancy is useful to get plants to bloom on schedules that are different than the plant’s normal timing (usually in the spring or summer), such as forcing winter blooms for the holiday season. A forced dormancy can sometimes revitalize languishing plants that refuse to bloom, especially if they are given plenty of light and are gently fed when they come back into renewed growth.

The Amaryllis prefers a smaller container so try not to give it a pot larger than twice the diameter of the bulb. Also, never bury the bulb. This is one plant that needs to have at least two thirds of the bulb above ground level.

With the right care, you can enjoy growing a potted Amaryllis to brighten up your home in any season.

Originally posted 2010-12-03 11:25:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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