Let it bloom
This amaryllis bulb is ready to flower. It should be potted with its nose above the soil line.
Photo by Marian St. Clair
Amaryllis plants are such popular holiday gifts, they’re even available for purchase as kits, complete with bulb, pot and soil. Not only are these large, tough bulbs easy to grow, they produce spectacular flowers in shades of red, pink, orange and white that last for weeks indoors, a dramatic addition to holiday decor.
Sadly, these showy plants are often treated as throwaways or suffer a slow death after blooming during the depths of the post-holiday winter. But, with some basic care, amaryllis (of the genus Hippeastrum) can be enjoyed for years. Transplanted into your landscape, they become spring-blooming garden bulbs. The secret is to preserve the foliage for several months after the blooms wither.
If you’re given a bare bulb (and self-gifting counts!), plant it before its bloom spike emerges, so its roots have time and space to grow. The large bulbs don’t need much room; a container 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter than the base of the bulb will suffice. Using a container with drainage holes and a high-quality, well-drained potting mix, plant the bulb with its “nose” dry—the top third of the bulb above the soil line—to help prevent disease.
Water the newly planted bulb to saturate the soil. Developing roots need moisture, but not a lot. Let the surface of the soil become dry to the touch before watering, then water about once a week when flowering begins. Temperatures around 65 F will prolong bloom time. Fertilizing before bloom can injure young roots, so wait until all flowers die and leaves are fully emerged.
Once the flowers fade, the show is over—but the bulb is not! This is the time to start prepping the plant for a spring move to the garden. Cut off the flower stalk just above the bulb, being careful not to damage the bulb or surrounding foliage. You’re encouraging growth at this point—the green, strap-shaped leaves that remain are essential for recharging the bulb with the energy needed to bloom again.
Keep the soil slightly damp, and begin monthly applications of liquid houseplant fertilizer. Don’t let the plant dry out completely.
Provide as much light as possible—at least four hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably in a south-facing window. A home temperature that’s comfortable for you also benefits amaryllis; bulbs prefer 70 to 75 F for root and foliage growth.
Once the weather warms in the spring and there is no more risk of frost, move your amaryllis plant outside, gradually transitioning it to a sunny spot. Now it can be planted in your landscape.
Select a sunny spot with afternoon shade. Amaryllis prefer rich, well-drained soil. Plant at the same depth as in the container, again with about a third of the bulb’s nose exposed. If you have more than one bulb, space them 1 foot apart.
You can help your plant develop stronger roots and larger blooms by applying a “bulb booster” fertilizer at planting and each year after flowering. A layer of mulch in the winter will protect the bulbs from cold, but remove the mulch in the spring to expose the nose.
In the landscape, amaryllis will return to their natural cycle of spring flowering, and the foliage will remain all summer. Year after year, your amaryllis bulb will be a gift that keeps on giving.
S. Cory Tanner is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Greenville County. Email him here.