I'm not sure, but I would suspect it has something to do with how the bulb expends its energy and renews it. I've never cut my scapes for any reason, other than a potential problem, so I don't really have an answer to this question.

I grow all my bulbs indoors in containers... they get light from the windows and supplemental lighting that is hung above. Perhaps you need better lighting? What sort of lighting do you provide, and what is the environment like?

There could be other factors that cause weak leaves... if you describe your set-up and how your grow your bulbs, perhaps someone will have an idea about how to get stronger leaf growth.

Bob,

I believe that what Veronica is trying to say is that by forcing the bulbs continuously to produce blooms without consideration of allowing the bulb to gain more substance and allow the proper nutrition and rest, the bulb will eventually deteriorate.

In other words, by forcing the bulb to produce blooms, they are not allowing the bulb to do as it would naturally do and build more strength and bulb size.

Hippeastrum need time to rebuild their bulb strength, in between bloom cycles. The more time allowed to rebuild bulb structure, the better health of the bulb.

A bulb, forced to bloom too early, by refrigeration or otherwise (like withdrawing water) will obviously NOT be as strong as it would if given more ample time to grow before producing the blooms.

Does that make sense?

I agree with Jodi. I don't think cut flower is the direct cause for your issue. Lighting is probably what you need to improve on.

Elizabeth is on to something with her comments about forcing the bulb to bloom. If the florist can get a shorter turn around time between blooms, the more money they will make, but the more they will deplete the bulb of energy. I would imagine in your case that cutting the scape would have minimal impact on the bulb because you're not trying to force the bulb to bloom again outside of its normal annual cycle.

I imagine any negative effect could also be countered by allowing your amaryllis to soak up some natural sunlight when your weather warms up, and its safe to put the pots outdoors. Just introduce them gradually to avoid shocking the plant and burning the foliage.

Thankyou everyone for your responses.

In the basement, I grow the amaryllis under flourescent tube lighting (about 16 hours a day) supplemented with some halogen floods. That lighting seems to be good for them and the amaryllis do fine down there. It is bringing them upstairs to the counter that is problematic b/c the light is poor where my wife likes to display them (I wish that we had a sunny south window for both growth and display but we don't) Our kitchen/dining/living room windows face east to a beautifully treed backyard and a cover over the deck, so the light is poor there. That is why I grow them downstairs then cut them and bring the cut flowers upstairs for us to enjoy.

I hope Elizabeth's and phoenixryan's comments are correct. They do make a lot of sense to me; i.e., it is the forcing (without enough time for both foliage growth and rest) rather than the cutting that causes the short life of commercially grown bulbs for the cut flower market.

Thankyou again.

Bob

Elizabeth is correct... the more I think on it, the more I understand what was being said.

I read an article in a magazine last year that said you could force about 2-3 bloom cycles per year out of a Hippeastrum bulb... but the downside of all that forcing is that you eventually end up with a depleted bulb that turns into nothing more than a papery husk. At that point, you pitch what's left and begin fresh with a new bulb.

Since we are all collectors, and some of us dabble in breeding, it's to our advantage to care for our collections properly and give them all the light, water and feed necessary to recharge or rebuild the bulbs, and allow them to bloom naturally, one cycle per year. Some people, like Ryan in Denver, get 2 natural cycles per year out of some bulbs, but that has to do with his elevation and other factors... it's not forced.

Once a bulb begins to bloom, you can move the entire plant into a cooler, dimmer location to make the flowers last a maximum amount of time... if you put the plant back under lights as soon as the flowers begin to fade, the plants should be fine.

If at all possible, it's good to take your bulbs outdoors, once the danger of frost has passed, and allow them to enjoy the natural light of the sun. Many people take their collections outside for the summer, and bring them back indoors once the summer begins to turn into autumn, before it gets cold.

Try allowing the flowers to remain on the plants, and simply bring the pot up to enjoy its blooms... once the blooms start fading, take it back down to the basement, and trade it out for the next bulb in bloom. Then, only cut the faded stalks off the bulb. This may help your bulbs stick with an annual cycle... you can also adjust the timers on your lights to simulate lengthening and shortening days, though I would read more about growing under lights before doing so... I, myself, am not very knowledgeable about proper adjustment of lighting for different purposes.

I recently read some text, which I have forgotten the source of,where someone was saying that cutting a scape low on the bulb would cause another scape to form and emerge,because of "survival" genetics.I don't plan to try it.I can't think of a need I would have for it.
Del

That, I've never read or heard... I'd have to see that one in action to believe it, though... my experience tells me that survival instinct mainly consists of growing offsets.

I'm wondering if whomever wrote that may have had a bulb that simply put out 3 scapes, and would have done so even without a haircut. Without knowing the circumstances surrounding the incident, I couldn't say whether or not that was true...

An interesting thought, though...

I am curious about how an Amaryllis cut flower is done.
Do you cut the whole scape or just cut the flower off the scape. Then do you provide the cut flower water so that it last longer and how?

I use cut amaryllis in my flower business all winter. IT is why I have so many bulbs. I just cut the flower when it is first opening and put it in my regular flower food water. (2T table sugar to a gallon of water with 1 tsp household bleach.) Cut the stem what ever length you want for your arrangement. What is left on the plant will just wither like they do after blooming.

The sugar in the solution feeds the flower so it lasts longer and the bleach kills any bacteria on the plant stems and prevents the vase water growing bacteria. The bacteria in the vase water is what shortens the life of the arrangement. IF it begins to get cloudy, dump and wash the vase and refil with fresh solution. Washing the vase is very important and you would be surprised how many people will use a not clean vase and complain that their flowers just do not last! We always put our vases through the dishwasher to sterilize them.

A bouquet should also be kept out of direct sun or away from a heat source. THe cooler and darker you keep it the longer it will last. Frequently when we pick up last weeks bouquets, the tulips and other flowers will be finished but we can pull the amaryllis out and enjoy it ourselves for another 2 weeks at home! At one church last week they had 3 of our bouquets out...one from 2 weeks ago, one from the week before and the fresh one up front. ALl looked pretty still. The church must have been kept cold during the week!

THe bouquet I delivered this morning had forsythia just bursting into bloom, a smallish red amaryllis stem just bursting into flower, red tulips forced in my greenhouse, and both yellow and white daffodils picked from outside and opened in my kitchen. Talk about cheerful! I delivered it in the midst of falling snow.

I can hardly wait for our outdoor spring flowers so I can open my new sales booth!

I went throught the messages and didn't see this (sorry if I missed it): when we buy our bulbs, they are nice and firm. Really hard almost. Then...we have all noticed that as they send out scapes, they seem to get weaker. Some have noted that it's almost like the layers are separating. We ask our bulbs to give us these amazing blooms on a very complicated scape...of course it's going to take moisture and nutrients from the bulb. I had observed with these bulbs that put out 3 and now 4 scapes...they probably weigh 20% less than they did when I got them.

I have read that you let the scape collapse and wilt, then cut it off. That allows the bulb to recoup some of the energy it put into producing the scape.

Also...a plant's bloom is its attempt to reproduce. Some plants will bloom under horrible conditions (admit it...forcing a bulb is less than idea. Here's some dirt and a little water...now bloom dammit!). We feed them during the spring/summer when they are growing leaves in an effort to build them up to bloom again NEXT SPRING. But...for those bulbs that are forced over and over to bloom multiple times per year (outside those that wouldn't do this anyway), aren't we pushing them a little too hard?? It's bloom, rest a little but not much, BLOOM, rest a little and BLOOM AGAIN! After a while (and I know they don't have a brain...but if they did...) they'd say...FORGET IT...I'm outta here, and the bulb, which has never been given a chance to fully rebuild its nutrient storage system, whithers and dies.

Those are just my thoughts. I have already seen bulbs this year who have bloomed and all the juice from their scape has gone back to the bulb. Has anyone ever cut off a scape and had it full of water (that of course gushes out all over)? That's all fluid intended to plump the bulb back up! Another reason why you should let the leaves die back in the fall before you whack them all off. It allows the sugars and starches, etc return to the bulb.

Sorry if I'm anthropomorphizing my bulbs. Each has their own personality....but they don't talk to me! (and when they do, I pretend I don't hear them!).

K (back from the brink)

I've never cut a scape off any of my bulbs... and, as a matter of fact, I usually wait until they're withered and dried before gently breaking or cutting them them off the bulb. The main reason I let them hang around so long is because I might have use for the pollen that hangs on the dried out anthers... and I don't have the proper jars or containers needed to store the pollen.

Personally, I've always felt it best to allow plants to grow and bloom on their own schedules, instead of dictating a different one that they wouldn't ordinarily undertake. It's bad enough that I've taken them out of their natural element, and forced them to live in less than stellar circumstances! The indoor environment of the average home is heck and gone from their natural habitat!

Come to think of it, I don't remove leaves until those are crispy and dry, either! In other words, I care for my bulbs and plants to the best of my ability, and I let them tell me what they need. I listen by feeling the soil, watching their growth, and observing throughout the seasons how they respond to the natural light coming in the windows, and the temperature, etc...

I have found that a green thumb is nothing more than applied knowledge... the more I know about the plants I grow, and the better I apply that knowledge to growing them, the greener my thumb!

Great information!
I am actually proud of being here participating this great forum.

Thanks a lot, GM

I agree gmwill, there are a lot of good contributions in these postings.

I had my wife read this thread and her idea seems to be a perfect compromise. She really prefers to float the amaryllis flowers, without the scape, in a bowl of water (I admit, they do look great that way)

That way, I can cut the flower off for her but leave the scape on the bulb to die back naturally, adding to the strength of the bulb.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions!

Bob

That sounds like a pretty way to display the flowers... are they light enough to float on water, though? I know some of the blooms are either rather heavy, or rather tubular shaped, which might also hinder their appearance when placed on water in a bowl.

The concept is a good one, though... I hope it works out nicely for your wife! :-)

Kaboehm & Jodi are both on to something here. I'd say a full half of being a good gardener is being a good listener. If you pay attention, your plants will tell you what they need.

Yup I agree, if you're listening, plants will talk to you. I've found, though, that I have to be careful who I share that with. I think the lady in Smith & Hawken got a little freaked out last week when I told her I could here those poor wrinkly bulbs shouting out to be potted. Maybe that's why she sold them to me for $4 each - she felt sorry for me ;-) Alana

hehehe, some people just don't get it! Plants are people too! ;-)

She didn't feel sorry for you, Alana... she wanted to get you out of the store quickly and quietly because she though you were loony tunes! Hahahaha!! :-) Just funnin' with ya!

But seriously... what I mean by listening to your plants is... watching them throughout the seasons, and as they grow... feeling the soil for moisture and watching the soil level, re-potting when it compacts from decomposing... noticing the color and size of the leaves... watching where the light falls from the window throughout the day, watching for salt build up on the pots, etc...

Your plants will tell you when they need water, food, re-potting, to be moved, to be leached, etc... you just need to be observant and use your senses. Keeping records helps, too... though, I'm lazy and don't ever think to write certain things down.

Lizalily, your bouquets of cut flowers sound gorgeous - can you post some pics? Alana

Lizalily's bouquets are gorgeous! I, too, would like to see more photos! Using Hippeastrum blooms in her arrangements make them really pop! I wish I'd have had this hobby when I got married... I'd have used my flowers in the bouquets!

Lizalily... please? Post some of your lovely floral arrangements!

Yes Lizaliy ... I am also dying to see your lovely floral arrangements.

I stumbled upon this website yesterday. The site has good info about the suitability of the varieties for planting in pots, as cut flowers etc. Pretty handy and practical info, I believe. Some of the varieties I never heard of and are gorgeous!

Hatta

Here is a link that might be useful: Penning Freesia & Amaryllis

Thanks Hatta - I've completely forgotten about freesias. I had tried them quite awhile ago in the ground without success, but I think it's time to try again in planters this year. Such lovely colors this web site had! Alana

I keep forgetting to photograph my arrangements before delivering them. I photographed everything 3 yrs ago and haven't gotten back in the habit! Have one to deliver tomorrow so will try to remember! I don't think it is going to have an amaryllis though, because all I have blooming are reds and this one will have hellebores and pink dawn viburnum and maybe daffodils if I can get to them under today's surprise snowfall!

This is supposed to be Spring time here in the Northwest! Crazy old snow! I am worried about this growing season in the garden. I may have to adapt tactics from some of you in less temperate climes! Problem is, you are feared for more summer heat then we get, and I doubt we will get much summer heat this year if it is like last summer. We may not get summer for more then a couple of days this year! In a week it will be our 42nd anniversary and I remember then that the plum blossoms and forsythia were almost done cause Mom had a hard time finding enough to bring for our college wedding. The Forsythia could pop in a week of warm weather this year but doubt if we will have plum blossoms for another 2 weeks.

I woke up this morning to more then 2" of heavy snow and it was coming down like crazy! THat means we will probably get more tonight but this may melt off during the day.

I saw on the news yesterday that the western states and higher elevations were getting hit with snow... and yesterday, we were out and about in shirtsleeves! It was beautiful weather here in my neck of the woods!

We have a saying here, though... if you don't like the weather, wait a minute. Illinois weather is known to change rather rapidly, not adhere to any forecasts, and you're wise to carry a jacket no matter what time of year it is!

I hope you're able to gather the necessary blooms for your arrangements! They're so lovely... if there were more people here that I thought would appreciate the effort, I'd gather bouquets on a regular basis.

Speaking of Viburnum... it's about time for me to go out and cut branches of items for forcing! Lilacs, Pussywillow, Forsythia, and a few others... time to get out my clippers and my good knife!

Lizalily, you need to get back in the habit of getting photos of your bouquets... mainly because we really want to see them :-)... but also because it's nice to have a portfolio full of examples of your art!

I hope your snow melts and spring greets you very, very soon!