The amaryllis is one of the easiest and most impressive plants to grow indoors here in the North Country. No real gardening experience is needed! The bloom time coincides with the aftermath of the holiday season color and glitter, making this indoor plant a welcome splash of color once the garland, tinsel and poinsettias fade. Not only will you get a brilliant flower display indoors during this dark, cold time of year, with a little after bloom care, you can keep it a sustainable tradition in your home.
One important element needed before planting your Amaryllis bulb is PATIENCE. This is not a quick to bloom bulb. I planted my Amaryllis one month ago in anticipation of a late January, early February bloom. I timed it to bloom just around the period when I am getting sick of North Country darkness and cold. (as you can see my cat also is looking for new elements to inspect indoors this time of year!) This little giant of a plant gives me a smile and garners hope for the coming outdoor growing season. One month into its growing cycle, you can see the bud phase just beginning. Different varieties of amaryllis have different dormancy periods, Many of the varieties available during the holiday season such as Apple Blossom or Red Lion are mid season to late season respectively.
The amaryllis bulb is widely available during the holiday season. You will see gift boxes throughout many retail stores. Unfortunately buying in the enclosed gift box, you are unable to visually inspect the bulb and may get a dud…as you can see I did. I planted 2 bulbs and only one is healthy. I do suggest buying open stock that you can inspect, but frankly there are not many local outlets for such. Check with your favorite local florist/greenhouse for open stock sale.
I have grown these bulbs in 2 different mediums over the years…I have used a clear growing pot with marbles/stone and infrequent water to teach kids growing patterns as well as the growing media that comes with boxed bulbs. The key is proper planting height and watering. The neck and shoulders of the bulb should be exposed after planting. This is not like your outdoor fall bulb variety that requires so many inches under the soil. Select a sturdy pot with 1-2 inches of space around the bulb with about 3 inches of growing mix under the bulb. Water SPARINGLY and grow in a relatively cool area, 60-70 degrees without direct sunlight.
After the spectacular bloom, many people treat this as an annual, discarding the entire bulb! I recommend a little common sense practice that can lead to sustainability. After flowering, cut the stems off and treat the plant as a regular house plant. Water sparingly and fertilize regularly so the leaves grow green and lush. In the summer, move the plant to a sunny but protected space Bring the pot indoors early Fall moving it back to a cool place of 55-60 (I do so in my basement) Do not water. All the leaves will dry up and bulb go dormant. In 2-3 months it will be ready to start over using the initial planting practices.
I will keep you posted on my Amaryllis winter journey over the next few weeks. As always, making common sense and sustainability a garden habit!
Looking for friendly informative garden workshops for the coming season? The Garden Goddess is generating her schedule for 2016 Dehns Flowers and Greenhouse series. Drop her a line and let her know your interest.
