It sounds like your bulbs are doing fine-- just not doing happy-fine. Perhaps you might want to withhold water from them for a month or two-- let the leaves die off. Basically, do something to break the mundane growing cycle of these bulbs. Also, perhaps you might repot them-- free-draining soil-- water with a high phosphate fertilizer. I find that whenever I have a bulb that just sleeps and sleeps despite getting plenty of water (adequate, not over-watered) and the right amount of fertilizer, what I need to do is basically send it to its room without dinner! With-holding water usually does the trick for me.

Just my two cents (whch at the current exchange rate is worth like 300 pesos!)

Rocky Mountain Ryan

I agree with Ryan. Have you forced dormancy on them? My best pal who lives in OC turns the pots on their side in Aug/Sept and stops watering. This year she let the foliage dry back after no water and dug them up. Put them in the garage for a month or so (maybe 2...I'd have to ask) and then repotted them in January. She's got scapes galore! They need to go through a dormant period and if you live in So. Cal (do ya?) they could just stay lush and green all year. "Ya gotta be cruel to be kind...in the right measure!"

GOOD LUCK!
:-)
K (OC resident 1969-1991...UCD/Cal Poly alum!)

I tend to agree... I wouldn't do it right now, but come the end of summer, around the second week in August maybe, stop watering and move the pots into a cool, dark area to rest. If you tip the pots on their sides, it's a reminder not to water.

Give them about 8-10 weeks of rest in the cool, dark space, and then bring them back into a sunny location and resume watering. They should begin sending up scapes.

I've included a link that might help.

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Make Your Amaryllis Bloom Again

No, I'm not in So Cal, I'm in Mt. View, an hour south of San Francisco. I had forgotten all about dormancy... I can do that, thanks. They had been out on the porch with everything else, getting wet in the winter rains (such as they are) and they get no other water in the winter BUT the rains, but that's quite a bit of water. I can move them up against the apartment where it's bone dry - I can put them under the gas grill, since we can't use that anymore due to the new law re grills and wood porches/roofs. Or maybe my friends garage, which is cooler than my porch by many degrees at that time of year.

Thanks guys, I knew I could rely on you.

Always happy to help! Keep in mind that Hippeastrum bulbs require very good drainage, and they hate to be kept wet for any length of time. They can be prone to rot if the soil remains too wet for too long, so a free-draining, porous medium is best. They almost prefer to be grown like succulents.

I think a dark garage that's a bit cooler would be the best choice for a dormant bulb. It would make a nice resting place.

I must say, though... I grow all my Hippeastrum bulbs indoors in containers, and they're all treated like houseplants. They grow and rest on their own schedule, and I've never forced dormancy on any of them. I treat them as any other houseplant, watering and feeding as necessary, and re-potting when required. Most bloom every spring, following their own schedule.

Since any of these bulbs that are grown in gardens never get forced to rest, doing so on their own, I'm wondering if maybe a rest is not the problem. Usually, as long as the bulb gets good sunlight, proper watering and some fertilizer, it will grow and rest by itself, dropping leaves to nap for a while. Could there be other possible issues involved?

When was the last time they were re-potted into fresh soil? The average bulb should be re-potted about every 2-3 years. How deep are they planted? I pot mine so about half the bulb is above soil level. Have they been fed regularly? I feed mine a diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer on a regular basis. Are the bulbs, themselves, in good condition? Have you checked them for any problems such as rot, insect damage, fungal issues? How do the roots look? Are the bulbs firm in their pots, or do they wiggle and wobble when you gently try to move them, indicating a poor anchorage of roots in the pot?

There are several issues that could possibly affect the blooming of Hippeastrum bulbs. It might be prudent to cover all bases and check them for a few things...

* Massive root systems! Massive, filling the pot (6" D x 12" W)...
* Dirt was wetter than it should be, considering when I last watered. I have succulent sand & volcanic bits I can add to the new soil mix.
* Dirt was 3+ years old, so I'll be redoing that, with the succulent ingredients as part of the mix.
* Rot - may see a little bit, not sure. Some bulbs just looked a little bit slimy on the outer layer (not like my lily bulbs, which are going gangbusters), AND I'm seeing a million little teeny flecks of orangy red, which I know isn't a good sign. Payday is Friday, so I'll get some of the Schultz's 3-in-1, as mentioned earlier, and soak the bulbs in that. Remind me how long the soak should be...?
* Rather than the 1 mid-sized bulb I put in there originally, there are now 7- 5 cm bulbs in there, plus 2 or 3 2-3 cm bulblets....
* Bulbs were also too deep in the soil, so will make them conspicuously shallower when they go back in dirt on Friday.
* Would a different pot, with a different width:height ratio be better?

I live in Sunnyvale, CA, very close to the Mountain View border.

I keep my plants out in the yard until November or so. From past experience, this year is the exception, the coldest time is between mid-December and mid-February. Thus, I like this time to be the dormant time.

I put the pots on the porch, where they won't get wet, at the first winter rain. I don't want cold + wet. I don't give them any water. Some lose their leaves, but most do not.

It was just within the last few weeks that some of my adults started showing new scapes. If they don't rot, my adults tend to bloom from year to year. I have not had lots of luck with my bulblets or seedlings. I just keep trying.

Here is a picture of my porch setup. It does get a bit crowded.

{{gwi:393666}}

Actually, if it were me, I'd get an anti-fungal powder, Captan by Bonide is a good one... and I'd clean up the bulbs, carefully peeling away the outer dried and dead papery layers. Using a clean, sharp knife, carefully cut away any rotten areas. Be careful of the basal plate, as the bulb needs that to grow roots. If you do need to cut away any rot, you'll want to let the bulbs dry for a couple of days before potting. Then, I'd dust the bulbs with a bit of Captan anti-fungal powder, and re-pot into a porous free-draining medium.

Size of pot should leave about 2-3 inches between the bulb and the side of the pot, all the way around. You can separate the offsets and put them in their own pot, or simply get a big pot so there's space between the bulbs. It's not good to over-pot or under-pot plants and bulbs, so choosing the right pot is rather important. Make certain it has decent drainage.

I use the Schultz's 3in1 spray for insects, mainly, and I've only used it as a spray... not a soak. I've never had need to soak any of my bulbs, so I'm not the one to ask about that procedure.

I place my bulbs about half into the soil, leaving half above soil level. I'm not sure what the correct height of a pot is for Hippeastrum bulbs... I just choose my pots with the width in mind, and the height gets taller as the pot gets wider. I use mainly clay pots, though. I hate plastic... they stay wet too long at the rootball.

I hope this helps a bit. Good luck.

I did start using Captan on my poor bulbs from EasyToGrow.

It may be co-incidence, but a bit later, I broke out with hives. The hives are controlled with an over-the-counter antihistamine. That is good. But they have not disappeared, not so good. I've been in an antihistamine induced fog, on and off, four about a month now.

At first I thought it was bed bugs or poison oak.

I'm not certain it was the Captan, but that is the only thing I am aware of that is new. I did use gloves and I tried to be careful. Still, it is possible. I have not washed the Captan off of the bulbs that were treated. However, I'm no longer sticking my finger in the soil to test for moisture. I think that I could be accidentally re-exposing myself just by tending to those bulbs.

I won't really know for sure unless the hives go away at some point and come back the next time I use Captan, assuming I'm brave enough to try it again.

Even if I am allergic to it, that does not mean that others will be. Perhaps I should stick with Sulfur.

Meh - I take antihistimines every day anyway, what's a little more cause... ;) I have a moisture sensor thinger, or chopsticks, and I can check the saucer underneath, or heft the pot itself. My finger knuckles don't much like being pushed into anything but very soft soil, so I don't do that much anymore. How heavy were your gloves? Garden gloves (woven), dish gloves, or nurses type gloves?

So, Captan vs. 3 in 1...

Any notion what all those orange-red speckles are on the bulbs? Are they the reason I ought to try the Captan?

If you take antihistamine anyway, you might never know if you have a mild reaction. I was taking antihistamines for a different cause for about a week before I noticed anything.

The gloves were garden gloves, but rubber, not woven. I used dry Captan, which I brushed on. Since the stuff was a powder, in theory, it could drop off, and probably still can. I don't use gloves when I move the plants to get a closer look at them. I have also touched my skin with a skewer to test the moisture. I can't tell just by looking at the skewer. All the Captan treated plants are in my office.

The advantage of Captan over sulfur is that I have never seen a warning about using it and Neem Oil, an ingredient in Schultz 3-in-1 fungicide. There is a warning on sulfur products that Neem oil and sulfur together can kill the plant. I have not killed any that way yet, but I do worry about it.

There can actually be several reasons for any reddish marks or spots on Hippeastrum bulbs. The shape and configuration might tell you which problem you have.

These bulbs tend to show red marks when any bruising occurs, or at the edge of cut or wounded areas. Certain fungal problems can show up as red splotches, and a certain type of microscopic mite can be responsible for other red markings.

Tarsonemid mites leave damage in the form of red streaking on the lower parts of leaves and scapes. I've found the 3in1 spray to be helpful in controlling this problem, as long as it's caught early on. A few treatments at intervals seems to eliminate the mites and their hatchlings. Severely infested bulbs should be destroyed, however.

Certain fungi attack Hippeastrum bulbs, leaving red splotching. Stagonospora, or red spot, is a common fungus that leaves red marks, as is Fusarium, or basal rot. Mild cases of fungi can be treated with anti-fungal products, such as Captan. Some use sulphur products, though I've never tried those.

Severely rotten bulbs are usually best destroyed, though mild cases can be cured by removing the rotten areas, dusting with an anti-fungal, and allowing the bulb to dry before re-potting.

Serious growers of Hippeastrum bulbs can benefit greatly by reading "Hippeastrum, The Gardener's Amaryllis" by Veronica Read. It's a fantastic book containing everything you ever wanted to know about these bulbs. It's a staple in my own gardening library.

The internet also contains more than its share of good information on how to recognize and treat the pests associated with these bulbs... I hope something I've written can help you find out what the red marks are on your bulbs. It would be prudent to look up the insects and fungus I've listed, and see which might be your problem, and how it's best handled.

I've been using Captan, myself, for the last couple of years... and I've not experienced any reactions. However, there could be an ingredient that some are allergic to... or, the allergy could be caused by something else, and the connection simply not made. It's often difficult to tell without going to your doctor for allergy testing. If the hives persist, I'd make an appointment!

Can our amaryllis be left outside all summer?
Jackie

Just went to 3 different nurseries here in the SF Bay area, and according to the lady at the last one (not a big box or chain) Captan isn't sold retail in California, just wholesale, to be added to paint as a mildewcide. Nor was I able to find any Schultz's 3 in 1, HOWEVER, they looked it up for me in their ginormous catalog, and the main ingredient in it is Neem, which I already have on hand. So, I have sprayed the heck out of all bits of the bulbs and roots and leaves, and they're stinking up the porch, and will be repotted in the morning.

Got myself a cheesy light meter too, and I'll see just how much light the porch gets in the morning hours. The 5 p.m. reading was a big fat 0, although it wasn't dark, just no longer sunny. Sigh. Hope the morning reading is better, or I'll understand why some stuff refuses to bloom....

Jackie, I leave my amaryllis outside all year-round. They get full summer sun in Phoenix and they LOVE IT! They get watered by my lawn sprinklers, but when its 110 degrees outside, there's no such thing as too much water.

Java, Benadryl (aka diphenhydramine) is the active ingredient in most over the counter sleep aids. So the fact your groggy comes as no surprise. Depending on the quantity and location of your hives, may I suggest using TOPICAL Benedryl gel? Every drug store will have it, it comes in a small white bottle with teal print. You can apply it locally to each hive without the nasty drowsiness. The stuff is amazing for taking away the itch from mosquito bites too!

I have a few questions related to the original topic here....

1st, is it possible the attached pups are draining energy from mama bulb, and that's why she's not blooming? Too focused on the kids to worry about herself?

2nd, for me to grow tulips in Phoenix and get a second year of blooms from them, I dig them up, clean them up, dry them out and put them in a brown paper bag in the fridge for a few weeks. Is it possible to do the same treatment for an amaryllis to force dormancy, or is the fridge TOO cold? Mind you, if you use this method, you CAN NOT have fresh produce in your fridge.

Last question, maybe. There was only one layer of 'skin' on the bulbs, and that got peeled off so I could look at the flesh and see the red specks. Now that I will be repotting them at a shallower level (a more proper level), will the uncovered white flesh be at risk for burning until some color comes up?

I thought Phoenix got cold enough in the winter that you wouldn't need to chill your bulbs? I know the short time I spent in Tucson as a teen, NOBODY would have needed to dig up and chill bulbs, it snowed a inch or so, and stuck, 2 out of the 3 winters I was there! I guess I didn't realize Phoenix was so much warmer?!

Ryan-- You could feasibly chill your bulbs like that-- but I do warn you that fridge temps are likely too cold. Some people here bought wine chillers and used a moderate setting to chill their bulbs-- some had success others not so much-- especially since some of them locally froze their bulbs (inadequate air circ?). I know in my fridge we have this one spot at the bottom that develops a ice patch, despite the temp inside reading at around 35F. That much ice should not form if its only 35F! Regarding the pups-- it is possible, though if the bulb has leaves it shouldn't be the case. It never hurts to get rid of a few pups to preserve the mother though, in my opinion.

minflick-- the skin of the bulb will likely not burn-- though it may turn a vibrant green! Though the skin isn't necessarily designed to photosynthesize, it is plant tissue and I have found mine simply turn green.

Ryan a la Rocky

Minflick, how long ago did you live in Tucson? Phoenix is a little bit warmer than Tucson on average. However, the Phoenix of today is significantly warmer than the Phoenix of ten or 15 years ago. Its the heat island effect, so much concrete and asphalt. As a child, I remember getting NIGHTLY monsoon thunderstorms in the summer. Now, we're lucky to get two or three a month. The concrete affects the weather patterns. Now the storms move around the city, and have to be incredibly strong to move THROUGH the city.

Tulip bulbs in particular only create the flower within the bulbs when the temps are down around 45 for an extended period. Without enough winter chill they will never bloom.

Could be a struggle to make room in the wine fridge for the Amaryllis. My Christmas cactus takes up most of it. For it to bloom again, Christmas cactus needs chill and a certain number of hours a day of complete darkness, and the wine fridge turns out to be the perfect place to do that!

Green would be normal, hence a good thing! Green would make me happy, so thanks for letting me know they won't burn. The just look SO tender and white out there I was worried.

Oh, and the light levels? Zip if the sensor is out of the sun, and 2000+ if the sensor is in the sun. No middle ground apparently. Like I said, a cheesy light sensor... Glah. Will have to hope things do well in spite of me.

In my experience, some varieties of Hippeastrum that produce offsets should have those babies removed when they are large enough, have their own roots, and can support themselves. Otherwise, it seems that they do sap the strength of the mother bulb to a certain extent... certainly enough to cause the mother bulb not to bloom.

Light could be another factor... if the bulbs don't get enough light to recharge themselves, they won't have enough energy stored to rebloom. If the bulbs aren't fed enough, they won't bloom, either.

Forcing dormancy and chilling in a refrigerator can work under the right circumstances... the temperature should be maintained steadily, without too much fluctuation... and the bulbs must be carefully dried and wrapped loosely in something that will keep them from touching the sides or bottom of the refrigeration unit, and keep them from sitting in any kind of condensation. Wrapping them loosely in newspaper and placing them in a cardboard box before placing them in the refrigerator might work fairly well for this.

Having never refrigerated any of my own bulbs, I'm not certain what the proper temperature would be, but I would definitely check on this first, to be sure you're not harming your bulbs. Hippeastrums cannot be frozen.

Well, they're in a new pot, with new dirt, and they're up higher with 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulb out of the dirt. Less moisture retentive soil, with a little bit of manure in it, and I won't water them as much as I had been.

Wish me luck.

Good luck... I'm sure if you keep an eye on them and cater to their needs, making sure they get proper culture, they'll do just fine.

The keys to successful growing of these bulbs is observing them, and just making sure they get enough light, not too much moisture, and feeding them... all so they can recharge every year to bloom the next cycle.