Amaryllis Flowers in Bloom For the Holidays
Amaryllis are among the most spectacular of all flowering bulbs.
They are attractive, easy to grow, and can produce several stems of giant trumpet shaped flowers in one season! They are available in a wide variety of color including white, pink, salmon, red, and yellow-green.
Fall is the time to plant your newly purchased amaryllis bulbs to make sure that your bulbs are flowering by the time the holidays roll around.
They tend to flower 8-10 weeks after planting so plan accordingly.
Amaryllis bulb kits are usually sold between fall and winter.
The bulbs are ready to bloom within a few weeks of being purchased.
Kits generally contain 1) a bulb, 2) a container or pot and 3) a potting mix.
Its important to moisten the mix thoroughly before planting your bulb.
Plant the bulb so that the neck is pointing upwards.
The neck, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulb should be exposed above the surface.
At this stage, the mix should be kept just moist, as the bulb does not yet have any roots and will rot if overwatered.
In a few weeks, as the flowering stem emerges, and the roots develop, you can increase the amount of water.
Keep your bulb in a bright sunny spot at temperatures of about 70 degrees.
Once the flower buds open, move the bulb to your mantel, centerpiece of your table, or wherever you want to display and enjoy your flowers Its also helpful to turn the pot occasionally as the flower stem emerges so that it does not lean towards the light.
Plants can also get top-heavy so we suggest placing the pot in a heavier clay or ceramic cache pot.
Amaryllis blooms should last for almost two weeks.
When all flower have faded and the stem begins to shrivel, cut it off at an angle near the base.
With good after-care, that varies according to the season, you'll be able to reflower your bulb year after year.
As bulbs get bigger, you can look forward to more flowers every year.
They are attractive, easy to grow, and can produce several stems of giant trumpet shaped flowers in one season! They are available in a wide variety of color including white, pink, salmon, red, and yellow-green.
Fall is the time to plant your newly purchased amaryllis bulbs to make sure that your bulbs are flowering by the time the holidays roll around.
They tend to flower 8-10 weeks after planting so plan accordingly.
Amaryllis bulb kits are usually sold between fall and winter.
The bulbs are ready to bloom within a few weeks of being purchased.
Kits generally contain 1) a bulb, 2) a container or pot and 3) a potting mix.
Its important to moisten the mix thoroughly before planting your bulb.
Plant the bulb so that the neck is pointing upwards.
The neck, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulb should be exposed above the surface.
At this stage, the mix should be kept just moist, as the bulb does not yet have any roots and will rot if overwatered.
In a few weeks, as the flowering stem emerges, and the roots develop, you can increase the amount of water.
Keep your bulb in a bright sunny spot at temperatures of about 70 degrees.
Once the flower buds open, move the bulb to your mantel, centerpiece of your table, or wherever you want to display and enjoy your flowers Its also helpful to turn the pot occasionally as the flower stem emerges so that it does not lean towards the light.
Plants can also get top-heavy so we suggest placing the pot in a heavier clay or ceramic cache pot.
Amaryllis blooms should last for almost two weeks.
When all flower have faded and the stem begins to shrivel, cut it off at an angle near the base.
With good after-care, that varies according to the season, you'll be able to reflower your bulb year after year.
As bulbs get bigger, you can look forward to more flowers every year.
