Plant them in time

Plant them in time
Location and care
The most important factor for stem development is heat, so put
the pot with the amaryllis in a warm place in the light. Normal room
temperature (20°C) is perfect. Do not give the bulb much water until
the stem starts to emerge. As soon as the bud and leaves appear,
the amaryllis will require increasing quantities of water every day.
The stem will now grow very rapidly and, once mature, will start to
produce owers.
AMARYLLIS BULBS
Controlling the owering period
Amaryllis bulbs are available until the month of April. Their owering
period depends on various factors. During the winter, there will be
about six to ten weeks between planting and owering. During the
spring, this time will be somewhat shorter. This means that if you
plant the bulbs at intervals, you can enjoy owering amaryllises for
months at a time.
Amaryllis: a bulb bursting with energy!
In recent years, the Amaryllis has become a trendy bulb and one
that can easily produce owers even without being planted. This
big bulb is packed with so much energy that it doesn’t need soil to
produce owers! (The stem, however, will be shorter than normal.)
Tip: Buy 3 or 5 large amaryllis bulbs and immerse then in a
container of water for an hour. Then place the bulbs in a glass
container or in a shallow container with some decorative driftwood.
The stems will start taking on unique shapes because the owers
that will emerge later always grow upwards/toward the light! Within
a few weeks, you’ll be delightfully surprised!
For more information about flower bulbs,
planting tips and nice ideas:
www.bulbsonline.org.
you can plant amaryllis bulbs
from october till may
FKCA-E
Amaryllisbollen UK.indd 1
12-05-2009 10:21:45
Plant them in time
Planting
Getting an amaryllis to produce owers during the winter
months and around Christmas is not dif cult, and it is
very satisfying. And you don’t need much to do it either.
The effect is spectacular, and you get to enjoy weeks of
breathtakingly beautiful owers.
The Amaryllis (of cial name: Hippeastrum) comes originally from
tropical South America. The most familiar ones are the largeowering kinds in white and various tints of red, salmon and orange.
Some amaryllis varieties produce owers in more than one colour
such as pink with white.
Plant them in time
Planting period: from October to the end of April
Flowering: from November to the end of May
If you do not plant the bulbs immediately after purchase, keep them
in a location where the temperature is around 9 C (50 F).
How to get started:
• Buy bulbs that feel rm to the touch; the larger the bulb, the more
owers it will produce.
• If you bought several bulbs, plant them at intervals of fourteen
days; this way, you can be enjoying the beauty of amaryllises
throughout the winter months.
• Choose a large pot with a hole at the bottom for drainage and ll
it with good potting soil.
You can buy these bulbs in a range of sizes starting at 24/26 (the
circumference of the bulb measured in centimetres). Larger bulbs
generally produce more stems and more owers.
Amaryllisbollen UK.indd 2
Important:
•
•
•
•
Before planting, immerse the bulbs
in lukewarm water for an hour; this
encourages the formation of roots.
Then choose a pot or container in
which the bulb and its roots can easily
t but that is not too roomy: if you
can just stick your nger between the
side of the pot and the bulb, the pot
us just the right size. Place potsherds
or ceramic granules over the drainage
hole at the bottom of the pot in such
a way that excess irrigation water can
always drain out properly. Start putting
potting soil into the pot and then put the
bulb on top of it. Continue lling with
potting soil, but leave at least half of
the bulb exposed above the soil level
(see illustration). Do this as carefully
as possible so as not to damage the
roots. After planting, press down rmly
on the potting soil.
Flowering the second year
Once its owers have faded, you can get your amaryllis to ower
again next year by giving it the right care. After owering, cut the
old owers off and allow the leaves to continue growing. Supply
water and houseplant fertiliser on a regular basis. In September,
stop watering the bulb. In October, cut the leaves off to just above
the bulb. In January, remove the old roots and then pot up the bulb
again in fresh potting soil. The chance is good that the bulb will
be in ower again in March. You will notice, however, that newly
purchased bulbs provide the best owering results. This is because
they have just completed a three-year process of preparation. And
this is why amaryllis bulbs usually cost somewhat more than other
ower bulbs. But they are more than worth it!
Make sure that about half of the bulb is above the soil level.
You should use potting soil of good quality.
Be careful not to damage the roots.
If you remove the faded owers promptly, the bulb will not invest
any energy in the production of seeds, and the other owers will
remain in bloom longer.
12-05-2009 12:02:59