amaryllis Archives - Deb's Kitchen

3 Ways to Plant Amaryllis

A lovely amaryllis in bloom is a sure sign that the holiday season is in full swing. By planting in November, you can ensure gorgeous flowers come Christmas. TV gardener Andrea Mason shares easy techniques for growing amaryllis in three different mediums:

WATER PLANTING

Fill a clear vessel with a three-inch layer of stones or pebbles. Add the amaryllis bulb, then add more stones around it for stability. Add water just below the bulb, but not touching it, and monitor the water level to make sure it remains consistent.

SOIL PLANTING

Partially fill a pot with well-draining potting soil; add bulbs. Fill in with soil 2/3 of the way up the bulb, keeping the “neck and shoulders” above the soil level.

Water and let pot drain; cover the soil surface with moss or pebbles for decoration. Potted amaryllis can thrive for more than 15 years if properly maintained.

COCO PEAT PLANTING

Place coco peat disk in a container and add warm water. Allow disk to absorb water and expand for about 15 minutes; stir. Fill the bottom half of a pot with coco peat mixture and position bulb with roots down. Add remaining mixture so about 1/4 of the bulb is above the surface.

Care Tips

After planting, place bulbs in a warm, bright spot. Bottom heat, such as a germination pad or the top of a refrigerator, will help force the bulbs out of dormancy. Water sparingly until green growth appears, then water regularly. Try to keep the soil moist but not soggy.

Stake the stalks with twigs when they grow tall so they don’t topple over. After flowers fade, cut stems an inch from the base of the bulb. Water as needed and apply household fertilizer monthly until midsummer. Then, cease watering and let bulbs rest for two months, at which point they’re ready to begin the forcing process once again.

Article from Martha Stewart

Photo Smithsonian Inst. Diane Shaw

I love growing Narcissus (Paperwhites) in the spring and in the fall/early winter. If you stagger planting these bulbs you can have continuous blooms from now all through the holidays. Narcissus and Amaryllis both grow well in soil or in a vase or shallow bowl with no soil at all. I love taking amaryllis bulbs to anyone that I visit during the holidays; you can even find bulb kits at the nursery or almost any store this time of year.

Unlike most bulbs these two don’t need to be chilled before planting, they love our warm climate (even if sometimes we don’t!). If you want continuous blooms buy a dozen or so bulbs and store some in a cool dark place and ‘plant’ every few weeks through late winter. Amaryllis will bloom 6 – 8 weeks after planting and Paperwhites 3-5 weeks after planting.

To plant in soil make sure the container is about 5”- 6” deep, plant the Paperwhite bulbs, with the root end down so that the tops peek above the soil surface. You can plant 5 bulbs in this pot and space them a little apart from each other. Water until the soil is damp but not soggy or the bulbs will rot, water occasionally until they bloom then water regularly but do not overwater. Some Paperwhites are very tall and need support to keep from falling over. Plant one Amaryllis bulb in the same size pot with the tip about one-third above the soil. Amaryllis can be encouraged to bloom again next year if planted in soil, cut off the old bloom to about 1” above the bulb, water and feed regularly and let the leaves grow throughout the year. In late summer stop watering and let the leaves dies back naturally as they start to store energy for the next season. You can dig up the bulb or leave in the pot and place into a cool, dark place for about 8 weeks. You can repot in fresh soil or add a little finished compost to it, bring it back into a light area, water infrequently until you see growth and then repeat the process. Paperwhites won’t usually bloom again so buy new bulbs each year.

To plant in gravel or stones place a layer of stones or gravel over the bottom of a vase to a depth of 2-4” for the Amaryllis or paperwhites and place the bulb or bulbs on top of the stones, fill the vase with more stones up to the top third of the bulb and add water up to 1” below the base of the bulb, do not let the bulb sit in water or it will rot. Add water as needed but keep the level below the base of the bulb. Be sure to use a vase or jar that is tall enough so that it won’t tip over as the flower shoots grow.

Buy some ‘kits’ as hostess gifts for the holidays and store in a cool, dark place until you need them. (Don’t forget where you stash them though!)