It’s that time of year! How will you decorate for the holidays? What gifts will be meaningful for your friends and family during this festive season? Plants make beautiful, sustainable gifts and complement your holiday decor.
One of my favorite gifts to give and receive is the amaryllis (Amaryllis and Hippeastrum).
The amaryllis creates a striking centerpiece with brilliantly-colored flowers in a wide range of colors. They are readily available and can range in price from $5 to $50. Growing amaryllis indoors requires little of you during the first winter. The bulb will be ready to bloom in early winter, around November, and most stalks will produce two to four flowers.You can buy the bulb by itself or pick up a kit that has everything you need. The planting and care instructions are easy. All you need to do is plant the bulb with the top third above the soil line. Keep the amaryllis watered, provide sunlight and temperatures between 60 to 75-degrees F.
The flower stalk emerges first and may require support to prevent it from breaking. Place in a cool location to prolong flowering time. As blooms fade, remove them to conserve the plant’s energy. Once the last blossom has died remove the stalk at the level of the top of the bulb. Your amaryllis will now enter the replenishing stage. The bulb is depleted of minerals after flowering;your attention is required as the bulb begins its reflowering process.
Continue to nurture the leaves until spring as you would any houseplant, avoid overwatering. Once the flowers are gone, the amaryllis goes into a growth phase, where it begins to store energy for next year’s bloom. Give the plant plenty of sunlight and water twice a week. While growing amaryllis indoors, you should fertilize the plant every two to three weeks. Ensuring that there is enough sunlight, water, and fertilizer during this period is key to making an amaryllis flower rebloom.
Once all danger of frost has passed, acclimate the plant to the outdoors by exposing it to indirect sunlight for increasing periods of time. Once your bulb has adjusted, plant it in a prepared bed and cultivate over summer. Alternatively, you can leave the plant potted, but continue to fertilize twice a month. You may losesome leaves during this transition, but new ones will regrow.The plant should receive morning sun, avoid afternoon sunlight.
If you want your amaryllis to bloom during the holidays, typically you should bring the plant back indoors by the middle of August. Once you bring the plant inside, put it in a cool location, 50 to 60 degrees F. and stop watering the amaryllis. Once the leaves die, move it to a dark spot for its rest period. I usually remove the bulb from the soil before I store it for its resting period. Watch the bulb, and when you see the tip of the new flower stalk, it’s time to prepare for the reblooming amaryllis. Move the bulb to a warmer location for three weeks. This encourages the leaves and stalk to develop simultaneously. Repot the bulb in fresh soil (but not too deep) and place it in a sunny location.
Some people prefer to purchase prepared bulbs each season to eliminate the schedule needed to produce reflowering of the bulb. Purchased bulbs can be grown in soil (as detailed above) or water. The main thing to keep in mind when growing amaryllis in water is not to let the bulb itself come in contact with the water, as this will promote rot. Bulbs grown in water cannot remain that way past the initial flowering phase. If you plan to save your bulb for the ensuing year, soil is recommended. For those preferring a water medium, all you need is an amaryllis bulb and a vase or jar with a narrow neck (smaller than the bulb) and a water reservoir. Some kits include the vase and the bulb. Remove any dry, brown roots, then place the bulb with the roots towards the water. The water should remain about 1 inch below the base of the bulb. Continue to add water to keep the roots moist and the bulb dry and change the water in the jar weekly. Place your jar in a sunny window where temperature will remain 60 to 75 degrees. Within two to four weeks, you should begin noticing a small shoot emerging from the top of your amaryllis bulb. You should also see more root growth within the water. Rotate the vase as you would for any houseplant to promote even growth. Once the flowers fade, however, you’ll need to either transplant the amaryllis to soil for continual growth or you can simply compost or discard the bulb.
The last option for growing amaryllis is to purchase a waxed bulb from a florist. The waxed bulb does not require soil or water, but would not be ideal tocultivate for reflowering.
Read more at the following websites Pacific Bulb Society or Gardening Know How
