For the potted baby bulb, a little bottom heat wouldn't hurt. It might encourage root formation a little faster than normal. Just keep the soil slightly moist, but not overly wet, give it some nice dappled sunlight, and roots should form in due course. For future reference, I usually separate the youngsters from the mother bulb after they begin to develop their own tiny set of roots. But Al is right, too... you can take them sooner. For me, it's just easier to wait until the babies have roots and are able to thrive on their own. You can also leave the daughter bulbs attached to Mom and just re-pot the group together into a larger container. If you're separating from garden planted bulbs, you can dig the clump at the appropriate time of year and just break them apart... they come apart easily... and then replant, giving them some space to continue growing without being crowded. Hippeastrum bulbs are fairly easy to grow, as long as you are careful about preventing too much moisture for too long a period of time. Honestly, it's better to err on the dry side, if you err at all. I'm in the north, so these are tender bulbs for me. I only wish I could grow them in the garden! A word of caution about insects... the Narcissus Bulb Fly absolutely loves Hippeastrum bulbs, and will devastate a collection in short order! If you Google this pest, you'll see that it's a small bee-like fly... This, from the Pacific Bulb Society's website: "A single egg is laid at the base of the leaves during late spring/early summer where it hatches a few days later. The larva crawls down the leaf to the bulb where it normally enters through a hole it makes in the basal plate and begins to feed on the bulb. Although less common, the larva can enter the bulb through a hole it makes in the side of the bulb or through the very tip. Usually there is only one larva per bulb per season but more than one is not rare..." More information at the link below... To prevent damage, I use a generous helping of a granular systemic that both feeds and prevents insects. Bayer makes a good product for this purpose. It's a blue container, and I believe the name is Bayer 2 in 1 Systemic Rose & Flower Care. I'd prefer not to use chemicals, but I enjoy my bulbs too much to risk another devastation. Last year, the tiny bulb flies somehow got inside my home, and I ended up losing a lot of very lovely and expensive Amaryllids and other tender bulbs. They could have come in on a plant, or snuck in through a crack or through a screen... I don't really know how. All I know is that I noticed a few bulbs shrinking, and when I checked them, they contained ugly little white larvae that had eaten most the bulb flesh. Not only were my bulbs devastated, I was, too. That's one of the reasons I haven't been really enthusiastic about "talking bulbs" lately. I managed to salvage some, and I quickly gave everyone a good dose of systemic to prevent anything else from happening. I don't want to freak anyone out, or anything... but just be aware that this can be an issue if the NBF lives in your area of the country. The tough part is that they're not really very noticeable, so you might not see them. You'll only know after the damage has been done. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they say. It sounds like you have everything pretty much under control... enjoy your beautiful bulbs! :-) Here is a link that might be useful: NBF Information

Hi All...yes, I have an electric heater that keeps the bulbs a toasy 40+. And, I have a back-up "Little Buddy" propane heater after Noni recommended that I get one in case of electrical outage on a really cold night. ONE OTHER THING that I think is really a great advantage if you cut the leaves back, and then subsequently trim the neck up, you can tell if there is any internal problems with the bulb. If you just let it die back, you have no idea what's going on IN the bulb, but if you cut the neck down, you can see if all the layers are healthy or...GASP, if there is the start of any problem. If I see any black or brown layers, then I can either 1) leave it alone and hope it's nothing, 2) cut a little further till I see all healthy tissue, or 3) if it's a really precious bulb, do a little more cutting/bulb surgery and pour on the powder to ensure healthy healing. I'll try and send photos tomorrow. Pouring rain today ...YAY! Kristi

This is my Red Pearl's second scape. The first was shorter and only had 3 flowers. The second is just over two feet tall (61 cm) and has 4, which should all be open soon. One thing I've noticed is its very strong tendency to grow toward the light. As it grew, I had to constantly rotate the pot to keep it from flopping - as a result, the scape has actually made a full twist, which you could see in the picture there. It adds interest in a way, but on the other hand is a lot of work. Miracle standing demurely to the right is actually no shrinking violet either - it's gorgeous! The buds take forever to open (I'm guessing because of the heavy substance of the petals), so I'm hoping that the flowers will also last a long time. The color is a very rich red. I'm only now labeling my pots as the flowers open, so let's see what's going to bloom next!

I have ordered bulbs in the past from Easy to Grow Bulbs, and theirs were exactly as large as they claimed. Hippeastrum bulbs always shrink over time when they have been dug up because they lose their stored water, so that can be a reason they arrive smaller than expected. If you get them shipped to you in the forcing season (Octoberish) then they will be fresh and ready to go.