Among the seasonal flowers that help us celebrate the holidays, amaryllis stand out for the living accent their long-lasting, colorful blooms lend to our holiday decorations. Amaryllis take six to seven weeks to bloom, so now’s the time to start them.
Amaryllis are available in many beautiful varieties, including various shades of red, white, pink and salmon.
Next to color, bulb quality and size are most important. Look for bulbs that are firm and still have some of their natural papery covering. Amaryllis bulbs are sized from small to X-large. Generally, the larger the bulb size, the more stalks and blooms it will produce.
Once you've chosen the bulbs you want to start, it's time to pick out a container. Amaryllis can be planted in soil or forced in water. If you’re growing in soil, ceramic, clay or plastic pots will all work, as long as the container you select has good drainage. It's also important to know that amaryllis like to be snug in their pot, so select a container that's about an inch or so larger than the bulb and is deep enough for the roots to grow. Begin by adding damp potting soil to the bottom third of the pot. Place the bulb in the center of the pot and spread the roots out so they fan out from the center of the bulb. Do the best you can with the roots. You're mainly trying to keep them from bunching up under the bulb.
Next, fill in around the bulb with more damp potting soil. Leave the top third of the bulb uncovered. Water thoroughly and place the bulb in a warm, well-lit location. Once the flower stalk begins to appear, you can start feeding your bulb with a 20-20-20 fertilizer. After that, fertilize every two weeks and water frequently enough to keep the soil moist.
Amaryllis can also be grown in water. Select a container that doesn’t drain, add stones or gravel to the bottom of the pot and place your amaryllis bulb in the center of the container. Add water to the container until it just touches the base of the bulb. Choose a warm, bright location for your bulb and maintain the water level throughout the growing and blooming cycle. For colorful blooms throughout the holidays, plant an amaryllis bulb every three to four weeks, starting now.
Amaryllis are available in many beautiful varieties, including various shades of red, white, pink and salmon.
Next to color, bulb quality and size are most important. Look for bulbs that are firm and still have some of their natural papery covering. Amaryllis bulbs are sized from small to X-large. Generally, the larger the bulb size, the more stalks and blooms it will produce.
Amaryllis can also be grown in water. Select a container that doesn’t drain, add stones or gravel to the bottom of the pot and place your amaryllis bulb in the center of the container. Add water to the container until it just touches the base of the bulb. Choose a warm, bright location for your bulb and maintain the water level throughout the growing and blooming cycle. For colorful blooms throughout the holidays, plant an amaryllis bulb every three to four weeks, starting now.
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