Amaryllis is a stunning fall-flowering bulb ideal for growing in warm climates. These colorful, rocket-like blooms in autumn are a stunning display of 6-12 funnel-shaped flowers on sturdy 60-75cm tall stems that grow from leafless bulbs.
Flowers range in color from pale pink to deep magenta to pure white. The large, strap-like leaves follow the flowers in the fall and don’t die back until late spring. The large bulbs then go dormant, baking in the summer sun without water, before displaying again the following fall.
Amaryllis are beautiful flowers and plants that can be grown in many areas of the world. Amaryllis plants are easy to care for, but there are a few things you should know to keep your amaryllis healthy and lush. One of the most important things you need to do when caring for your amaryllis is to water it regularly. Be sure to water thoroughly and allow the soil to dry between waterings.
How to Grow and Care for Amaryllis
Use fast-draining, medium-weight soil and enough sand to provide heavy anchoring for tall, mature plants.
Water only when the soil feels dry.
Choose a sunny, well-drained location
In mid-November, add some new soil and start watering again
How to Make Your Own Amaryllis Bulb Soil
Amaryllis require bright, direct sunlight for best results, but can tolerate partial sun. Amaryllis bulbs are drought tolerant but grow best in well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. If your soil is sandy, do not mix in the sand and add a portion of well-decomposed compost as nutrients.
How to Select amaryllis lily bulbs
Amaryllis bulbs are easy to grow indoors and just as easy to grow in the garden. They can be grown from bulbs and require large bulbs for early flowering. If you plant smaller bulbs, they will take longer to bloom.
When they bloom
Amaryllis bloom from March to June, so you’ll want to plan for December to January.
Water well, keep the soil moist, and avoid getting the top of the bulbs wet
The first 5 cm of soil should be kept moist for proper growth. To maintain about 2 inches of moisture for healthy bulbs, the soil needs to be well-drained and moist, but not waterlogged.
Soil
Amaryllis require well-drained soil, although most gardens with poor soil can be adapted by adding aged or composted organic material before planting. Slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6 and 6.5 is preferred. Don’t worry, testing and adjusting your soil’s pH is easy.
Always use a good quality standard potting mix in pots and containers and water your amaryllis well when it blooms in the fall and leaves from fall into spring.
Fertilizer
In autumn, after flowering and before leaf growth, apply a controlled-release organic fertilizer specifically designed for flowering plants.
Learn How to Prune Amaryllis Easily
1. To preserve a reserve of bulbs for next year’s blooms, cut off the flower heads and flower stems as soon as flowering has stopped.
2. Remove dead leaves in late spring.
3. The flower stems can be cut and used for indoor flower arrangements.
Pests and diseases
Amaryllis is highly resistant to pests; the large leaves are only occasionally damaged by snails and slugs. From fall to late spring, apply iron chelate-based snail pellets around the clumps.
In warm, moist conditions, leaf burning can affect amaryllis bulbs, causing reddish-brown, charred leaf tips and spots that can spread further up the leaves. Remove affected leaves immediately and spray the plant with a copper-based fungicide to reduce spread.
How to Propagate Amaryllis
Amaryllis can be harvested and divided after the leaves have completely died back in late spring or early summer. Replanting should then be done as soon as possible.
How to Get Amaryllis Bulbs to Bloom Again
The trick to getting amaryllis bulbs to bloom again is to let them go dormant for ten to twelve weeks. Like other bulbs that can be grown indoors, such as: B. Paperwhites, amaryllis bulbs must “rest” before they can begin their flowering period. Stop watering and fertilizing.
Place it in a cool, dry, dark room: a basement storage room or behind a cupboard is ideal. If possible, store it somewhere between 50 and 60°F. When the leaves are completely dry and brown, cut off all but the top 1-2 inches of the bulb.
Forget it now! Do not water, touch or look at it for about three months. It’s a good idea to add it to your calendar so you never forget it!
After a dormant period of two to five months, it’s time to wake up your bulbs. Remove amaryllis from storage and replant in fresh potting soil, with the shoulders of the bulbs above the soil surface. Place it in a sunny area of your home where the temperature is around 60-65 degrees. Give it plenty of water and new leaves will appear within a few days!
Once your amaryllis starts growing, resume your regular watering/fertilizing schedule and make sure the soil has a consistent moisture level. You’ll be able to enjoy these beautiful and colorful flowers again soon!
