Amaryllis , Hippeastrumspp . , are exceptionally showy bulb often grown indoors to add bold color to our winter decor – but they can also be turn alfresco as perennials in mild regions or as annuals that are lift and stored for winter .
The large , cornet - shaped blossom flower in burnished , pure hues and are commonly forced to flower indoors during the winter month , but alfresco , their innate flowering clip is outflow .
Hardy only in USDA Zones 9 to 11 , the pinnace bulbs are aboriginal to tropic and subtropic regions of the Caribbean , Central America , and South America and are susceptible to damage from freeze temperatures .
Photo by Lorna Kring.
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Within their hardiness range , amaryllis can remain in the priming for winter , although they might need a bit of protection from frosty temperatures or unexpected cold snaps .
To grow amaryllis outdoors alfresco of their hardiness chain , they ’ll want to be reverse and keep in a icing - gratis location for auspices over the wintertime month .
Photo by Lorna Kring.
We ’ve get all the details about how to worry for amaryllis bulb in wintertime , in or out of the garden , so let ’s stab in !
Here ’s what you ’ll detect ahead :
What You’ll Learn
Amaryllis Bulb Basics
Care After inflorescence
Overwinter In - Ground
Lift and Store
Container Care
Amaryllis lightbulb come in a range of sizing , and the large the bulb , the big the flowering show .
The jumbo bulbs are 14 to 15 inches in circumference ( 36 to 38 centimeters ) and typically raise three stems with four or five flowers per stem !
The modest have a circumference of 10 to 11 inches ( 26 to 28 centimeters ) and modernize one or sometimes two efflorescence stalks with three or four prime .
They are typically available for purchase at garden center in the surrender , from September through December .
And although they ’re oftenforced to flowerover the winter months , the normal bloom time for amaryllis is in early spring .
Amaryllis can be grown outdoors as perennial in frost - free regions , and as annuals in colder areas .
And to learn more about outdoor cultivation , check outour guide to turn amaryllis outdoors in the garden .
Regardless of whether your amaryllis are grown in containers or garden bed , post - bloom care is the same .
Keeping youramaryllis healthyafterfloweringis what ’s needed to encourage efflorescence next season .
appropriate the straplike leaves to uprise throughout the summertime , feed and watering your plants regularly .
Take care not to overwater , which can do issues like rot , but do n’t let the ground dry out out altogether either .
One of the main intellect for amaryllis not bloom in the next bloom period is that they were n’t capable to store enough nutrient during the post - flowering menstruation .
To give your plant the nutrients they necessitate , use a water supply - soluble fertilizerapplied monthly during the growing season or utilise slow dismission pellets in former natural spring and again after flowering .
A balanced provender formula with equal parts atomic number 7 , phosphorus , and potassium works well .
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you could find four - dog pound bag of granulose Organic All Purpose Plant Food with a 5 - 5 - 5 NPK ratioavailable at Burpee .
Container plants can be fed more oftentimes – about every two weeks with a half - strength resolution of a water supply soluble fertilizer .
After the blooms fade , use unobjectionable , shrill scissors to remove the flush and prevent seeds from mould . When countenance to develop germ , it use up the energy reserve and can reduce flower production the following year .
apply white , piercing shear to cut the stem just below the spent bloom of youth , pass on the remainder of the heyday stalk in position if it ’s still brilliant fleeceable and intelligent .
As long as the flower root word is green , it continues to photosynthesize help the bulb to store energy for future prime and foliage . Once the color lightens and starts to turn xanthous , remove the stem , trimming it near to the base of operations .
By mid to late surrender , amaryllis plant usually insert a dormant period that lasts three to four month .
At this time , the leafage typically turns yellowed and dies back for winter , although some of the foliage may remain in meek region .
Fertilizing should be withheld from recent summer onwards .
For gardeners in Zones 9 to 11 , amaryllis can be overwinter in place . For those exterior of this range , they should be lifted and stored for winter , which we ’ll report later in this clause .
For in - reason care , after the foliage has become dark-brown and shrink , softly pull out it away or abbreviate it from the bulb with clean , shrill scissors .
If you live in an arena with mild winter , the foliation may remain evergreen year round . It ’s fine to pull up stakes it in place but withhold water and fertilizers until springtime .
In areas that never experience frost they require no additional mulching for wintertime aegis .
In expanse where frost is potential , add a four - inchlayer of wintertime mulchto protect them from cold temperatures , using porous materials to forbid standing piss , such as bark mulch , conifer needles , pebbles , or straw .
Winter rainfall is usually adequate to keep the dormant bulbs viable , but in very ironic condition , watering occasionally help to prevent shoplifting .
If rain is inadequate , piss softly once a calendar month .
If you ’re growing outside of their hardiness range , the stale - tender bulbs need to be lifted and store in a protected environment for the wintertime months .
In late summertime to early fall after the foliage fail back , displume away or cut off back the leave-taking to one to two inches above the bulb .
If your plant are still green and vibrant in mid - August , reduce supplemental watering for two weeks then recoup it altogether to force them into dormancy .
Use a coon to lift the bulbs carefully , mildly brush away any dirt that clings to the surface .
For repositing , they can bepotted up into small containersor lay in loose in a ABA transit number or box .
Use box with good airflow like penetrate cardboard , woven jute , seagrass or wicker , or wire mesh . But forfend plastic , which can trap and hold moisture , make issue like rot .
I wish to expend a box with a sturdy frame so I can stack and store a variety of electric-light bulb as they ’re vacate from the garden .
Woven Jute Boxes
This set of two woven jute box with hold are perfect for the line and areavailable at Wayfair .
To transfer bulb to small nursery pots for storage , dress the roots then place them in pots that are a few inches blanket than the light bulb ’s circuit .
Add somecoconut coir , peat moss , or dry potting soil to cover the bulbs about halfway , but leave the neck disclose .
Loose bulbs can be gently gargle with a garden hosiery , dried thoroughly , then stash away in an open handbasket or corner nest into some coconut coir or peat moss .
Store in a nerveless , colored , and dry environment . The idealistic temperature is in the range of 40 to 50 ° farad , and they ’ll be fine in temperature up to 60 ° F .
Butdo notstore amaryllis medulla oblongata in the electric refrigerator .
I know there ’s oodles of online advice read that fridge storage is okay as long as there are no Malus pumila present but these are tropical bulb that do n’t ask any chill hours to blossom .
However , they do have a quiescence period , and nerveless , but not cold , temperature help them to rest – they mightsurvivethe mistreatment of electric refrigerator storage , but they wo n’t be glad about it and reduced flowering can be expected .
If you do n’t have a cool cellar , service department , or shed to store your bulb , tuck them into a dark cupboard in the cool elbow room in your home . A cool environment is far better for them than parky refrigerator temperatures .
Check them monthly to await for signs of shriveling or withering that can indicate that they ’re becoming too teetotal .
If they ’re starting to dry out and pucker , give them alighttouch of water – but no more than just a few tablespoonful sprinkled onto the storage sensitive or the grunge of a potted industrial plant .
Check in a few days and double as need until the shriveling eases up – usually one or two applications is sufficient .
Store bulb for a minimum of eight weeks and as much as 12 week , a longer relief time period get more abundant blossoming .
After quiescency , pot up easy bulbs and move them into a warm location to sprout – ourguide to repotting amaryllis has all the details .
When overnight temperature stay above 50 ° F , you may plant them out into the garden .
After blossoming , treat container - grown specimen the same as those maturate in the garden .
Water and fertilise regularly until belatedly in the spring up season .
In frost - detached region , container plants can remain in position .
But if you receive lots of winter rainfall , move your pots into a sheltered blot or rain phantasm so they ’re not constantly saturate . Under eaves or a large evergreen , or against a fencing or wall are desirable locating .
It ’s also a practiced theme to hit catchment saucers and lift containers on bricks , pot toe , or a couple of piece of timber to prevent stand water .
And the soil in container must be well - draining .
If wintertime in your part are ironic , irrigate the bulbs monthly if involve . But go lightly and give them only small sip of water , just enough to forbid shriveling .
In cold regions with regular frosty temperatures , the containers take to be moved into a rime - devoid location for winter .
In former summertime , dilute watering for two weeks then withhold it entirely for another two to six weeks .
Remove the leaf as it withers and go bad , slue it back to one to two column inch .
Move container into a frost free environs like a shed or garage before nighttime temperatures drop to 50 ° F . If needed , provide them with a little sip of water system monthly to prevent the medulla oblongata from drying and shriveling .
Once spring temperatures take back and young growth emerge , move them back into a sunny blot outdoors to summarize growth .
Healthy Bulbs for Showy Flowers
Amaryllis are appreciate for their enceinte , showy flowers as indoor wintertime ornamentals and they ’re superb in the garden as well !
In freeze loose neighborhood , they pretty much look after themselves . But you may call for to move container industrial plant into a rain dark if heavy wintertime rain are normal .
If you receive light rime , they can be left in - priming but need to be plant deep and mulched heavily for protective covering .
For areas outside of their hardiness range , they can be impress into a Robert Frost free land site to overwinter and bloom again in outpouring .
And formore information about growing amaryllis , learn out these guides next :
Photo by Lorna Kring © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . intersection picture via Burpee and Wayfair . Uncredited exposure : Shutterstock .
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