This sounds like an interesting experiment with to do with discount mass merchandiser bulbs next year. I usually can pick them up for under $3, and last year got a number after Christmas at Meijer and Lowes for a final price of either about $1.25 or $1.50 depending on exact packaging, with or without pot and disk of compacted coir planting material. I tried H. x johnsonii from Plants Delight in-ground here, it lived a couple of winters, never thrived, and slowly the 3 originial larger bulbs in the clump died off one by one, leaving a few offsets that also subsequently died. I know, it's said you should never give up trying an exotic plant until you've killed it three times. I have other bulbs survive that aren't technically hardy here, including crinum, pineapple lily, and glads. It can be done.

GM, a word about our northern climate and the soil... be very careful when using pots without drainage, especially with regular bagged potting soils. After much ado, I have opted to use unglazed clay pots and a very gritty, sharp-draining, inorganic medium with a larger particle size to pot all my bulbs in. Since abandoning regular potting soils, I haven't had any issues with rot, fungi, or even fungus gnats! It's sort of like a good bonsai medium, allowing the roots plenty of aeration and the capacity to dry out a bit faster than regular soils. I've posted a link below to an article that helped me become a better bulb gardener. By understanding what happens under the soil, and how container gardening differs so much from regular gardening, I understood better how to grow my bulbs and other plants optimally. It's a wonderful read, and I hope you take the time to really check it out! Here is a link that might be useful: Container Soils - Water Movement & Retention VI

I'm curious, Elbereth, if you don't mind... what did the store say about the red blotch? I'm sure they refunded, Costco is rather good about that... I'm just rather curious... because if one bulb in their pallet load had red blotch, it's fairly safe to assume that more were affected... I wonder where the bulbs originated... That's such a shame... I'm so sorry to hear about it... I know how disappointed I'd be, and I hope this episode doesn't turn you off to growing Amaryllis...

Okay. Thank you That is one good picture. The new leaves in the center can be seen to, now. Please be aware, that sometimes, the scapes in Hippeastrums fail to develop properly and rather hold on and will wilt.This appears to be occuring with these scapes right now.(The scape in the front look wrinkly). OR are they actually still elongating?If not, then try a rescue move the pot to a place with more heat from below. Temperatures of the substrate of up to 26deg CELSIUS are safe.