How to Plant and Care for your Amaryllis

Overview

A majestic indoor forced flower, the Amaryllis brightens your home during the winter Holiday Season, and comes in variant shades of red, white, and pink. Amaryllis require a little bit of planning, as they can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks to reach peak bloom. All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested.

Forcing Bulbs Indoors in Potting Soil

Due to the full-grown height of these flowers, they can become top-heavy, so choosing a low, wide sturdy pot with drainage holes is recommended. You want approximately 1” space from the side edge of the bulb to the side of your grow container, and at least 1” space between the base of your bulb and the bottom of your grow container.

1. Use fresh quick-draining potting soil.
2. Fill the pot with 1-2” of soil.
3. Set the bulb gently on top and backfill around the bulb pressing soil in, leaving about 1/3 of the top of the bulb showing above the soil line. 
4. Water your planted bulb so that the soil is moist and starts to settle.
5. Water sparingly until signs of growth appear.  You want the soil to be very slightly damp, never wet to the touch. Overwatering can kill off your Amaryllis bulb.
6. Place in a room where it will receive plenty of natural sunlight and warmth. Once growth starts, rotate the pot every few days to encourage straight flower stalks.
7. When the Amaryllis has bloomed, remove from direct sunlight/heat and place in a cooler room so the blooms will last longer.  The growth rate is approximately 6-12 weeks from time of planting. The blooms will last approximately 3-7 days.
8. As the flowers die off, remove each flower stalk, leaving the leaves to continue growing indoors.
9. In the spring, after all danger of frost has passed, you can transfer your Amaryllis outdoors with its green leaves to a sunny garden location.  

How to Get Your Amaryllis to Rebloom

In late summer/early fall, dig your bulb back up from your outdoor garden and place in a warm dry location so that the leaves die off. Once leaves have browned and died off, remove them, and repot your bulb, starting the indoor growing cycle again.

Additional Info

For an indoor dramatic effect, plant several Amaryllis bulbs each 1-2 weeks apart so that you can enjoy non-stop blooms during the colder winter months. Remember to rotate your flowerpot to ensure it grows upright to help avoid the plant from toppling over due to the blooms becoming top-heavy. While waiting to plant your bulbs, they can be stored in a cool, dry, dark location until ready to plant (no refrigeration).

Soil pH 5.6 – 7.5