From Mélie’s Garden
One of my favorite things to buy at Christmas time is Amaryllis bulbs. Nothing cheers the long days of winter up more than their lovely blooms decorating the house. There are many beautiful varieties and colors readily available in stores and catalogs. This holiday time, the Beach Plum is selling Amaryllis bulbs covered with wax, so they don’t need any potting up at all. You can just place the waxed bulb on a table and watch it grow! I have bought one, and I am eager to compare it to the unwaxed Amaryllis I have already planted in a pot, which will need to be watered.
As the bulb grows, it is important to turn the plant, so it doesn’t lean towards the sun and fall over. It is a good idea to stake the plant as well, especially if there are a number of blooms on the stem.
Recently I received an Amaryllis Growing Guide from Bluestone Perennials, and I thought the following tips useful.
When potting up an Amaryllis, leave the top third of the bulb exposed. Water regularly once the tip of the bulb appears.
Grow the bulb in bright indirect light. The bulb will grow towards the light, so keep turning it as it grows to make it straight.
Amaryllis are tropical bulbs, so they prefer temperatures around 70 and need to be away from drafty doors and windows.
Water them weekly or when the soil is dry to the touch, and apply water-soluble fertilizer to the pot every four weeks.
When the Amaryllis blooms fade, cut off the tubular flower stems near the top of the bulb, leaving the foliage to continue to grow; this will feed the bulb.
Once the danger of frost has passed, you can put your potted Amaryllis in the garden, where it can receive six hours of direct sun. Bluestone Perennials does not recommend planting the bulbs without their pots. In the pot, you can lift the bulb easily before the frost and its roots will not become damaged. They also recommend continuing to fertilize every four weeks during the summer to fortify the bulb for the next indoor forcing. When I tried to do this one year, my Amaryllis suddenly bloomed in my vegetable garden in mid-summer, much to my surprise.
At the end of the summer, remove the potted Amaryllis from the garden and check for any pests it might have. It will be time to get the bulb ready to rebloom. Stop watering and allow the bulb to completely dry out and store it in a cool dark place allowing the foliage to wither before trimming it off. Continue to store it in a cool dark place for about 5 to 8 weeks. Then repot the bulb in new soil and start feeding and watering again, placing it in a sunny spot.
In the Bluestone article, there were also instructions for the Hot-Dipped Waxed Amaryllis. The wax keeps the bulb from drying out, so there is no need to water, and it will require no care other than some indirect light in a warm spot. The same rules apply for turning the bulb so it doesn’t tip over and grow towards the sun. It may take a bit longer for the bulb to bloom, but the flowers should be the same as the bulbs planted in soil. It is also suggested to place the waxed bulb in a saucer, so the wax won’t damage a table. Spent flowers can be snipped off and the spent stalk can also be cut off. Often a second flower will emerge just like the potted bulbs. If you wish to continue growing the bulb after it is done blooming, remove the wax coating and pot it up like the other non-waxed Amaryllis. And summer it in the garden and follow the same instructions for its rest before trying to get it to rebloom next winter, this time potted up in soil.
A very Happy Christmas to you all!
