This year as in past years, I got some great Amaryllis bulbs at my garden center. I planted in mid November so they would bloom just in time for Christmas. Like clockwork they were in bloom for Christmas!
THE QUESTION IS…NOW WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE AMARYLLIS BULBS???
After the amaryllis finishes blooming:
Cut back the flower stalk to about 1-2 inches above the bulb, but leave the foliage intact.If there are no leaves on the plant, don’t cut back stalk. Just cut off spent blooms and leave the stalk to replenish the energy as you would leaves.
Continue watering and fertilizing the plant as you would a houseplant, allowing the leaves to grow and replenish the bulb’s energy. Put outside as you would a house plant. If leaves are still green in late summer or early fall, gradually stop watering and move the plant to a cool (about 40-55 degrees F), dark place to induce a dormancy period for it to rebloom next year.
If leaves turn yellow before it gets a chance to go outside, stop watering and move the plant to a cool (about 40-55 degrees F), dark place to induce a dormancy period for it to rebloom next year.
Think of it as a daffodil or tulip. The bulbs bloom in Spring, and the leaves replenish the bulbs energy and eventually turn yellow. Only they stay in the ground for their dormancy. That’s why they say never cut the leaves of a Spring flowering bulb when they are done blooming.
Dormancy is approx. 6-8 weeks, but you can leave in longer. This past year I started watering around mid November and had blooms in time for Christmas.
HOW DO YOU STORE AMARYLLIS BULBS IN DORMANCY?
You can put in a dark, cool, dry area in the pots they are grown in. But I repot them anyway when I take them out of dormancy, so I store in paper bags with a little soil or peat moss in the bottom and label the bag with the variety. I even punch a few holes in the upper part of the bag so air gets at the bulb. Bulbs have to have air, so storing in zipper bags or plastic bags is not recommended. The bags will trap moisture and end up rotting.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR AMARYLLIS HAS NO LEAVES AFTER IT BLOOMS?
If your Amaryllis has no leaves and has already bloomed, just remove the spent blooms that have faded. Not the stalk. Generally the bulb will produce leaves after the stalk has yellowed.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE LEAVES BROWN RIGHT AFTER BLOOMING?
Put the bulbs into dormancy in a cool, dark place for about 8 weeks. This will encourage reblooming. If you choose to, you can leave in dormancy for 6 to 7 months.
WHAT TYPE OF POT TO PUT AMARYLLIS BULBS IN???
Make sure you pot in a heavy pot. Amaryllis can get pretty tall depending on the variety you choose and will bet top heavy. The pot should be about 1 inch wider than the bulbs widest part. They like to be “cozy” in the pot. Make sure your pot has drainage holes. You want to plant so the top third of the bulb is above the soil. This year I bought some from QVC and they came in a rather flimsy metal pot. In hindsight, I should have planted in a heavier pot as they wanted to topple over when they started to bloom.
HOW BIG DO AMARYLLIS GET???
Depending on the variety and bulb size, amaryllis stems can grow anywhere from 12 to 36 inches (30-90 cm) tall. Mine were 24 inches tall not counting the pot. I can’t imagine 36 inch ones! I recently saw a mini version and think I will be getting some of those next year. 
This is one of my “Barbados” Amaryllis. It was blooming in March because I started later than the Christmas ones. Also, if you wait until after Christmas, you can usually get the bulbs for half price.
HOW DO YOU PROPAGATE AMARYLLIS???
Over time you can separate the bulblets from the mother bulb to make more Amaryllis plants. A great way to tell if the mother bulb is producing these bulblets, is you would see separate green shoots coming from the plant. These bulblets are easily removed from the mother bulb, just be careful and get the roots attached as well. You can divide in Oct/Nov before starting to water for the blooming season. Make sure you are careful and take the roots attached to the bulblet as well when repotting.
Amaryllis symbolizes strength, beauty, and pride and is often used as a gift for celebrations or as a decorative centerpiece during the winter season.
As you can see it is super easy to have your Amaryllis bloom year after year!
Amaryllis is an excellent plant to give as a holiday gift. They are super easy for anyone to grow!
If you’re like me and go through gardening “withdrawals” in Winter… Amaryllis is the perfect plant to raise your spirits!
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