Amaryllis is Worth the Investment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2009

Amaryllis bulbs are now available at local garden centers and mail order houses. Although the cost for one bulb may seem high, the beautiful blooms and year-after-year long life makes this holiday flower well worth the cost.

For best results, plant bulbs in at least a 6-inch pot, advises Martha Smith, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. Drainage is important, so place an inch or more of broken pottery or pebbles in the bottom of the pot. Use an artificial or lightweight potting mix and plant the bulb with 1/2 to 3/4 of the bulb above the soil line. Water well and place the bulb in a sunny window.

Keep the soil slightly dry until the flower shoot appears. This usually happens in two to three weeks. Don't overwater, since the bulb may rot. You'll increase the watering as the roots grow and fill the pot.

After flowers fade, cut them off, leaving all the foliage and the flower stalk. Smith says it is essential to keep the plant growing vigorously since it produces food for the following year's blossoms. As the flower stalk yellows, it can be cut back.

Next year -- after the last spring frost -- plunge the potted amaryllis into the ground, making the pot rim level with the surface of the soil. Choose a site with morning light and afternoon shade. Water and fertilize as you would any other garden plant.

Before the first autumn frost, bring the plant indoors and cut back the yellowing foliage. Set the plant in a cool, dry room and forget about it for four months. Don't water or fertilize it during this time. After this dormancy period, replace the top inch of old potting mix with new, water thoroughly, place in a sunny window, and start the process all over.

Source: Martha A. Smith, Extension Educator, Horticulture, smithma@uiuc.edu