Heads up, the Lowe's by me got new displays last week. $3.98 for bulb only-Desire, Oskar, Star of Holland,Susan Apple Blossom and another one $9.98 kits-either a lined box with lid or a ceramic square pot-aphrodite, Danau, Lady jane, Apple Blossom, Denver, Pasadena, prince Carnival, Vera The Texas City lowe's had sold out all of the $3.98 bulbs except a couple, the Lowe's on 646 had not taken the shrink wrap off the display yet. Bulbs about the same size in all boxes. Same company as last year, should be interesting to see what grows. Tally HO!

Having a bulb bloom more than once or twice, even more than three times a year isn't uncommon. Some of my bulbs will bloom only once a year while others seem to like to bloom twice a year. I do have two bulbs that despite what I do, they bloom roughly every 2 months-- that comes to 5-6 times a year. One is jewel and the other is dancing queen. Jewel's blooms get progressively smaller, smaller scapes and fewer blooms per scape until it seems to go through a feasting stage and then it starts all over again with a huge flush of blooms. Dancing queen on the other hand doesn't seem to give rats behind how many times it blooms. The scape are always roughly a foot to a foot and a half in height and the blooms always number 4/scape and the bloom sizes never decrease with successive blooms. The original bulb i had of dancing queen had a severe gouge in its side and in one year it was gone and she increased in size, despite multiple blooms. The point is-- each bulb has its own clock by which it runs-- don't we all!-- and once you know what that clock is, grow the plant by that schedule. Another member on here-- Jodik-- is a good case example as she never puts her's through dormancy and her oldest bulb (Minerva!-- you're welcome Jodik!) will bloom rather consistently for her but on its own schedule. Also, some bulb will decrease in size during bloom and will work hard after blooming to regain its size-- while others seem to have a knack to grow despite frequent blooming. Keep doing what you're doing with your bulb and realize that there are no rules, only good, educated guesses out there on how to raise these insanely addictive plants. It is a good thing we don't smoke these things or the government would put a stop to CHAD. Instead, I would like to thank all those effected by CHAD for being the one remaining hope our economy has left. LOL And to answer you question about drying these bulbs-- yes, it is often used to get blooms when you want them. I prefer to let these bulbs bloom on their own, however. CHAD-- the next economic stimulus package. Ryan

Tra laa laa laa la.....My Christmas cactus has buds....tra laa laa laa la. There is one that is quite large..Tra laa laa laa la.....and one that is quite small..tra laa laa laa la. Waiting now to see if more will appear...tra laa laa laa la. The cat chomped on one of the leaves that didn't have a bud..tra laa laa laa la. The cat got scolded and told never to do that again..tra laa laa laa la. Then she looked at me with "those" big green eyes..tra laa laa laa la..and I had to forgive her..tra laa laa laa la. Hubby knocked over one of the hyacinths vases..tra laa laa laa la....shattered into a million plus pieces..tra laa laa laa la..the bulb had grown about an inch and a half...tra laa laa laa la..can't find another to replace it now..tra laa laa laa la...so stuck it in a beer glass...tra laa laa laa la... The roots are long on it....tra laa laa laa la....so it keeps the bulb from hitting the water...tra laa laa laa la..so the bulb won't rot...tra laa laa laa la...but don't think it will be strong enough to support a flower stem...tra laa laa laa la. So still searching for a new vase...tra laa laa laa laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Ok so the song is over now.....but still dancing around the three amaryllis......all three have now grown a flower stem.....and the middle sized one has a second flower stem that has just appeared. Must be doin' somethin' right... Sierra :))

Martha, I didn't wasn't to reply on the thread that you "hijacked" as that poster is trying to get an ID on his bloom. You need to either ask for the ID on your thread (this thread) or start a new thread. The bloom that you tacked onto the thread of someone looking for their bloom looks like H. Mambo, as there is no red ring in the throat. Your other bloom that is read and white, that you called Minerva, has brownish-red dots in the throat so it's not Minerva either. H. Minerva has a red ring in the throat. Your bloom with dots might be Dutch Bell. K