Saturday, November 19, 2011

Once the amaryllis flowers die, do you cut the whole stalk down to the bulb?

Cut the flower stalk, leave the leaves. The leaves replenish the bulb's stored food.





Use a plant fertilizer and keep it in a sunny window for a few months. Then stop watering it and put it in a dark closet for 6 weeks. After it has been deprived, bring it back out and start to water. It will repeat the whole cycle.





Alternatively, stick it outside in the spring in your garden. Let it renew itself there, it may even flower. In the fall bring it in stick it in the dark dry closet until Halloween. Bring it out water and at Christmas time... voila! It sahould bloom again.

Once the amaryllis flowers die, do you cut the whole stalk down to the bulb?
I do.
Reply:yes,,,but do you want the bulb to grow again next year??..If so , keep the bulb in soil but stop watering about this time of year. Then remove it and place in 'pearlite', or 'peat moss' and store in a cool place for several months. I bring my bulbs out again around Oct 20th. Then plant in house pots with about 1/2 of bulb out of top of soil...only water when needed. Should have good show again around Christmas...follow same for paper whites
Reply:I'm sure the other answers are probably the "right" way to do it


However, I usually let the leaves die back, pull them off, put the pot on top of my fridge and forget about it until I see some new leaves developing a few months later. This event reminds me to water and fertilize and within a few more months I have an extraordinary flowering plant again. Every couple of years I do change the soil. They are amazing growers, especially with my.... well... neglect.:)


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