Amaryllis bulbs FAQs
Amaryllis flowers are bold and beautiful and have become almost synonymous with the Christmas period. These bulbs are easier to grow than you might think! Choose a festive red amaryllis or go for a delicate picotee with a stencil-like petal outline to brighten your home during the early winter. Once you have your favourite amaryllis bulb, with the right care you can enjoy repeat flowering from it for years to come.
How to care for amaryllis?
Plant your amaryllis bulb in September to enjoy blooms at Christmas. The large bulbs are best planted one per pot using good quality multi-purpose compost. Choose a pot that’s only slightly bigger than the bulb, placing the bulb firmly down on top of the compost so the pointy tip is completely exposed. Water your amaryllis and place it in a warm, dark spot, keeping it moist until you see the beginning of a green shoot which is when you can move it to a sunny windowsill to watch as the shoot develops slowly and flower shoots appear.
How do I get my amaryllis to bloom again?
Cut back the spent blooms from your amaryllis bulb. Move the bulb outdoors in spring when the weather starts to warm and water your bulb regularly, allowing it to dry completely between waterings. Feed your bulb every few weeks during the spring to encourage lots of healthy green growth which in turn feeds the bulb. Stop watering your bulb in August and allow the leaves to die back. Keep the bulb outdoors until early October time, which is when you can start watering again until new shoots appear.
When to cut back amaryllis leaves?
Cut back your amaryllis leaves in September. Wait until the leaves become fully yellow and shrivel before gently snipping them away at the base. Now the amaryllis bulb is in its dormancy outdoors until being ‘woken up’ in October with regular watering and a move indoors to a warmer space.
