Nov 15, 2017 - AMARYLLIS ON PEBBLES. You can also grow Amaryllis in a vase or other water tight container. Simply place
DIY Potted Amaryllis
holiday blooms made easy Growing an Amaryllis is relatively easy if you follow a few basic guidelines. You will need: • A healthy and plump bulb. (The larger the bulb the more blooms it will produce.) • A pot with a drainage hole that is roughly 2” wider in diameter than the bulb you have chosen. (Amaryllis love to have their roots crowded.) A heavy pot may help precent the plant becoming top heavy. • A potting soil that is more on the sandy side than peaty. (Amaryllis hate to be in soggy soils.) ONCE YOU HAVE SELECTED THE VARIETY YOU LIKE… • Choose a nice firm bulb with some thick roots remaining & trim off any shrivelled & broken roots. • Place a small amount of potting soil in the bottom of the pot so that when planting, the top of the bulb is just protruding (1”) above the top of the pot. • Top up the soil around the bulb, leaving 1/3 of the bulb showing above soil level (Amaryllis dislike having moisture around their necks) Now give your freshly planted Amaryllis a good drink of water. Don’t be shy with this first watering as this is the first moisture the bulb will have had in a while. After this, water sparingly until the buds appear at the tip of the bulb. Once the flower bud starts to emerge, water regularly to keep the soil damp, but not soggy. Your plant may require daily watering once the blooms have opened. Amaryllis plants should be placed in a bright but cool location as warmth will cause the bloom to grow too fast. The flowers usually open within 6 to 7 weeks, so if you miss this holiday season, they will still be ready for a January show.
DIY Potted Amaryllis
holiday blooms made easy AMARYLLIS ON PEBBLES You can also grow Amaryllis in a vase or other water tight container. Simply place a generous layer of decorative gravel, glass beads or pebbles in the container. Place the cleaned bulb (as described above) on this layer and fill around with the same media to keep the bulb in place. A small amount of water should be poured into the vessel being sure not to submerge the bulb. The roots will be drawn down into the water in no time. The new bud should start poking out in a week or 2.
GETTING YOUR AMARYLLIS TO REBLOOM When you purchase your first Amaryllis bulb it will have been treated “just right” to produce blooms the first year (it will not need special treatment). However, a bulb that has flowered in your home will need special treatment to get it to rebloom in subsequent years. Not all Amaryllis bulbs are the same, but by following these simple steps you will increase the chance of getting your bulb to rebloom. • Once your amaryllis has finished blooming, cut the flower stem off an inch above the soil level leaving the leaves intact. • Treat the plant just like you would any other house plant, feeding regularly to encourage healthy leaf growth. • Once the weather has become reliably warm (early May) place your potted Amaryllis in the garden in a sunny but protected spot. Note: The leaves may burn initially as they will not be used to the sunshine, but do not worry, new leaves will sprout in no time. • Fertilize every couple of weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer, we recommend Flowering Plant Food 15-3-15. • By the end of August your Amaryllis plant leaves will start to show signs of yellowing. Withhold water, take indoors and place in a cool, dry and dark place. • Store for a minimum of 8 weeks. The leaves will wither away. About 6-8 weeks before you want it to flower again repot in fresh soil using the same method as above. • Re-introduce water and move to a warmer location.
