Amaryllis Care
Date: April 1989 (Revised April 1995)
Source:
NDSU Extension Service Horticulturists
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.
