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Amaryllis Care

Grow an amaryllis (am-ah-RIL-us) to bring flower color to your home early in the spring. Lily-like amaryllis flowers are large and colorful, and show up well from the top of a tall, stout stalk. Amaryllis bulbs will produce blooming plants about 2 months after planting. The bulbs should be large, firm and free from rot or mold. Only bulbs over 2-1/2 inches in diameter will bloom the first year.

The planting pot should be several inches larger in diameter than the bulb. Most soil mixes available in garden supply stores work well for amaryllis. To make your own soil mix, combine 2 parts of loam soil, 2 parts peat moss or compost and one part perlite.

Put a one-inch layer of coarse gravel or broken pot pieces in the bottom of the pot to insure drainage. Then put a little soil in the pot and center the bulb. Spread the roots evenly, add soil around the bulb and pack it gently. About 1/2 to 2/3 of the bulb must remain above the soil surface for proper growth. The firmed soil level should be about 3/4 inch below the pot rim.

Water thoroughly at planting time, but keep the pot out of the sun. Then keep the soil slightly dry until new growth appears. Protect the plant from hot or cold drafts; the best temperatures are from 65 to 70 degrees.

When growth starts, move the pot to a warm, sunny window and water it more often. In a few weeks, flowers up to 7 inches across will reward your efforts.

To save bulbs for another year of bloom, cut off flower stalks when the blooms fade. In late May, move the pots outside and bury them up to their rims. Water them regularly and fertilize according to label directions with a soluble plant food.

Reduce watering when the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither in late summer. Bring the pots indoors before frost and place them on their sides in a cool, dry part of the basement. Let them rest without watering for three months. When new growth begins to appear, bring the pots out of storage and begin watering them for another bloom cycle.

If you have further questions, please contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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