It’s that time of year when your amaryllis bulbs (Hippeastrum) should be ordered right away or brought out of their summer rest. Start them in mid-November so that they will have flowers galore by Christmas.

If you are starting with fresh bulbs, plant them in a small pot with good drainage. It should provide only an inch of soil between the bulb and the sides of the pot. Put some potting soil in the bottom of the pot, enough that the bulb will be one half to one third above the rim and out of the soil.

Set the bulb in the pot and carefully sift soil around its base, leaving the top third or half of the bulb above the rim. Don’t pack the soil. Just water it in. Then, water sparingly until the bud starts to grow. [Buds usually appear before the leaves.]

After that, water as usual. Whatever you do, don’t water into the top (crown) of the bulb. Watering the bulb can promote rot. Always water carefully around the edges or from the bottom.

The new African bulbs are quick to flower. They will go from potted bulb to flowers in four to six weeks. If you are a little late in getting your bulbs started, try soaking the roots in water overnight using something like a hyacinth bulb vase or anything that allows the roots to get wet but keeps the bulb out of the water.

Then after you have potted up the bulb, put it on an electric grow mat with a bottom heat temperature of about 68 degrees F. If you use a grow mat, you will have to water more frequently to keep the soil from drying out completely.

Every year there are more than enough colors and forms to tempt even the most stalwart Scrooge. Many of the newer amaryllis bulbs are bred to have shorter or sturdier stems or both.

Look at Amaryllis Zombie®, a South African miniature offered by Park Seed. At ten to twelve inches tall, it will fit into the smallest area. With its unique salmon-pink striping and edging on ivory petals, it will suit the most tasteful setting. Zombie® only takes 28 days from planting to bloom. The plant may be short but the blossoms are not tiny. Look for 6-inch blooms on sturdy stems.

Looking for a grandmotherly show? Check out the lacy snow-white blossoms of the aptly named A. Snow White®. Her frilly eight-inch double flowers could remind you of crocheted doilies. This one will fit any décor.

If the holidays mean bold red and green color to you, then look into the star-striped blooms of A. Pizzazz®. The ruby -red ruffled petals are set off with a large starburst of white in the middle.

If you would like big blossoms but not quite so "in your face red", then try out A. Milady®. Her softly recurved petals are a subtle deep dusty rose-pink. This one rewards you with multiple stems holding up 7-inch blossoms.

Lastly, Wayside Gardens offers the most traditional red-velvet amaryllis. Merry Christmas® has rich velvety-red color, ideal for holiday decorating. Add to that its propensity for throwing three stems per bulb, and you have a holiday masterpiece.

As the amaryllis flowers wither and die, carefully cut off the spent blooms. When all the flowers on a stem have faded, cut the stem to within an inch or two of the bulb.

Leaves often don’t appear until after the bulbs have finished blossoming. When the flowering is finished it’s time to give the bulb plenty of water and fertilizer. It will need feeding in order to recover from the stress of blooming. This will insure big blooms next season.

If you live in a USDA Zone 8 (Zone 7 mulched in a sheltered border) or warmer, you can plant the bulbs in the garden after the last frost in springtime. They will withstand cold down to 20 degrees F. Even if you are not in a warm climate, move the bulbs in their pots outdoors during the summer.

They can stay in their pots for a couple of years before repotting. Bring them indoors to a dim or dark area in August and lay them on their side for a short rest until the leaves die back. Then water them as usual to start the budding process. If you want blooms for Christmas, the bulbs should be starting their grow cycle by mid-November.

---Posted by Anne K Moore November, 10 2008---