Don’t throw away your amaryllis bulb after it finishes blooming. You can get it to re-bloom! With good care most amaryllis bulbs will bloom each winter for years. Here is how:
- When bloom are finished, snip off flower stalk about 1/2 inch from bulb. Don’t cut off
leaves. - Place your plant in a sunny location.
- Keep watering your plant so the soil stays lightly moist but not soggy.
- Fertilize with a house plant fertilizer according to directions.
- In early autumn cut off all the foliage about 1 to 2 inches, from the top of the bulb and place the bulbs in a dry, dark place such as basement or back of closet.
- Completely stop watering and let your amaryllis sleep for 10 – 12 weeks.
- Then start the growing cycle over.
- Replace the soil with fresh mix, remove any dead leaves and then replant, leaving the bulb shoulders exposed.
- Place your bulbs in bright light and give one good drink of water.
- When the first leaves or bud appear begin watering regularly keeping the soil slightly moist.
Authored by Joy Cullen