Earlier this month at church, a reader and a friend asked me if I could tell them how to get her Amaryllis to re-bloom.
I have always loved Amaryllis, and one time, I bought a beautiful Amaryllis with white-and-red-mixed bloom.
My parents had this massive bulb in my home when I was a kid, and my grandma was skilled at getting things to grow again. Grandma did get these bulbs to re-bloom. She never told me how she would do it, but I remember these beautiful trumpet-like blooms around the house occasionally.
One of my recent memories is that I had a friend at Ohio State University – Agricultural Technical Institute who was an intense Amaryllis, Hippeastrum hybrids lover.
One of his final papers was on growing Amaryllis in Greenhouse Management. He had collected at least 15 different species of Amaryllis and some of the Red Lion varieties.
This houseplant is worth trying to keep for years for us plant lovers. Commercially available bulbs range from 6 1/2 to 12 1/2 inches, which is significant for most bulbs that we can buy, which measure from the nose to the roots.
Amaryllis bulbs are native to both South America and South Africa. Israel, South Africa, and the Netherlands grow Amaryllis and Hippeastrum commercially.
There are more than 100 known species of the Hippeastrum family. Both plants are in the same family. If you have one at home, it could be in bloom — except that they come into bloom at a variety of times.
We should try to understand how the plant grows in nature. Amaryllis found in tropical and sub-tropical areas in South America and South Africa thrive in semi-arid conditions.
Most species grow in warm and dry areas in South Africa and South America during a short, cool, dry season, ultimately aiding the bulb in forcing the plant to bloom.
Since Amaryllis is a tropical plant, you will not do well if you don’t control the temperatures as you force the bulb into bloom. These blooms can usually last for three weeks.
There are two regular systems to get your Amaryllis to come back into bloom.
When the blooms are dead or turning yellow this time of year, snip the old blooms off; fertilizing should begin when you start to see green growth. Fertilize these large bulbs regularly after transplanting them out in the garden in the spring.
Make sure you use a water-soluble fertilizer with half the normal strength mentioned by the fertilizer on the plant once or twice a month when the leaves grow in the spring and summer.
The bulb’s nose or top must stay dry so that the bulb does not rot. One of the keys to getting a plant to grow is to provide enough nutrients for the plant to grow and do well.
After the bulbs have been outside during the summer, they should be taken indoors in the fall before the first frost. The leaves return in early spring and then curl up in late spring. In late summer, the bulb and the stems come back.
The stems without flowers will arise from the bulb when you have had dry ground in late summer or mid-August if grown in the native soil. In mid-August, after transplanting to a pot, allow to dry out and store for six to eight weeks, between 50 and 60 degrees F in a dark area.
Keep the bulb barely moist as you force the bulb to ensure that the portion above the soil is not wet in the pots. Cut off the dried leaves at this time, water the planting medium, and place the plants in a warm area to start the forcing process.
This process allows the plants to come on a little later into the year, which is also the standard dormant period for the plant. To bring the flower into bloom, leave the bulb in a cool, dark place for six weeks before the date you want the plant to bloom.
Growing the bulbs requires a short term of growing in the soil.
The second method mentioned is that you don’t have to store the bulb. You can grow the plant in the light at 50 to 60 degrees F for 8 to 10 weeks and then force it into flower.
Then, make sure that no matter what, whichever way you are trying to force your bulb, you bring it inside before it freezes.
To force the bulbs to come on, you need a temperature of 70 to 80 degrees with bottom heat for 3 to 7 weeks and an east window for a medium light intensity. Your bulbs must be well-ventilated, ensuring the humidity does not build up. Water the bulb thoroughly when starting.
After planting, keep it slightly moist. Don’t overwater. Once a week, watering should be good enough with tepid water. You will not need to fertilize while forcing the plant.
This process should bring your Amaryllis into bloom during the winter and the holidays, depending on when you want them to bloom.
Once you see the leaves starting to come on, which should be in the winter, you will need to move the bulb to a South window and restart your fertilizing. This method is to leave the bulb in a pot most of the year.
I hope that you have a pleasant stroll through your garden this week. If you have any problems with yours, let me know, and I shall do my best to find a solution. You can e-mail me at ericlarson546@yahoo.com.