How to Plant and Care for Amaryllis

 

   

Amaryllis are a popular choice for holiday décor due to their large, showy blooms and ease of cultivation. The flowers are visually striking as well as easy to care for, making them an ideal holiday decoration or hostess gift even for those that don’t own a houseplant.  

    

Amaryllis bulbs are available in many beautiful varieties, including various shades of red, white, pink, and salmon.  Amaryllis bulbs are sized from small to X-large. As a rule, the larger the bulb size, the more blooms it will produce. Once you've chosen the bulbs you want to grow, it's time to pick out a container.  

   

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. 

Next, add damp potting soil to the bottom third of the pot. Place the bulb in the center of the pot and spread the roots, 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. 

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 planted, bulbs typically send up a flower stalk and bloom within 6 to 8 weeks.    Once the flower stalk begins to appear, you can start feeding your bulb with 15-30-15 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. It should be noted that amaryllis grown in water are very difficult to rebloom the following season.   

   

Waxed amaryllis bulbs are decorative, low-maintenance plants that bloom beautifully without the need for soil or water.  That’s because waxed bulbs contain all the water and nutrients required for them to bloom. Simply place them in a bright, warm spot in your house and enjoy the holiday color.   

  

Ideal for gifting, boxed amaryllis comes complete with a bulb, container and potting medium.  

  

  

As the flowers start to fade, cut them off. This is to prevent seeds from forming. Wait until the flower stalk starts to turn yellow before removing it. When you cut off the flower stalk, be careful not to remove any leaves. You’ll want to leave the leaves of the amaryllis intact. The leaves are needed to create energy for the bulb, so it will rebloom. Place the amaryllis in a bright indoor location and water regularly, along with your other houseplants. Fertilize monthly with 15-30-15 plant food.   

   

Amaryllis can be taken outdoors once there is no longer a risk of frost. Place them in a location where they’ll receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Continue to water and fertilize the potted bulb as needed. Spending time outdoors will allow the bulb to gather the energy needed to rebloom.   

   

For amaryllis to rebloom, they need to be exposed to cool temperatures.  In mid to late August, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a dark, cool (45⁰ to 55⁰F), location for eight to ten weeks.  During this time, do not water the plant. Check the bulb periodically and remove any leaves as they turn yellow.  After the ten-week period, move the potted bulb to a warm, bright location and resume watering. If the bulb has stored enough energy during the summer, it should bloom in four to six weeks. 

  

If you purchased a waxed bulb and want to try to get the bulb to rebloom, it will be necessary to remove the wax and the wire stand. Once this is done, and if the bulb is still firm, it can be planted and cared for like other amaryllis bulbs.  It should be noted; it is very difficult to get waxed bulbs to bloom again.  

  

   

For colorful blooms throughout the holidays and into the winter, plant an amaryllis bulb every two to three weeks, starting now.    

 

Now’s the time to Prepare your Garden for the Season Ahead

 

As the growing season winds down, the days get shorter and temperatures drop, time to start preparing your garden for the winter months. Done now, winterizing your garden will reduce pests, enrich soil, and help ensure your garden is ready to plant cool weather crops early next spring. 

Gather your tools and follow these steps to ensure your garden gets off to a good start next year. 

Start with a thorough cleaning of your vegetable garden.  Leaving tomato plants, green tomatoes, cucumber vines and other vegetable plant debris in your garden after you've finished harvesting, will provide hiding places for plant diseases and insect pests, giving them a head start on your garden next spring.  

Powdery mildew is a classic example of a plant disease that can survive our winters. You'll want to remove and destroy any vegetable plants that show signs of powdery mildew. Don't add these plants to your compost pile. The temperatures won't get hot enough to destroy the fungus.  

 

Vegetable garden debris can also attract insects. Western flower thrip is an insect that will winter over in your garden, then emerge in the spring to infest your tomatoes and other vegetables.  Best to clean up the garden now and reduce the chances of thrips or other insects surviving the winter in your garden.   

 

The second reason for fall cleanup is to facilitate adding organic material to your garden bed while the soil is warm and workable. Healthy soil is key to your garden, and a clean garden bed is the ideal time to amend your soil. Plan to add 2" to 3" of organic materials to the existing soil.

This can be in the form of packaged organic compost, worm castings and coconut coir that you can easily transport and work into the garden. Adding organic material will improve soil structure and increase microbial activity, which leads to stronger root development and improved nutrient uptake.  

Three, protect your garden soil through the winter with cover crops.   Soil is a microscopic world teeming with a vast array of organisms that breathe life into your garden. Soil organisms like earthworms, fungi, and bacteria break down plant debris into nutrients, aerate the soil, and turn organic matter into humus. 

 

Cover crops like winter rye, oats, peas, or vetch add nutrients to the soil, while protecting the soil microbiome through the winter. In early spring, you can turn the cover crop into the soil to improve soil texture as well as fertility. 

 

Garden chores done now, allow you to focus on planting in the spring, knowing that your garden beds are healthy, and your soil is ready for planting early next spring.