Amaryllis Bulbs

Amaryllis 'Vera'

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:23:00 +0000

This Amaryllis 'Vera,' Hippeastrum, produced pink blushed blooms that aren't as dark as Amaryllis 'Lagoon' but they aren't too soft either. I may not be a lover of pink blooms, but I seem to be overflowing with them this year.

'Vera' isn't so dark that the flowers look garish, and the pink hue isn't so soft that it looks overly feminine. The white streaks in the petals soften the pink hues so make it just the right shade of pink. My ‘Vera’ Amaryllis bulb produced two, sturdy scapes (stems) that reached about 14 inches tall.

Both of the scapes opened and flowered at the same time. One scape produced three pink and white flowers, while the second scape produced four pink and white flowers. Both have a green “eye” in the center of the blooms.

The individual flowers of 'Vera' are about four inches wide, and they don’t unfurl completely. These blooms are cup-shaped that is a lot more noticeable in profile than when looking at them head-on. This cup shape on the blooms give them a bit of personality when you’re studying each of the flowers.

I’d never grown this particular Amaryllis before this year. I’d say the stocky stems, larger size bulb and smaller blooms put this Amaryllis in the "dwarf" category. I was given this 'Vera' bulb by Longfield Gardens to grow and review here on this Amaryllis blog. You can compare their picture of Amaryllis 'Vera' (which looks more peach) at their online bulb catalog.

Amaryllis 'Lagoon'

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:09:00 +0000

I’m not a big fan of pink flowers, but the blooms of Amaryllis ‘Lagoon’ may make me a pink flower-lover. At least where the Hippeastrum genus is concerned. Amaryllis ‘Lagoon’ measures 18” tall from the top of the pot to the top of the flower. The blooms are a deep pink color that kind of shimmer in the light.

It’s a pretty impressive flower. The blooms on 'Lagoon' are about 7.5" to 8" across and the texture to the individual flower petals on this amaryllis reminds me of pink crepe paper.

Here's a closer look at a flower from Amaryllis 'Lagoon.' An internet search informs me that this amaryllis was registered in 2011 and there aren't too many pictures of 'Lagoon' online as of this posting to compare mine too.

Some of the pictures I've found online make the bloom look like a light pink color, or more of a deep red, when it is really just a dark pink. Longfield Gardens sent me this amaryllis bulb for free to plant and review. You can see the picture of 'Lagoon' that they’re using in their online bulb catalog. I think this Amaryllis bulb is actually nicer-looking in person than their stock flower photo would lead you to believe. It's one of those rare times when the flower looks better than the picture would lead you to believe. I would definitely recommend getting this amaryllis if you like larger blooms and especially if you like pink flowers.

Amaryllis Bulb Care After Blooming

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 05:17:00 +0000

If you’re reading this, you have probably reached the point where you’re wondering how to care for your amaryllis now that is done blooming. Planting the bulb and waiting for it to break dormancy was the easy part. All the work to get your amaryllis bulb to bloom was done by the grower. Whether the amaryllis blooms again will be up to you and how you care for it.

Some gardeners who grow amaryllis bulbs don’t bother caring for the bulb after it has finished blooming. I’ve been told by many that they compost them just like the other bulbs they force inside during the winter. To me, this seems crazy because an amaryllis bulb can be successfully grown for years to come. Generally speaking, you will get one bloom from your amaryllis after you potted it. Larger, quality amaryllis bulbs may produce a second or third scape and bloom again this winter. I have found that the amaryllis bulbs sold in kits are usually only old enough to bloom once, but like with everything else in gardening--expect the unexpected.

If you planted your amaryllis bulb in the plastic pot that came with the kit, now may be a good time to slip that pot into a sturdier, heavier pot for house plants. The heavier pot will keep your amaryllis bulb from tipping over, either from the weight of the leaves, or from a pet or family member brushing up against it.

An easy way to protect against your bulb tipping over is to give it a “ponytail.” Take a section of raffia, twine or something similar. Grab all the leaves in one hand and loosely tie all the leaves together in the center so they more or less stand straight up. Now you won’t accidentally knock your amaryllis over if you brush past it, and the floppy leaves will not cause your bulb to tip over to one side.

Lighting

Amaryllis bulbs need strong, direct sunlight. These bulbs are not good low light house plants. If you were brining your bulb out of dormancy in a dark location, you may have noticed it leaned to one side as the scape was developing. Ideally your bulbs should be grown in a south facing window. A window that faces west is your second best option. Bulbs that are not getting enough sunlight will grow long and stretched-out leaves that are a light green color. The floppy leaves make your bulb prone to tip over, which is why I recommended tying them together. As winter turns into spring and the amount of natural light increases you can untie your leaves.

Watering

If you planted your amaryllis bulb in the cocoa coir that came with the kit, make sure your “soil” does not dry out completely. Coir is hard to get wet again once it has completely dried out. Keep your coir “soil” evenly moist. If you planted your bulb in house plant potting soil that you are familiar with, water your bulb like you do your other house plants. Take a look at your amaryllis bulb, is it as thick as it was when you planted it, or do you see signs of shrinkage? In after-blooming care of amaryllis bulbs, watering is very important. Your bulb just expended a lot of energy in producing the flower, leaves--and if you pollinated your amaryllis flower--in producing seeds pods and seeds. The next thing you need to think about is fertilizing your amaryllis bulb.

Fertilizing

As I mentioned above, you may have noticed that your bulb is a little smaller than when you planted it. This is because your bulb has just run the gardening equivalent of a marathon, and it needs to refuel. When you first plant a dormant amaryllis bulb you don’t need to do any fertilizing. All the work to get it to flower for you was done by the grower. You just need to give it warmth and moisture to wake it up. Feeding your amaryllis bulb is very important.

After your bulb has flowered, produced leaves and roots (this is important) start fertilizing your amaryllis twice a month at full strength with a fertilizer formulated for flowering plants. I prefer a fertilizer that I can add and dissolve in a watering can, but the type (organic or synthetic?) and the brand name is up to you.

Do not use an all-purpose fertilizer, and do not dilute it. Over the late winter, spring and summer, you will need to replace the energy in the bulb that it used to bloom for you, and prepare it to bloom again the following winter.

In the spring and summer, I like to either plant my amaryllis bulb in the ground or in a very large container garden. There I continue to fertilize it using the same fertilizer for flowering garden plants. If you’re lucky, you may get another scape to produce and bloom in the middle of summer. But properly watering and fertilizing your bulb starting in late winter will result in impressive growth and possibly more than one flowering period the next winter. I have also noticed that after I have forced the bulb to go dormant in the fall after it has spent the spring and summer in the garden it will shrink down a bit. So it is best to bulk up the bulb in preparation for the next blooming period.

What's your favorite fertilizer to apply to your amaryllis to get it to bloom again?

Amaryllis Bulb Kits at Target 2010

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:55:00 +0000

I've been looking forward to the amaryllis bulb kits at Target stores this year for a couple of reasons. The first being the demise of Smith & Hawken & the subsequent purchase of the brand by Target. In past years the larger amaryllis kits enabled me to buy some nice quality bulbs, even if they were a bit overpriced. The smaller, less expensive kits usually consisted of 'Red Lion' or 'Apple Blossom' but at 75% off after the holidays they were mighty tempting. Who cares that you end up with dozens of the same variety when the kits only cost a couple dollars a piece?

I'm not surprised that the Smith & Hawken brand has been revived and they Target is carrying the bulbs again. I am a little disappointed in the selection of the bulbs, both in terms of variety and quality. A few of the plant bulbs I inspected looked like lesser quality bulbs than I'm accustomed to there. I forgot to check for mention of the grower so I can't tell you if the bulbs were Dutch, Israeli, South African or South American grown. I'll update the post in the morning after I take a closer look at the packaging. The larger kits were over priced, if you're spending that much money on kit it should be something nicer than 'Red Lion.' However, the smaller amaryllis kit was one of the nicer ones I've seen at big box retailers this season. The kits comes with an attractive aluminum pot, (no pre-drilled drainage hole) a single bulb and some potting medium. If I'm not mistaken this kit came out to $4.99 plus tax. It is a lot more attractive than the amaryllis kits at competing big box stores in the same price rage that give you a generic plastic pot. If you're looking to give an amaryllis bulb kit as a holiday gift this season I'd go with this one.

Amaryllis Bulb Kits on Sale Now

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:42:00 +0000

A visitor to this blog Emailed to ask when Amaryllis bulb kits usually go on sale. Based on the question, I think the visitor hasn't been to many garden centers within the past two weeks. Usually the week after Halloween is when you'll spot the first signs of Amaryllis kits appear in big box stores like Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart and Target. I visited a couple of these stores today to double-check and there were several of the kits on shelves ready for sale. I also stopped at a couple of independent garden centers near me and they too had Amaryllis bulbs for sale. Most of these bulbs were loose bulbs and two-three times more expensive than the kits, for some of the same varieties. You figure it out.

If you're looking to buy some Amaryllis bulb kits for yourself or to give as gifts get to these stores now. As we get closer to Thanksgiving the bulbs will begin to break dormancy because of the warm temperatures in these stores. Also, savvy bulb hunters know to inspect the bulbs in kits to make sure they're not already awake, damaged or diseased. If you wait too long to buy your bulbs you'll end up picking up the bulbs the rest of us didn't want.

When you bring one of these kits home if you decide you're not ready to plant the bulb, keep it in a cool and dark location to keep it from breaking dormancy. In the past I've kept bulbs I wanted to bloom later in the winter in an unheated room or put them in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator.

Unpotted Amaryllis Bulb

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 03:11:00 +0000

If you've ever wondered what happens when you forget to pot an amaryllis bulb, check out this picture.Last year I purchased an amaryllis bulb kit at a garden center and didn't get around to potting the bulb. The bulb sat around on my desk for a couple of weeks, eventually getting lost under a pile of papers and gardening ephemera that was accumulated when seed starting season started.

To keep bulbs from breaking dormancy, growers will refrigerate them or keep them in a dark and cool location. This bulb survived inside of an house where temperatures are kept normal throughout the year. The bulb is smaller than when I purchased, shrinking because it used some of its reserves stored in the bulb. The leave you see trying to emerge from the neck of the bulb is in the exact same position it was in a year ago when I purchased it. I'm going to pot up this amaryllis and see what happens. I don't think the bulb will flower this year, so it will be at least a year before I figure out what it is. Chances are high that it is another 'Minerva' since it is the one very common in garden center amaryllis bulb kits.

Amaryllis Bulb Cuttings

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:58:00 +0000

I haven't read a lot about Amaryllis bulbs being propagated through cuttage but since they are bulbs, there is no reason why they can't be propagated this way. I've posted about vegetative propagation of the Amaryllis before and about how to pollinate the flowers. Honestly, this method is a bit of an experiment for me.

I do not recommend you try this with your Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) if it is the only one you have or it is a very expensive Amaryllis cultivar. If the cuttings fail for me, I won't cry because it was an inexpensive plant for me.

Depending on the size of your bulb you can get four or more cuttings from it. This particular Amaryllis is rather young and small so I only made a few cuttings.

Start by cutting your Amaryllis bulb into halves.

Cut those halves into halves. The important part here is that each of the bulbs have a portion of the basal plat still attached along with a few bulb scales. The basal plate of the bulb is at the bottom, the flat part, where the roots of your plant emerge from.

I stopped cutting this Amaryllis bulb up when I got four pieces, because it was so small. At this point you'll want to dust your cuttings with a fungicide to prevent disease.

Insert the cuttings (basal plate down) about 1/3 of the way down into a loose and well draining potting mixture. I chose to plant my Amaryllis cuttings in pure perlite but I'm going to mix in some coir later.

Keep the potting mixture you're using moist, making sure it doesn't stay soggy for long. In about 4-8 weeks bulblets will begin to form in between the scales of the cut pieces. Once your bulblets have developed two sets of leaves you can remove them and place them into a pot of their own, you should expect your Amaryllis to flower within 2-3 years.

I've made a short video of me taking cuttings of this Amaryllis bulb.

Sowing And Germinating Amaryllis Seeds Update

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:11:00 +0000

In the entry Sowing & Germinating Amaryllis Seeds I posted that one of the methods you could employ when trying to sprout Amaryllis seeds is to float them in water. I floated them in the water on Jan 8 and today is Feb 6 and a few days ago I noticed one seed had started to sprout already. As I mentioned in that entry I never had luck with it before and I'm surprised that it worked for me this time. But as I think about what I did different this time I'm guessing that this time what helped them sprout was putting them in a very warm spot where they got a lot of sun and a lot of warmth. Remember to change the water weekly and keep an eye out for evaporation and fill the water back before the seeds dry out. The seeds I started in a soil-less mix have also started to sprout. I'll update this entry with a photo of those seeds when they get large enough.

Related Posts:
How To Pollinate Amaryllis Flowers
Viable Amaryllis Seeds
Sowing And Germinating Amaryllis Seeds-Part 1

Sowing & Germinating Amaryllis Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:25:00 +0000

Once you've pollinated your Amaryllis flower and you've chosen the best seeds and made sure they are viable the next step is to sow your Amaryllis seeds and getting them to germinate is pretty easy.

First, make sure the seeds your Amaryllis produced are viable. Some Amaryllis bulbs, for several reasons, may not produce seeds that are viable; meaning they won't germinate and produce a new plant.

The second step is to choose your soil. In my experience Amaryllis seeds can be sown and germinate in any potting medium. I've sown and germinated Amaryllis seeds in houseplant soil, seed starting soil, perlite and the coconut shell fiber disks they give you in the Amaryllis kits. Once you've added some water to the coconut fiber disks they expand and can be used to plant your Amaryllis seeds.

The third step is to choose a container in which to sow your Amaryllis seeds. I chose a clear plastic container with a lid that a pastry came in from the grocery store. What you use is up to you but it will work better if the container you use has a lid that you can open and close to ventilate if it gets too moist inside.

I like to drag a pencil through the coconut fiber to make a little trench where I can stand up the seeds. Sowing your Amaryllis seeds in neat rows makes it easier to remove them later after they have begun to grow roots. If you read my post on viable Amaryllis seeds you'll know that the ones that will germinate have a hard "bump" in them. Make sure the "bump" is covered in the soil mix. The coconut fiber should still be moist but add a little bit of water to the container before closing the lid and place it in a warm and bright area. The Amaryllis seeds should germinate in about four weeks.

One popular method of sowing and germinating Amaryllis seeds I've seen is to float them in water. It is probably the easiest and less messy method but I haven't had any luck with it but it doesn't hurt to try it if you have extra seeds. All you do is place your amaryllis seeds in a container with water and allow them to float on the surface. I've seen people use bowls, cups and aquariums that weren't housing fish.

If you missed the links above make sure to check out these entries

Sowing & Germinating Amaryllis Seeds- Part 2
How to pollinate Amaryllis flowers.
Viable Amaryllis Seeds

Alcohol and Amaryllis Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:01:00 +0000

About two years ago Dr. William Miller with Cornell University has found that a little alcohol will help keep bulbs forced indoors from growing too tall. Why would you want to give alcohol to your plants? Well, not all plants benefit from a little drink but bulbs seem to be affected by it because it stunts their growth. If you've ever forced bulbs indoors during the winter months you have probably discovered that their growth can get lanky. This is a result of the plants receiving weaker and less hours of direct sunlight.

Around this time of the year the subject of giving alcohol to bulbs like paperwhites and Amaryllids shows up a lot in gardening advice columns and on garden blogs with people wanting to know if it really works. Short answer is that giving alcohol (in moderation) to your bulbs seems to stunt the growing of the leaves and scapes (stems) without affecting the blooms. I found a cool video on YouTube of this very experiment that covers forty days of growth between two Amaryllis bulbs. Both are growing side by side but only one is being given the alcohol treatment. This is a time-lapse video with lots of flicking lights and motion so it probably shouldn't be watched by people who are adversly affected by such things.

Some links you may find useful
Share a drink with your daffodils.

Preparing My Bulbs For Blooms

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:22:00 +0000

Fall brings many changes in the garden and this is no exception if the only plants you have are Amaryllis bulbs growing in a few pots. The chill in the air is a sign that I should start preparing my Amaryllis bulbs if I want them to flower around the time of the Holiday Season. Amaryllis bulbs begin to flower 6-12 weeks from the time you bring them out of dormancy.

The way you put a bulb into dormancy can vary depending on the bulb grower. Some Amaryllis growers place their bulbs (with the pot) in a dark and cool area like a basement, garage or closet and allow them to go dormant. Some people store their Amaryllis bulbs in the fridge inside of a paper bag in the vegitable crisper after they trim the leaves off.

Right now my Amaryllis bulbs are growing in large posts outside and I'm going to move them under the stairs and keep them there until we get our first frost warning. The reason I'm going to place them under the stairs is to keep them from getting rain and light. The lack of rain and light is what causes the bulbs to go into dormancy. Once it gets too cold to keep them outside in pots I'll dig them up and store them in the attic until I want to break their dormancy.

Remember, 6-12 weeks is what it will take for them to bloom once you've brought them out of dormancy. So if you want them to flower during a specific time frame like say New Years count backwards 6-12 weeks when deciding when to put them into dormancy and withhold water and light.

Saving Amaryllis Hippeastrum Pollen

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:17:00 +0000

Like many other plants Amaryllis-Hippeastrum flowers open at different stages even when planted at the same time. This can be a good thing when you want to stagger the display of flowers to last a long time but a downside when you want to hybridize your Amaryllis-Hippeastrum bulbs. Many Amaryllids can receive their own pollen but if you're interested in crossing two different bulbs to achieve a new Amaryllis bloom you'll need pollen from a different Amaryllis flower.

If you don't happen to have to different Amaryllis bulbs flowering at the same time you can always try to save the pollen from either flower until the stigma is ripened. Saving Amaryllis-Hippeastrum pollen is rather easy and anyone can do it. The biggest obstacle I've encountered in saving the Amaryllis pollen is combating humidity and moisture.

If you haven't already read my entry on how to pollinate Amaryllis flowers you may want to take a moment and read it. After you've familiarized yourself with the reproductive parts of the Amaryllis and can identify the anther and the filament enlarge the photo of the Amaryllis flower in this post.

Notice how the pollen sacks are open and ripe while the stigma in the background has not opened like the stigmas in the link above? When collecting Amaryllis pollen it is best to allow the anthers to open and ripen on the filament before you harvest them for the purposes of pollinating other flowers. When you harvest the pollen it is a good practice to pull it completely free from the filament (white stem) that is very supple and succulent. This will reduce some of the moisture that could contaminate the pollen and keep your hybridizing attempts from being successful. Steady hands a sharp instrument come in handy when removing the anthers because the slightest movement will sending much of the pollen flying.

As the photo here shows I used a pair of tweezers with a sharp point to remove the anthers. Enlarge the photo of the Amaryllis pollen to see how I managed to remove the anther and the pollen away from the filament.

Once the anthers were detached from the filament I placed them on a piece of cardboard to let them dry a little more just in case I had left any of the filament attached. To lessen the chances that moisture will cause your pollen to mold you can take a sharp knife and scrape the pollen off of the anther prior to storing it. The pollen is best stored in something made of paper as plastic will not absorb any excess moisture. You can store the pollen in coin envelopes or fold a small envelope out of a piece of paper. Make sure to label the envelope(s) so you don't forget what flower you collected the pollen from.

Some Amaryllis growers recommend placing your envelopes in the butter drawer in your refrigerator to keep your pollen fresh. Other Amaryllis growers say that the refrigerator will increase the chances of your pollen collection going bad so they keep it in a dry and cool area of their home or garage instead of the fridge. Ideally you'd like your pollen to be stored at 50 degrees with 50% humidity where it should keep for up to five months.

Even if you have two different flowers you'd like to cross flowering at the same time it is a good idea to remove the anthers before the stigmas ripen and open up. The reason for this is because if you're taking the time to cross two different bulbs you wouldn't want pollen from the same flower to accidentally land on the stigma and pollinate the flower.

Saving Amaryllis Hippeastrum pollen this way will ensure that you have plenty of pollen when you need it to experiment and create your own crosses to enjoy in about 2-3 years when they reach flowering age.

Related post:
Viable Amaryllis Hippeastrum Seeds
How to Pollinate Amaryllis Flowers

Amaryllis Hippeastrum Mont Blanc

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:57:00 +0000

For two years I've been attempting to buy a white flowering Amaryllis with little luck. White flowers aren't uncommon and usually not highly sought after but since I was buying Amaryllis bulb kits I usually ended up with a bulb that flowered something other than white. Mislabeled bulbs in kits are unfortunately very common and they're always a gamble when you want a specific flower color.

This year I finally lucked out and the bulb in the kit was the color that was represented on the Amaryllis kit photograph. Amaryllis Hippeastrum 'Mont Blanc' is what was promised in the kit and it looks like my bloom is pretty close to what 'Mont Blanc' is suppose to look like. The name for this white-flowered Amaryllis is French and translates to "white mountain." While not as spectacular as the name implies the pure white flowers of this bulb are rather charming and have a sparkle when the sun hits them that reminds me of sugar crystals.

Amaryllis Hippeastrum 'Mont Blanc'

The scape of my bulb is ten inches tall and atop the scape there are three blooms; all perfectly white except for the green-yellow center. The white flower of this bulb is five inches across and after opening the edges of the flower petals are ruffled. To be honest I was expecting a much larger flower and scape than what my bulb has produced, something resembling a white version of Amaryllis Hippeastrum 'Red Lion.'

My expectations for the flower were probably set high by the photograph of the Amaryllis flower that can be found on the bulb kit. I purchased this kit at Home Depot around the Christmas Holiday and you may notice a dramatic difference between the flowers on the packaging and the flower picture above. After examining the photograph on the bulb kit and looking at my Amaryllis flower I think the photographer may have taken some creative liberties in representing 'Mont Blanc' or maybe my bulb isn't really 'Mont Blanc.'

The Amaryllis photograph on the box and the one that I own are both white and have the ruffled edges and green centers but the flowers on the box are much larger than mine. My flower also has the "sparkle" to the petals that 'Mont Blanc' is known to have. The differences in the sizes of the flowers could be attributed to the size of the bulb and how much fertilizer my bulb received when it was being grown. But when I look closely at the photograph on the box I can see what I think are signs of photo manipulation. The reason the blooms on the box look so large is because they were probably extracted from enlarged and pasted together to give a more flattering representation of 'Mont Blanc.' The information on this Amaryllis Kit doesn't give many clues as to who the grower of the bulb was other than to say the bulb was grown from cultivated stock in Brazil. While not as dramatic as the flowers on the box I'm still pleased with the purchase of this Amaryllis and plan to keep it and use it in my propagation experiments.

Related Posts:
How to Pollinate Amaryllis Flowers
How to Pot Amaryllis Bulbs
How to Buy Amaryllis Bulb Kits

Fungus Gnats And Potted Amaryllis

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:39:00 +0000

Fungus gnats are a common houseplant pest that seem to appear out of nowhere and can be hard to get rid of. During the winter when potting Amaryllids and bringing them out of dormancy they can be a perfect host for this annoying bug. The warm temperatures we keep our Amaryllis bulbs at and the waterings we provide to break their dormancy and grow, provide a great breading ground for fungus gnats.

Usually you won't know that you have fungus gnats indoors until one day when you see the little flies near a window or around your houseplant. These are the adults and while you may swat at them to kill them there may be plenty of larvae in the potting soil and they're continuously reproducing. Fungus gnats reproduce in moist and dark areas rich in organic matter where the larvae will feed on fungi and decaying organic matter. This normally isn't a problem but they will also feed on plant tissue, feeder roots and root hairs of potted Amaryllis bulbs weakening and potentially killing your bulb.

Once you've potted your Amaryllis bulb consider top dressing the soil. In the photo on the left I've top dressed the soil mix with inexpensive fish tank gravel. The benefits of top dressing your potted Amaryllis bulbs are more than just aesthetic. The gravel will help prevent fungus gnats from identifying your potting mix as an ideal area to lay their eggs. The layer should be at least an inch deep to diguise the moist potting soil below and be effective.

Other materials like sand would also be equally effective, as would a product called Turface that is used to amend lawns. Glass beads and large stones would probably not be as effective because they are larger and would give easier access to the moist potting soil below the surface.

An added benefit of top dressing your potted indoor bulbs will be visible when you begin normal watering routines. You'll see that less potting soil is accidentally washed out of the plant's pot and when watering from below the soil won't float to the surface of the pot and spill out. When and if you have any spill over it easier to clean up a few pieces of gravel than wet potting soil.

Amaryllis Bulb From Seed

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:23:00 +0000

(Amaryllis bulb grown from seed)

The little Amaryllis bulb in the photo above is one that I grew from seed. This Amaryllis seedling is only a few months old. At such a tiny size it is hard to believe that this little bulb will one day grow large enough to produce the striking flowers Amaryllids are known for. This bulb is from my first attempt at hybridizing Amaryllids and unfortunately I lost the plant tag that described who the parent bulbs were so what the flowers look like will be a surprise.

It takes Amaryllis bulbs anywhere from two to three years to reach the stage where they will be able to flower.

If you would like to make your Amaryllis bulb produce seeds see the instructions on how to pollinate an Amaryllis flower and then see the photo in the entry so you can recognize Amaryllis seeds that are viable.

Producing Amaryllis Offsets

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:07:00 +0000

(Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' "babies")

I saw a large grouping of white amaryllis that was really wonderful, the owner claimed he had gotten new starts (mini bulbs?) off of the old one. My amaryllis have never done that, any ideas???- Mumm

A large clump of Amaryllids growing together and flowering at the same time is an impressive sight. There is no specific reason why your Amaryllis has never produced any offsets some do and some don't. The photo of the Amaryllis "babies" above is from my Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' that when I purchased it had two offsets already attached. This year the offsets have produced offsets of their own as you can see from the photograph. An Amaryllis 'Red Lion' that I purchased at the same time hasn't produced any offsets since I bought it and have been growing it.

To increase the chance of offset production in your Amaryllis grow them in larger pots, fertilize them well during the growing season and give them plenty of sunlight. The other thing you can do is purchase Amaryllis cultivars that are known to readily produce offsets. Finally, what you can always 'fake it' by planting two or three of the same bulb in a large pot.

White Amaryllis Bulb

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:37:00 +0000

(white Amaryllis bulb from kit)

When you receive or buy a boxed Amaryllis bulb from a kit you may find that the bulb is white or pale colored. A white Amaryllis bulb doesn't mean that there is anything specifically wrong with your bulb or that your Amaryllis will have a white flower. If you followed the tips on buying Amaryllis bulbs in a kit the bulb should be fine.

Why are the Amaryllis leaves white?

As you can see from the photo above the leaves of the Amaryllis are white as is the scape. The reason for this is not because of a defect with the bulb but because the bulb started to sprout inside of a dark box and hasn't received much if any light. If you look closely at the shorter leaf there is a little bit of green on the tip from where a small amount of light entered the box from one of the air holes that are cut into the side of the bulb kit box.

How to make the white Amaryllis leaves green.

If the Amaryllis bulb is white you should be careful not to expose it to very bright light right away. Plants can get sunburn just like humans so an Amaryllis with white leaves or flower stalk should be gradually exposed to bright sunlight. Follow the instructions on how to pot an Amaryllis bulb and then place your bulb in a bright room or window where it doesn't get direct sunlight. In a couple of days the white leaves and flower scape will start to turn green and when the green becomes darker you can then expose it to brighter light. As the leaves start to turn their normal color you should rotate the pot so the leaves, bulb and scape are evenly exposed to light.

Amaryllis Won't Flower

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:12:00 +0000

"I bought two a couple of years back and had some great blooms. but couldn't get them to rest and had nothing but leaves last year. This year I cut off the leaves, but on one they've grown back. I also separated off a new small bulb which is now growing separately. Will I get them to bloom again and how long will it take for the "baby" to mature?"
-Sue S.

You don't have to force your Amaryllis to bloom if you don't want to. Forcing is just an artificial means of reproducing the conditions it goes through in nature. You can opt out of putting your Amaryllis into dormancy and grow it as an "evergreen" plant and eventually it will adjust itself to the changes in season where you live and flower again when it is ready.

The trick with getting Amaryllids to flower again after you've bought them is to start feeding it after it has bloomed for you the first time. When the bulb produces the flower the first time it uses a lot of energy and needs to be recharged-you do this by fertilizing your Amaryllis and by providing plenty of sun and plenty of room for the roots to grow. Amaryllids are heavy feeders and can be fertilized with every watering (after blooming) at a diluted strength.

The Amaryllis "babies" should mature and bloom after three years of growth provided you give it plenty of sun, fertilizer and ample room for the formation of roots. Next year if you find they won't rest on their own just move the plant to a dark space, like a closet, where it doesn't get any sun and stop watering completely.

Viable Amaryllis Seeds

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 09:13:00 +0000

(viable Amaryllis seeds)

After you've succesfully pollinated your Amaryllis-Hippeastrum flower and you've waited patiently for the seed pods to ripen and open the next step is collecting the seeds. The Amaryllis Hippeastrum seeds may look a little unusual to you if you don't have a lot of experience with seeds and collecting seeds from various plants. The seeds are black and paper-like and almost flat except for the embryo in the center of the seed.

If you place an Amaryllis seed between your thumb and index finger you'll be able to tell which are the viable Amaryllis seeds because there will be a pronounced "bump" in the middle of the otherwise flat seed. Any seeds that you can't feel the embryo in failed and are just chaff and can be tossed out because nothing will sprout from them. The seeds that have the embryo should be planted soon after you've collected them.

Leaves Before Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 23:53:00 +0000

When you first buy an Amaryllis bulb and pot it you may get a bulb that produces leaves first and you're left wondering if there is something wrong with your Amaryllis because it is only growing leaves. That happens with some and it isn't something out of the ordinary; a bulb may grow leaves before flowers or it may do it in reverse.

I have bulbs that do both; some may grow only leaves first and then flower and some may grow flowers first and then the leaves will follow. In both cases you should give the plant warmth and light and careful watering and allow it to continue growing.

Related post:
How to pot Amaryllis Bulbs

How To Pot Amaryllis Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 20:41:00 +0000

(how to pot Amaryllis bulbs)

After you've selected your Amaryllis bulb from a kit or you've received one as a gift the next step is potting your Amaryllis bulb. Most of these bulb kits come with a bulb, plastic pot and a soil disk made from coco peat. The first thing I do is put the round peat disk to the side along with the plastic pot because I don't like to use them when I pot my bulbs.

Choosing a pot for your Amaryllis

I find the plastic pots that come in these Amaryllis kits to be pretty useless because they usually don't have drainage holes and they aren't heavy enough to keep an Amaryllis from falling over. As your Amaryllis produces a flower scape and leaves the top portion of your bulb will be heavier than the plastic pot and the bulb resulting in an Amaryllis plant that topples over. Remember what most Amaryllis roots look like when you first buy your bulb. The roots not only provide water and nutrients to your bulb but they also anchor it into the soil. If your bulb has no roots there is nothing to keep it in place. You'll need to choose a heavy pot with drainage holes, like a clay pot, or at the least put your plastic pot inside of a heavier pot. In the photo above I chose a decorative ceramic pot to start my Amaryllis. A good rule to take into consideration is that your pot should be two inches wider than the circumference of your bulb, don't over pot your bulb before it has produced roots.

Hydrating the roots

If your Amaryllis has roots like in the link above you can sit the roots in warm water for a couple of hours to rehydrate them and wake them up.

Soil for potted Amaryllids

As I mentioned above I don't use the coco peat (round brown disk) that comes in most Amaryllis kits because it isn't a good growing medium for bulbs and most plants in general. If you allow it to go dry it will look and revert back to the state it was in before you set it in water to make it expand. I like to use a general houseplant potting soil like Miracle-Gro that I mix with perlite and this works for me. You can use your favorite brand of houseplant soil and amend it as needed so that your soil is light and airy.

Planting depth of Amaryllids

A good pot for Amaryllis bulbs is 7-8 inches deep to allow room for the roots. Amaryllids produce very large roots and some of the roots on my plants get as thick as my little finger. Place some soil in the bottom of your pot and fill it half way and then position your bulb in the center making sure to spread any roots out radially. Add more soil around the bulb and roots making sure to leave the top one-half to two-thirds of your bulb exposed and above the soil line like I did in the photo above. I like to leave a little extra room (see photo above) between the soil surface and the rim of the pot because when I water the first time some of the soil will settle down and when this happens I can just add a little more soil and top dress the pot.

The first watering of your Amaryllis

After you've potted your Amaryllis bulb give it a good first watering with lukewarm water and make sure all of the excess water drains off. For the first couple of weeks water your bulb sparingly while it works on creating roots below the soil. Remember if the bulb doesn't have roots it isn't taking up water and any extra watering you're doing will only results in a rotted bulb. Place your potted bulb in a bright and warm window and soon you'll be rewarded with a wonderful flower.

Amaryllis Bulb Roots

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:59:00 +0000

If you bought your Amaryllis bulb in a kit you may notice that your bulb has no roots or your bulb may have a few dried and shriveled roots like in the image above. The reason many bulbs in kits look like this when you first buy them is because they were grown outside of the country. This Amaryllis bulb was grown in Israel and in order for it to be imported to America the grower had to remove all the soil from around the roots. During the cleaning, packing and shipping of this Amaryllis bulb most of the roots have been lost.

Compare the roots above to the image of the roots in this link and you'll see a remarkable difference in the size and health of the roots. The Amaryllis in that link was grown in America and while still sold bare-root (without soil) you can see where the grower didn't have to remove as much of the roots to comply with government regulations.

When selecting the bulb in the image above I followed the instructions from that link in choosing it and while the roots look dead the bulb will produce new roots and grow. Many growers recommend sitting the roots of your bulb in warm water for a few hours when you are first potting your Amaryllis bulb. I've never done this with my Amaryllis bulbs but it surely can't hurt and it may help in rehydrating the dried roots. If your bulb came with dead looking roots like in the image don't be overly concerned because it will produce new roots.

Buying Amaryllis Bulbs In Kits

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:20:00 +0000

The most convenient and affordable way to buy Amaryllis bulbs is in kits that are available at large retailers and garden centers. Since the bulbs are produced in large quantities these bulbs are often less expensive than the bulbs you can order form a bulb catalog or through a speciality grower. There are some drawbacks when buying Amaryllis kits at stores that don't specialize in Amaryllis bulbs. Sometimes the flower on the product packaging is not an accurate representation of the bulb inside. It is a risk that every Amaryllis grower takes when he or she buys an Amaryllis bulb that comes in a kit. If you have your heart set on adding a specific Amaryllis bulb to your bulb collection you may want to order from a grower or retailer that specializes in Amaryllis bulbs and gives you a guarantee.

One of the funniest sights at these large retailers is watching Amaryllis collectors and savvy gardeners going through the boxes of bulbs. People who are serious about collecting Amaryllis bulbs will often open several Amaryllis kits and inspect the bulb inside the box. When you open a box to look at the bulb inside what you are looking for a is a larger sized bulb that is firm when you squeeze it and that has no visible signs of rot or disease. If you notice any unusual colors or signs of fungal growth on the bulb close the kit and look at another one, you want a bulb that is nice and green and has a crisp skin. Use the same rules when selecting an Amaryllis bulb that you would use at the grocery store when you are buying onions, potatoes, garlic or apples.

Be considerate of the Amaryllis retailer.

As an Amaryllis bulb collector your first instinct is to buy the biggest and healthiest bulb you can find but you should be considerate of the retailer and employees of the stores. Do not open all the kits and when you open a kit and decide not to buy it please close the kit and put it back in the proper place. Not only are we making things easier for the retailer and employees but you're making things easier for the next Amaryllis collector that comes after you.

Vegetative Reproduction of Amaryllis Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:56:00 +0000

(Amaryllis offset)

In the article on How To Pollinate Amaryllis Bulbs I explained how to propagate Amaryllis bulbs sexually with the aid of pollen from the Amaryllis flower. Amaryllis bulbs can also be propagated asexually-meaning without the use of Amaryllis pollen. This process of vegetative reproduction of Amaryllis bulbs is simple and doesn't require much, if any, work from the Amaryllis grower because the Amaryllis bulb does all of the work for you.

Amaryllis bulbs will produce offsets at the base of the original ("mother") bulb when it has been properly grown and given plenty of sun, water and fertilizer. This is a good way of propagating those Amaryllis bulbs that are hard to pollinate or Amaryllis bulbs that you want an exact copy of.

Sometimes you get lucky and an Amaryllis bulb that you got in an Amaryllis bulb kit will already come with one or two offsets ("babies") or you may notice some offsets on your bulb at the end of summer. When your Amaryllis bulbs produce these offsets at the base of the original bulb, like in the image above, it is best to leave the Amaryllis "baby" attached to the mother bulb for a couple of years.

"When can I remove the Amaryllis babies?"

When you first spot the offsets on your bulb your fist instinct may be to remove the "baby" Amaryllis and place it into a pot of its own to grow. Resist the urge to remove the little Amaryllis bulb from the "mother" bulb until it grows two to three leaves. This may take about two years but in the mean time it will be producing its own set of roots and growing even larger.

Once your offset has its own root system that can properly support it you can gently twist it off of the base of the larger Amaryllis bulb and pot it up in a good sized pot. Alternately, you can leave your offsets attached to the original plant for a few years and have a much larger display off flowers. A clump of Amaryllis bulbs flowering together at the same time is a sight to behold and creates a bigger visual impact than a few flowering Amaryllis bulbs scattered around your house.

Some Amaryllis bulbs will produce more offsets than others and you could grow an Amaryllis bulb for years and it may not produce offsets. There isn't anything "wrong" with your Amaryllis bulb if it doesn't produce any "babies" and they shouldn't be expected every year and on every Amaryllis bulb. The Amaryllis offset above is growing on my 'Minerva' Amaryllis and I have a 'Apple Blossom' Amaryllis that is a smaller bulb but has many offsets while other Amaryllis bulbs have no signs of offsets.

How To Pollinate Amaryllis Bulb Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (AmaryllisBulbs) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:21:00 +0000

When you buy your first Amaryllis bulb and have the pleasure of watching the beautiful flowers unfurl you may become enamored with this wonderful bulb and want to collect more Amaryllis bulbs. Instead of buying Amaryllis bulbs to expand your bulb collection one of the things you can do is propagate your Amaryllis bulb to produce more bulbs. Amaryllis bulbs can be propagated in one of two ways, in this example I'll show you how to pollinate Amaryllis bulbs.

How to Pollinate an Amaryllis Bulb Flower

The two parts of the Amaryllis flower you need to recognize in order to pollinate your Amaryllis bulb is the pollen sack and the stigma. The pollen sack is the male part of the flower and the stigma is the female part of the flower. I've labeled these two part of the Amaryllis flower in the image above. On the second or third day after your Amaryllis flower has opened completely the pollen sacks and the stigma should look like the pollen sack and stigma in the photo above. Make note of how the stigma is opened and has three points-that means that it is ready to receive pollen. If you try to pollinate it before it opens completely like in the image above you may not have successful results.

To pollinate your Amaryllis bulb all you have to do is make the pollen come into contact with the stigma and this can be done a couple of ways. You can cut off the pollen sack and tap the pollen so that it dusts the stigma or you can take a small artist's paint brush and "paint" the pollen onto the stigma. In the Amaryllis flower photo on the right I just cut off an anther and brushed it onto the open stigma.

This photo shows the stigma of the Amaryllis coated in pollen. You can click on these images to get a slightly larger view.

Within a few days after you have coated the tips of the stigma with the pollen the flower will have started to whither away but if you were successful your pods should show signs of swelling.

In the image above the Amaryllis seed pod on the right failed to accept the pollen and become fertilized. The seed pod on the left is a nice green color and is starting to swell as it works on producing the Amaryllis seeds inside. Pods that weren't fertilized will look a little yellow and wrinkled and begin to whither away as the Amaryllis bulb concentrates on the viable seed pods.

In a couple of weeks your Amaryllis seed pods should look like the image above. Notice how they are nice and plump and green?These Amaryllis seed pods are well on their way to providing many Amaryllis seeds to be sown. When your Amaryllis bulbs sets seeds you should leave the bulb alone to do not cut the pods off and certainly do not open the seed pods yourself. In a few days after they've reached this point they will split open and you can collect the seeds.

When the Amaryllis seed pods open you'll find many Amaryllis seeds like in the picture above. The first time I successfully collected seeds from my Amaryllis I was surprised at how the seeds looked. Amaryllis seeds are flat for the most part and very papery and large enough that if any spill out of the seed pods you can easily find them.

Points to consider:

Say you have a white flowering Amaryllis bulb and you would like to cross it with a red flowering Amaryllis bulb you may want to remove the pollen from one of the plants. If for example you wanted to pollinate the white flower with a red flower's pollen you should remove the pollen sacks from the white flower before they open. The reason for this is that the pollen from the white flower could accidentally come into contact with the stigma and produce more white flowering bulbs when what you wanted was a cross between white and red.

Some Amaryllis bulbs cannot be pollinated with their own pollen. Amaryllis 'Apple Blossom' comes to mind as one of the flowers that is hard to self-pollinate. To pollinate an 'Apple Blossom' Amaryllis you need the pollen from another Amaryllis. But you can use the pollen from 'Apple Blossom' to pollinate other flowers-it just doesn't accept pollen from itself very easily.

The second part of this entry is: Sowing & Germinating Amaryllis seeds.

Here's a short video I made showing how to easily pollinate an Amaryllis flower