Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) blooms make an especially welcome sight in winter and early spring. Easy to grow, amaryllis typically takes six to eight weeks from planting in mid-to-late September until they flower – meaning that Christmas should arrive sooner!
As with other bulbs such as lilies, all parts of amaryllis are harmful to cats and dogs, so it is best to cultivate it in places they cannot access.
How to Grow Amaryllis
Soak amaryllis bulbs for several hours to help rehydrate their roots and speed up the growth process. Fill a pot with compost and place the bulb atop; however, use an appropriately-sized pot; amaryllis performs best when pot-bound. Water regularly to ensure optimal conditions. Once planted in its pot, leave in warm, dark conditions for two weeks, bringing indoors when an emerging shoot is seen, and expect flowers within six weeks!
Where to Grow Amaryllis
Although Amaryllis are native to subtropical regions in America, they make a great houseplant here in Britain. Select a bright location free from drafts and direct sunlight for best results.
How to Plant Amaryllis Bulbs
Amaryllis usually bloom within six to eight weeks after planting their bulbs. By staggering your planting, you can enjoy these lovely flowers to Easter by counting back from when you want your blooming period – for Christmas blooms plant in September for example!
More Like This Amaryllis flowers of all varieties – from spidery canisters to 75cm-tall giants – share similar needs when it comes to cultivation. All varieties prefer rich, well-drained growing medium that’s warm and light, so incorporate grit or sand as well as leaf mold or well-rotted manure into multipurpose compost for optimal success.
Amaryllis bulbs thrive best when planted tightly into their containers, with two centimeters of compost surrounding the bulb. First soak its bulb and roots in warm water for several hours before potting up, before filling half your pot with peat-free multipurpose compost; breaking up any lumps with your fingers; place the bulb carefully so its top sits just above the pot; fill around it with compost then firm gently around its base as water drains through; water well while the pot drains before finishing by applying horticultural grit around its base to keep its content moist over time.
Store your amaryllis in a cool room with plenty of light for optimal growth, as this will encourage it to expand slowly with strong flower shoots and leaves. Once in flower, you may need to support its spikes with canes.
How to Grow Amaryllis – Snipping Back Flower Stalk
Don’t discard your amaryllis after it blooms – with just a bit of care it’s easy to revive it with another bloom! Once it has flowered, the bulb keeps on growing so repotting into a larger container will allow more room for it. Plant it just like in autumn with fresh peat-free compost as part-filler before cutting back its flower stalk back at its base so as not to divert energy towards seed production instead. Once watered well let its soil dry out between watering sessions so as not to oversaturate its root systems!
Once frost risk has passed, set out your amaryllis flowers for summertime display. Be sure to water and feed regularly for optimal success.
Liquid fertilizer should be applied weekly, to maintain the growth of leaves that feed the bulb. Watering should then cease completely in August to encourage an eight-week dormancy period during which leaves will yellow and begin to die down.
After mid-October, bring your amaryllis back indoors and begin watering it regularly again – the combination of dormancy and cool night temperatures should trigger flower bud formation.
Growing Amaryllis: Problem Solving
The primary issues when growing amaryllis involve overwatering. Since amaryllis requires very free-draining compost, too much watering may lead to fungal infections characterized by yellowed leaves and drooping stems. Once an issue arises it may not be easy to remedy, but in the future ensure your bulbs grow in free-draining compost that never sits in its pot!
Drooping stems may also be caused by too much warmth, encouraging rapid stem growth. Use a cane to provide support, and plant in cooler conditions next year for best results.
Mosaic virus can be an issue for amaryllis. When infected plants show yellow streaking on their leaves and eventually weaken with age and are flowerless, nothing can be done other than to destroy the bulb and start again.
Greenhouses can become infested with insects such as scale, mites, thrips, bulb maggots, and mealybugs that pose a threat.
FAQs
Q1. What are the secrets to growing amaryllis?
To ensure optimal amaryllis growth, use well-draining soil, sparingly water it and provide bright indirect lighting.
Q2. Does Amaryllis like Sun or Shade?
Amaryllis prefers direct and bright indirect sunlight for optimal growth.
Q3. What triggers an amaryllis to bloom?
Typically, dormancy followed by increased light levels and watering trigger blooming of amaryllises.