Amaryllis
Amaryllis flowers are beautiful, they usually come at an ideal time of 12 months — when our (a few of us) gardens are sleeping! My neighbor has had his Amaryllis for about 10 years. He confirmed them to me at some point and I couldn’t imagine my eyes! In his windowed laundry room, there stood the most important Amaryllis bulbs, flowers and leaves I’ve ever seen! They have been giants! I do know Amaryllis can get fairly large, however I by no means imagined this large. I’d say the leaves have been about 2 1/2″ vast or extra and 4 toes or extra tall. The flowers have been most likely double what we’re used to seeing and identical with the bulbs. I didn’t know they might get that large! At that time, I didn’t even know they may very well be grown for flowers 12 months to 12 months. Now I do know in a different way and I’ll inform you what I’ve realized.
Planting
Late October is the perfect time to plant, after the bulbs have gone by means of a dormant interval. If there are off shoots, you’ll be able to take them off and plant them as new vegetation. Use a small pot in relation to the bulb measurement. Clay or ceramic pots can be greatest as a result of they’re heavier and can assist maintain the plant from toppling over. Give solely an inch of room for soil on the perimeters of the bulb. Amaryllis prefers a sandy-loam soil combine. You’ll be able to combine your individual by combining one half leaf mildew or composted manure, one half loamy soil, and one half coarse sand. Some backyard facilities additionally promote soil mixes particularly for bulbs. Whenever you plant the bulb, maintain the higher half out of the soil.
Water
Water totally after planting and maintain the soil barely moist till flowering. At flowering, improve waterings to extend flowers. The blooms will final 6-8 weeks relying on temperature, gentle and selection.
Gentle and Temperature
When grown within the dwelling, Amaryllis want as a lot solar as they’ll get! A southern window is greatest. They like 70-75 levels for greatest progress. However when the plant begins to flower, cooler temperatures (60-65 levels) will prolong the blooms. As talked about above, my neighbor had his in his windowed laundry room. The home windows have been southern and western which suggests numerous solar. Another necessary tip is {that a} laundry room produces humidity so that is one thing else they like.
Fertilizer
Fertilize with every week answer of compost tea each 6 weeks or so. Fertilizer will decide the dimensions and high quality of flowers and foliage.
After Flowering
Good high quality bulbs might produce as much as six flowers on a single stalk. When a flower fades, minimize the stalk about 2″ from the bottom. This may save vitality for the opposite flowers. Don’t minimize the foliage as a result of that is subsequent 12 months’s meals for subsequent 12 months’s flowers. Maintain watering and fertilizing the foliage as you’ll earlier than flowering till subsequent September. At this level, put the plant right into a heat, darkish and dry place resembling a closet. Don’t water or fertilize throughout this relaxation interval. Then late October, transfer it again to the sunny window and begin the method yet again.
When correctly cared for, Amaryllis can flower for as much as 75 years! So maintain yours for years of beautiful flowers. ,
