Amaryllis is the classy, flashy diva of
the winter indoor garden. There’s just no other easy-to-grow
houseplant that produces such big, beautiful flowers.
Amaryllis don’t just flower: they transform. Because
they bloom effortlessly, many people buy bulbs wholesale,
pot them and give them as presents. Even a hapless nongardener
will feel he has a green thumb when a skinny green amaryllis
stalk grows taller and taller until after six to 12 weeks
of suspense it pops open three to six brilliant trumpet-shaped
flowers.
Are amaryllis really foolproof? Well . . . there is one
pitfall. The flowers can be so big and heavy that the plants
topple over. If your amaryllis just won’t stand up,
cut the hollow stalk at the base, fill it with water, and
plug the cut end with a cotton ball to keep the water inside
the stalk. Then arrange the amaryllis as a cut flower. But
tipping is preventable if you plant the bulbs in heavy containers
such as square terracotta pots. Each pot should be only
one inch wider than the bulb, which likes to have its roots
crowded. If you plant several amaryllis bulbs of the same
variety all together in a single larger pot, you will have
an even more stable base and a staggered display that can
last months. You can even tie the blossom head to a stake,
or even a secure nearby object.
Before planting, scrub used terracotta pots and then soak
them in clear water. Cover the drainage hole in the bottom
with broken terracotta or stones to prevent clogging. Soak
the roots of each amaryllis bulb in tepid water for an hour
before planting, too, without immersing the bulb. When planting,
hold the bulb so that one quarter of it protrudes above
the pot and tamp sterile potting soil around the roots and
the lower three-quarters of the bulb. Then water and wait
for greenery to sprout before watering again.
Place the developing plant in a sunny window, but turn it
occasionally to prevent the elongating flower stem from
bending toward the light — and toppling. Once open,
the flowers last longer if you pinch off the yellow pollen-covered
anthers with a tissue (to avoid pollen stains) and move
the plant away from the window to a cooler spot where it
can be admired.
Don’t be too quick to discard your amaryllis after
blooming, as bulbs often send up a second flower stalk.
If your amaryllis produces multiple stalks, it is well worth
keeping as a houseplant, because it will probably bloom
again next winter. In this case, start feeding it 20-20-20
soluble houseplant fertilizer every two weeks after blooming
ends. Move the pots outside in June and continue to feed
and water it until late July, when you turn the pots on
their sides to cut off rainwater and induce dormancy. In
late August, remove any remaining leaves and store the bulb
(pot and all) in a cool, dark dry place for two to three
months.
In October, dump out loose soil and add a layer of fresh
potting soil mixed with a tablespoon of bone meal or bulb
food. Submerge the entire pot of bulb and soil in water
for five minutes. Then wait for the encore to begin.
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