I've never bloomed any amaryllis from seed, but I'm sure that they will respond well to warmth, big pots, good air circulations, constant supply of fertilizer, and great access to light. CO2 levels probably factor in too. Many planted aquarium enthusiasts supplement the CO2 levels in their tanks to get great plant growth. I've been reading a lot about indoor light gardens and it seems like some plants respond well to the consistent light levels that light fixtures offer verses the the fluctuating intensity of the sun and the accompanying temperature shifts of the seasons. Of course none of this can really be confirmed unless someone has access to a controlled growing environment or grows amaryllis near the equator where the conditions are constant nearly year round. Sorry if I'm talking nonsense, but I'm just trying to apply different growing techniques for other plants to growing amaryllis. I still have some Charisma X Charisma seedlings from seeds Donna sent me last February. They are outdoors potted up semi-hydro style and they seem to be handling the weather just fine. I haven't given them the best care, but I'm sure that all the strongest ones are still alive. They aren't anywhere close to blooming anytime soon but I'll report back if they ever do.

In your zone seeds started in the winter do have a chance of blooming the first year but you'd better plan on the second year. With me in zone 10, believe it or not it's an average of 3 years. The brugs so enjoy the year round, frost free weather that they just spend the majority of their time growing taller and taller before they will 'Y' and set buds. That's the reason why I have so many new cultivars being unveiled this year, They're seedlings I started 3 years ago. You really need patience and lot's of love to grow brugs from seed........but it sure is worth it!!

Oh forgot I also have a wild S. juncea too (early Goldenrod) which blooms earlier than the other goldenrods. I like all of them, but think that S. speciosa is the prettiest. Except mine are floppy because they're not in full sun, of which I have very little in this yard. S. nemoralis also likes full sun, but mine is doing okay in part sun. S. caesia is my 2nd favorite, with those pretty purply stems, and it grows in dry shade, a big plus when you have lots of big trees! None of these are super aggressive as they grow in clumps that just get bigger, but don't spread by rhizomes. I have a few deer and the only one they have munched on (that I've noticed) is S. caesia. But they just munch the tips and this one actually does well with some pinching. If you're looking for deer resistance and aggressive spreading, including reseeding, then go for S. canadensis! It's coarse plant though. I think that Solidago gigantea is another large aggressive spreader. Both of those are native to your area too.

SoCal23 This is the info on the climate in Albany, where Waussie lives: "Albany's long-term median annual rainfall is approximately 930 mm though there can be considerable variation in the total rainfall from year to year. Annual rainfall has ranged from 1395.2 mm in 1955 to 628.5 mm in 1972. On average, approximately 72 per cent of the annual rainfall occurs between May and October. Although cold fronts are responsible for much of the recorded rainfall total, a moist onshore flow can occur in any season and bring showers or drizzle. Thus Albany records rainfall on 178 days annually, on average, which equates to almost one day in every two. July is the wettest month, with a long-term average of over 140 mm, whilst rain occurs on two days out of every three during an average winter. The driest month is February with a mean of about 23 mm and in summer it rains on average about one day in every four. Like other parts of southwest WA, winter rainfall has decreased in Albany during the latter half of the twentieth century. Evidence suggests that both natural variability and the enhanced greenhouse effect have most likely contributed to this decrease. Temperature Average maximum temperatures peak in January and February in Albany, with monthly means of almost 23°C although temperatures above 35°C sometimes occur when hot, dry northerly winds arrive from the interior of WA. Overnight minima also peak in January and February at a mild 15°C, on average. Winter daily maximum temperatures average approximately 16°C, while the average minimum is approximately 8°C in July and August. Daily minimum temperatures below 5°C can be expected about once or twice a month in winter, but Albany daily temperature records between 1907 and 1965 show no occasion where the temperature fell to zero. At Albany Airport, temperatures at or below zero have been recorded on only two occasions between 1965 and 2002.