JANUARY IS a good time for
indoor gardening since it's usually too cold to be outside.
Caring for houseplants might be the first thing that comes
to mind, but there are other inside projects to enjoy during
the winter.
One fun but simple indoor project is growing an amaryllis
(
Hippeastrum
species). The plant we commonly call amaryllis is native
to warmer temperate climates and originated in tropical
areas of South America, like many houseplants. It's noted
for its large lily-like flowers that are on 15- to 30-inch-long
stalks. There are usually two to six flowers per stalk with
one or two stalks produced by a plant. Flowers can be red,
white, pink, orange, salmon or bicolor.
Amaryllis bulbs have become popular gifts with garden-center
shelves having been full of them in recent weeks. It's common
to see them sold as a kit--bulb, soil and pot, with directions.
To make it grow, place the bulb in a pot or container that's
about an inch or two bigger than the bulb. Make sure the
container has drainage holes. Fill it with soil but leave
the top half of the bulb exposed. A well-drained potting
soil is fine and is normally what comes in the kits. Once
it's planted, water it thoroughly and keep it slightly moist
until it flowers. Too much water will make the bulb rot.
Watering about once a week is usually sufficient. Place
the pot in a well-lit, warm area where it will get at least
four hours of direct sun daily. A southern-facing window
works great.
The first thing you'll see is a green shoot starting to
emerge from the huge bulb. It grows rather rapidly, seems
like at least an inch on some days. The stalk will continue
to grow and then you'll see the bud. It should flower in
about four to six weeks after potting and initial watering.
As the flower stalk begins to lengthen, rotate the plant
every few days to prevent the stem from leaning towards
the light. Once the flower opens, move the plant out of
the sun and to a slightly cooler location to extend the
life of the flower. The large flower can make the plant
top heavy, so stake the stalk to help keep it from falling
over. It's sure to be an attention getter.
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