After a couple of brutally cold days the temps today have finally warmed up to 20 degrees, which feels like a tropical heat wave!
The sun shining through the windows was absolutely glorious, the kind that immediately puts a spring in your step!
Showing posts with label amaryllis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amaryllis. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Monday, January 21, 2019
Frigid Frosty Mornings
Well, we survived the big snowstorm this weekend, and despite all the hype we barely got a foot of snow.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Amaryllis Care and Tips
In 2014 I bought a whole bunch of Amaryllis bulbs to give as holiday gifts. I purchased them online from Jackson & Perkins so I knew I was getting high quality bulbs.
When I gave the bulbs, I included the following instructions on a little card that I tied on with pretty ribbon.
Water Planting
1. Fill a clear vessel with a three-inch layer of stones or pebbles.
2. Add the amaryllis bulb, then add more stones around it for stability.
3. Add water just below the bulb, but not touching it, and monitor the water level to make sure it remains consistent.
Soil Planting
1. Partially fill a pot with well-draining potting soil; add bulbs.
2. Fill in with soil 2/3 of the way up the bulb, keeping the "neck and shoulders" above the soil level.
3. 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.
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.
I planted the ones I kept for myself in soil.
I wonder how many of the ones I gave as gifts are still going strong a year later?
Mine are absolutely gorgeous, and as you can see there are still more blooms to come!
I kept them out on my deck in the summer months and fertilized with a gentle organic liquid fertilizer every time I fed the rest of my outdoor planters.
In the fall, right before the first frost, I sprayed them liberally with insecticidal soap and brought them indoors.
I put them on the floor in the closet under the stairs and didn't look at them again for weeks.
When I finally pulled them out to use the closet for storage, they were already starting to grow again! I was shocked.
I put them in my utility room until after the holidays, no water or any attention at all given to them.
When the Christmas decor went back into storage I brought them upstairs and gave them water.
They bloomed beautifully within a couple of weeks!
They are absolutely glorious - I will replant them at some point before forcing them again next season as they have gotten quite large for the pots they are in but other than that?
