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Amaryllis/Hippeastrum

What do you do with Amaryllis Bulbs

15 years ago

A friend at work gave me a ton of seeds / bulbs. Including a bag labelled "Amaryllis". I only know them from the Christams kits (which from the looks of some of the other posts I checked out on this forum can be kind of dicey). Can these be planted out outside in the Spring, or really just forced inside?

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Comments (11)

larschar
15 years ago
Omigoodness. YES they can be forced! Are you in zone 5 like me?
larschar
15 years ago
I'm so excited for you! I wish someone would give me a ton of seeds and bulbs!!! You lucky little thing! How many bulbs are there? Are they green at all? Are any of them sprouting? I can't wait to hear!!!!!
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What to do with this Amaryllis...
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Comments (19)
Hi CaroleOH: Although you've already received excellent advice from Hans-Werner, I thought that I would add my $0.02 to the discussion. So here goes: I've posted this response elsewhere and am modifying it very briefly - mostly due to the time factor - lots of stuff to plant - I am still working out in the garden planting some last minute items, I decided to take a short "coffee break" ;>) - mostly to warm up a bit - and saw your posting. If you've planted your Amaryllis, unpot it, and buy a far bigger pot and re-pot it - as soon as possible - per the recommended suggestions discussed below. I've grown these bulbs for a number of years and one of the "tricks" is to place them in a much larger pot than is usually recommended. Currently, I have a Amaryllis bulb planted in a 16 inch diamter pot and it is doing very, very well. If fact, it has three "kids" growing around the mother bulb. Many years ago, when I went to repot one of my bulbs and noted that the roots of these bulbs were comparatively large and I came to the conclusion that the usually recommended procedure of the "forcing" i.e. planting - of these bulbs in pots that are just an inch or two larger than the diameter of the bulb is FALSE - mainly because there is insufficient room for root growth and equally insufficient room for the take up of nutrients let alone enough room for good nourishment. In short, there seems to be no logic to place these bulbs in a 'straight-jacket' and expect them to grow in stature or longevity. No human being can "grow" under such straight-jacket conditions, so why should we come to believe that the same method should be more than 'suitable' for plants. Doesn't make any sense. Consequently, I repotted my bulbs in much larger pots 12 - 16 inches minimum. Of course, I trimmed the roots and got rid of much of the 'old' soil and gave the bulb a nice new home of good potting soil. I would highly recommend that you pot your Amaryllis in a good sized 14 or 16 inch pot with some depth to it. One of the consequences of this development was the magnificant array of blooms that I experienced in their third year of growth. Not only did the bulb grow larger, but the mother bulb gave 'birth' to several 'kids' so that I ended up with three or four or more stalks all full of bloom one Christmas. Lovely - absolutely lovely. I had two stalks coming off of the mother bulb. One of the responses to your posting has given you photographic evidence of this occurrence. When this number of bulbs are in bloom, they are a joy to experience. I did repot my current bulb in the fall of last year into a 16 inch pot, because I had one 'kid' who was making it's appearance. We have a horticultural program where I work and I donated the 'kid' to the program and it was potted up in a nice large pot. Sure enough, the 'kid' came into bloom this spring. Another source for my idea and inspiration was the story I was told about one of the former employees working at Kelly's Seed & Hardware in Peoria, IL. This employee - of German heritage - planted his Amaryllis bulbs outside in the late spring and early summer in a very deeply prepared and in a very loose soil structure. He fertilized and watered them on a regular basis and ended up with Soccer sized Amaryllis bulbs in the late fall. I would have loved to see his bulbs and talked with him about how he accomplished this, but I do think that planting these bulbs in far larger pots than usually recommended is very beneficial (and equally enjoyable). With regard to a suggested soil mixture, I would purchase a very good, loose, humusy soil mixture or make one up myself with good potting soil, some perlite, some aged cow manure, and some sphagnum peat moss and then give the bulb and soil a very good soaking of 1/2 strength fertilizer and then let it rest for a bit and then water it until water drains out of the bottom. Some time later, you can then give it another good soaking with 1/2 strength fertilizer and from then give some watering when needed. And repeat the process of fertilzing, then watering as needed, i.e. let the top few inches of the soil dry out and use your finger as a "tester". Hope this information also becomes more than inspirational in your Amaryllis growing efforts. Bill
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Amaryllis Bulbs never died...what do I do with them?
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The normal bloom time for Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is early summer or late spring. If you want to force for blooming out of season, the energy of the bulb needs to be boosted by a full summer in the growing season. Then forced into an early dormancy which can be broken when you want it to bloom out of season. It is too late to force dormancy this year. I would let them go into normal dormant state in the sunroom and next spring after the last frost, either plant them in the garden, or sink the pot in the garden, and enjoy an early bloom, allow the plant to flourish through the summer until late Aug. or early Sept. when you can force into dormancy, and force into bloom after at least 2 months of the dormant state. You will probably be a little late for the holidays. Good luck. Al
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What is the biggest amaryllis bulb you have?
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Fattening them up would require ample sunlight, plenty of fertilizer, decent fresh soil, and room for the root system. A careful watering schedule is in order, as well. They don't like "wet feet", of course... so it's best to allow them to dry out a bit in between waterings. If your bulbs don't receive the light or the food they need, they won't regain any size, and they won't be properly recharged for the following cycle of bloom. If you can, take your potted bulbs outdoors for the warmer months, and take good care of them... they should reward you by gaining some girth and blooming again the following cycle.
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What potting mix do you use for your amaryllis?
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Comments (6)
Barb, try mixing a bit of vermiculite into Al's Mix for added help in retaining water... I can't tell you how flattering it is to find one of my threads used as a link for informational purposes! I certainly hope someone is able to draw some good conclusions and useful information from it! My medium of choice is, of course, mainly inorganic... it's comprised of pine bark particles, turface or granite chips, perlite, a bit of vermiculite, and occasionally a handful of quality bagged potting mix. I water from the top, leaching occasionally to remove any salt and mineral build-up, and the majority of my bulbs remain indoors all year long, with an eastern exposure and supplemental lighting. Since I grow indoors, my bulbs are exposed to heat from the furnace in winter and cool air from the AC unit in summer... in other words, the temperature is rather consistent all year long. The only thing that really changes is the sun coming in the east facing window... in spring, the days lengthen... and in winter, they shorten. One very important thing to remember is that a container environment is VERY different from a garden environment... In the garden, there is a constantly working and self-balancing palate of worms, insects, nematodes, micro-organisms, bacterias and fungi... they are constantly breaking down the soil components, helping to keep it aerated, and digesting any organic materials which makes it available to the plants for food. That's one of the reasons organic fertilizers work so well in the garden... they have help! All this decomp and action keeps a balance of "good and bad". In a container, we don't have those things... so it's important that the decomp be very slow, that the medium provides for excellent aeration and drainage, and that we carefully water and feed a fertilizer that is readily available to our plants for use. I'm lazy indoors, and quite busy working outside for as much of the year as I possibly can... so I might re-pot my bulbs once every 3 years, or sooner or later depending on how they're growing. For fertilizer, I use a regular store bought liquid for houseplants and I supplement with a micro-nutrient. Right now, I'm using Miracle-Gro liquid. It's better to keep a plant on a constant feeding schedule with a low dose of food than to risk burning the plant with higher doses less often... and so, I use a diluted mix of liquid food and water about every other time I water. I use the food at about half-strength or less. When choosing a decent medium for your bulbs, it's important to think about where you'll be growing them, what the climate and environment is like, and how much time you'll be able to devote to growing. Proper watering is going to play a key role in growing anything in a container. More plants are killed by over-watering than any other one thing! Bulbs are very forgiving, and it's actually better to err on the dry side with Hippeastrums... if you're not sure you can feel moisture when checking the soil, it's better to wait until you're certain they're dry than to overdo the moisture... while the soil surface my feel dry, the actual area around the root ball may be plenty moist. And since Hippeastrum bulbs are prone to rotting in a poor environment, it would be better to make certain the bulb needs a drink. My pot of choice is an unglazed clay one... the material is porous and allows for "breathing"... the porosity also allows excess salts and minerals to exit, collecting around the outside of the pot. It can be wiped away and the plant leached with plenty of clear water. I will use plastic pots if I have no other choice, but I try to re-pot into clay as soon as I am able. I find that plastic holds too much moisture for too long in my particular environment. I think I've answered all the questions asked in the original post... but if I missed anything, please ask again! I'd be happy to share my growing methods, and perhaps something I share will be usable information for someone! We all have to take into consideration our climate, the environment we can provide for our bulbs, and what materials will be available to us. Hippeastrum bulbs are very resilient, but the better we care for them, the more rewarding they will be! Happy Gardening!
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jodik_gw
15 years ago
In your zone, they're best planted in containers and kept indoors during cold weather. Amaryllis are really Hippeastrum, and they're tender bulbs originating in South America.

You can plant them outside in spring, after the danger of frost has passed, but they will need to be dug and stored for winter, like Cannas or Glads.

If you're interested in growing them, you can find a wealth of great information here in the forum... from basic culture to forcing, and beyond! Most of us who post here on a regular basis are bulb addicts, and some of us delve into pollinating and breeding different crosses.

Hippeastrum bulbs are really easy to grow once you know the basics, and the flowers are like no others, large and gorgeous!

Once you've given growing them a try, and had some success, there's a distinct possibility that you'll become as hooked as we are! In any case, we're here to help... so, if you have questions, we'll do our best to answer.

Hippeastrum bulbs prefer a porous, well-draining soil, and they hate to have wet feet... it's best to allow the soil to dry out a bit in between waterings. They need lots of sunlight, decent air circulation, and fertilizer every once in a while.

They can be grown as houseplants, in which case they'll normally flower in spring if they're getting good care.

Good Luck!
lisa_neenah
Original Author
15 years ago
Okay, now I'm excited. I am in zone 5, and can't believe how I made out. I felt so guilty, and was like "can I take half, you could share with someone else" - bags of calla bulbs, canna bulbs, crocus, paperwhites, and about a gajillion seeds all nicely labeled!). She said "If I didn't want you to have them I wouldn't offer" and laughed at me. There are four really healthy looking Amaryllis, one with a green tip, so I think I'll pot that up now. The others will go in chilly storage with my cannas, and I think I'll start them with my other tender bulbs and plant them outside. Did I mention I'm so excited?
ryan820
15 years ago
Lisa--

Don't listen to these people-- they're only trying to fool you!

What you need to do is send them to me. :o)

Ryan
larschar
15 years ago
No, I hear that Ryan kills bulbs for pleasure. It would be in the best interest of the bulbs if they were sent to me :-) Take that! Mwahahahaha

Yeah, Lisa. You are so lucky! Maybe this is kismet telling you that you need to collect bulbs :-) Pot those amaryllis up in pots that are 1-2 inches bigger than they are around. That isn't all that necessary, just suggested. Some of mine when acquired were living in larger pots and seemed quite happy.

Plant them with at least 1/3 of the bulb above the soil. Some of mine are 1/2, some of them are 3/4. I've heard a lot of people do it differently. Just make sure that at least 1/3 is free of dirt. That way the "neck" can stay nice and dry. We don't want these babies to rot, now do we? I can't wait for them to bloom for you. Do you have any idea what type or color they are?
chazparas
15 years ago
Lisa, don't keep them stored too long even chilled the future flower scapes can dry out. I've had some that I planted out and bloomed in my NY garden years ago, but they have to be dug and stored over winter. They were never as happy as when kept growing longer in pots up north. I treat mine as jodik does and let them grow on their own schedules.
jodik_gw
15 years ago
I didn't know that, Chaz, that you grew yours like I do! How cool! :-)

They do like to summer outdoors to enjoy some dappled sun and fresh air... but they will need to be brought in before frost hits. You can place the pots in sunny windows, and just let them grow. I've invested in decent supplemental lighting to give mine a boost. My east facing window is sunny, but it's not enough in winter.

It sounds like you made out like a plant bandit, Lisa! I'm happy to hear that you're excited! Growing and flowering these bulbs is a wonderful hobby, and it gives us something to do during winter, to take our minds off the cold and the winter blues! If you check in here regularly, you'll see all the excitement of the season... we're just about to go nuts with posting bloom pictures, and we're right in the middle of the purchase season! This goes on from early fall, when the bulbs first appear at garden centers and in catalogs, until very late winter when the last of the blooms is posted for sharing! I think you'll enjoy it!

Everyone is giving you great advice, so far... keep an eye on those bulbs you don't pot up right away... if any start sprouting, they're telling you they want to be potted so they can grow!

Welcome! I hope you enjoy this, your first bulb season, as much as we all do! :-)
ryan820
15 years ago
Those bulbs got what was coming to'um!

No really....provided you have the room-- like the others have said, pot them up and let them grow. There are several of us here on the forums that let our bulbs grow in their pots year round-- and frankly I think its just fine by them. I un-potted my bulbs because I moved recently and it was easier to move-- but they are miserable bulbs right now. Once they all get put back into pots, that is where they will stay until they get a biennial re-potting (or so).

Ryan, the bad bulb killer.
lisa_neenah
Original Author
15 years ago
Okay, you guys are laugh out loud funny. I'll be potting them up when I get back from work today. Should be fun. Checking out the other links and google has been pretty insightful too. I didn't realize you could get them to set seed. Say seed and I perk right up.
jodik_gw
15 years ago
Oh, yes! While it takes patience to grow them to flower from seed, pollinating them and getting seed is fairly easy! You can take pollen from any Hippeastrum donor flower and brush it onto a receiving flower, even pollinating blooms from the same scape. Crossing or self-pollinating is simple... with the best possible care, you can get bulbs to grow from seed and flower in a minimum of two years, sometimes longer.

It's a wonderful hobby for some... I love it! If you enjoy the breeding and growing process, you'll love it, too!

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