I received an amaryllis bulb for Christmas, planted it, let it bloom. In
late spring I planted it outside (I live in southeast Tennessee). Today I
cut back, divided and replanted some of my iris. What do I do with the
amaryllis? It grew several healthy leaves since being planted outside; I
didn't expect it to flower again this year. I plan to cut back the greenery
and mulch it in real good for the winter, but I don't know when is the best
time to cut it back.

"Pat Jordan" wrote in message
...
I received an amaryllis bulb for Christmas, planted it, let it bloom. In
late spring I planted it outside (I live in southeast Tennessee). Today I
cut back, divided and replanted some of my iris. What do I do with the
amaryllis? It grew several healthy leaves since being planted outside; I
didn't expect it to flower again this year. I plan to cut back the
greenery
and mulch it in real good for the winter, but I don't know when is the
best
time to cut it back.

The large flowering amaryllis normally available as potted plants or bulbs
at Christmas, are really hybrids of Hippeastrum, a tender bulbous perennial
originating from Central and South America. They are hardy only in totally
frost free areas. Dig it up now, store in a cool area (stays above 50F)
with minimal light and allow it to go dormant. Do not water. In late
November or early December, pot in fresh soil, water well, place in bright
but indirect light indoors and it should come back into flower in 6-8 weeks

pam - gardengal

Below is some text from a web site that I am currently building for an
Amaryllis vendor. This information from the "Amaryllis Care" page of the
site. This new site should be available within a few days.



Amaryllis bulbs are usually available in the fall. The Amaryllis is a large
plant, growing 18-24 in., with blooms 4-10" wide. Colors range from pure
white to salmon, pink and red. Bulbs can be brought into bloom from late
fall until early spring, blooming 6-8 weeks after planting. In the south
(zones 8-10) Amaryllis can overwinter in the garden and usually bloom in
April.

Purchase large, firm bulbs. The larger the bulb the more stalks and flowers
it will produce. Plant in a light, well--drained potting mixture. The
potting mix should be about 1" below the pot rim to allow space for
watering. Plant the bulb with 1/3 of the bulb above the mix. In the garden
it may be necessary, after several years, to lift the bulb and replant as
they tend to pull themselves deeper into the soil. When foliage and blooms
decline this is usually the problem.

Place your potted Amaryllis in a sunny, warm room. Water sparingly until
first shoots appear, then water whenever soil is dry- making sure it is
evenly moist, but not wet. Turn the pot every few days to keep the foliage
balanced. Some varieties may need staking. Fertilize with a balanced
water -soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20 once a month while the plant is
in active growth.

Once the flower buds are ready to open, the pot can be moved to a different
location, one which is cooler and has less direct sunlight. This will
prolong flowering and show off the brilliant colors. Remove the flowers as
they fade to prevent seed pods from forming, which diverts food from the
bulb itself.

When the bloom period is over, place the pot in a sunny location. Water and
feed regularly to promote vigorous foliage and to enlarge the bulb. Bulbs
may be placed outdoors in light shade during the summer as long as they are
protected from spring and fall frosts. Bring indoors after the foliage has
died(about Sept). Store in a cool dry location out of direct sunlight until
signs of growth reappear. Discontinue watering and feeding during this time
to prevent rot.

In about 2 months new growth will appear. Gently remove and replenish the
top 1" in. of soil adding in 1 tsp. of bonemeal.


--
Bobby Baxter
TheGardenSite.com
Your Web Site Is Waiting For You

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TheGardenSite.com: http://thegardensite.com
Daylily.Net: http://daylily.net
Happy Moose: http://happymoosegardens.com

We specialize in designing web sites for plant lovers!
daylilies, hostas, irises, orchids, cacti, perennials, etc.

Hippeastrum is an evergreen bulb. With proper care it does NOT go
dormant. If you force it to go dormant, you risk sacraficing the
next season's flowers.

True Amaryllis is a deciduous bulb. It does go dormant. As with
all deciduous bulbs, however, if you remove the foliage while it is
still green you risk killing the bulb.

See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_hippeastrum.html for
information on how to distinguish between Hippeastrum and
Amaryllis.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

Sorry to contradict both of you but the large flowering amaryllis sold as
gift plants/bulbs during the winter are hybrids of Hippeastrum and are not
hardy in the ground in zones below 9 or 10. And while they may very well be
evergreen in your climate, David, they are not in colder parts of the
country and they do go through a period of dormancy. Obviously they must, as
they are most frequently sold as just a bare bulb without any foliage.
There are many websites which address how to get one of these large flowered
amaryllis to rebloom in subsequent years in zones where they are not winter
hardy and the instructions are exactly as I have stated.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8529.html
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/amaryllis.html


pam - gardengal


"David Ross" wrote in message
...
Hippeastrum is an evergreen bulb. With proper care it does NOT go
dormant. If you force it to go dormant, you risk sacraficing the
next season's flowers.

True Amaryllis is a deciduous bulb. It does go dormant. As with
all deciduous bulbs, however, if you remove the foliage while it is
still green you risk killing the bulb.

See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_hippeastrum.html for
information on how to distinguish between Hippeastrum and
Amaryllis.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

Actually, I think you're both correct. The instructions given for amarylis
in books and websites are really for the vast majority of gardeners in the
north, who want to have blooms in the winter. The dormancy is basically
"induced" by a combination of cooler temperatures and letting the soil dry
out. - and in this way, a northern gardener can also induce the amarylis to
bloom a few months ahead of its natural schedule. In Tallahassee, where the
average winter temperature is pretty warm, but there are still 20 or more
days of frost most years, the foliage of the amarylis I grew outdoors there
would die back after a frost, and the plant would send out new foliage and a
flower scape in March. I have kept amarylis going year round in spokane,
but the foliage gets very ratty in the short gray days of a northwestern
winter, pressed up against a cold window pane. However, the plant will still
bloom in its normal time - which is March, April, or early May. Eventually
the ratty foliage drops off and new foliage replaces it - about the time
that the new flower scape begins to rise. I'm not good about repotting
every year in fresh soil, so often my bulbs s will give me about 2 years of
bloom and then peter out.
"Pam - gardengal" wrote in message
news:EWM2d.2698$wV.1360@attbi_s54...
Sorry to contradict both of you but the large flowering amaryllis sold as
gift plants/bulbs during the winter are hybrids of Hippeastrum and are not
hardy in the ground in zones below 9 or 10. And while they may very well
be
evergreen in your climate, David, they are not in colder parts of the
country and they do go through a period of dormancy. Obviously they must,
as
they are most frequently sold as just a bare bulb without any foliage.
There are many websites which address how to get one of these large
flowered
amaryllis to rebloom in subsequent years in zones where they are not
winter
hardy and the instructions are exactly as I have stated.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8529.html
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/amaryllis.html


pam - gardengal


"David Ross" wrote in message
...
Hippeastrum is an evergreen bulb. With proper care it does NOT go
dormant. If you force it to go dormant, you risk sacraficing the
next season's flowers.

True Amaryllis is a deciduous bulb. It does go dormant. As with
all deciduous bulbs, however, if you remove the foliage while it is
still green you risk killing the bulb.

See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_hippeastrum.html for
information on how to distinguish between Hippeastrum and
Amaryllis.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

gregpresley wrote:

Actually, I think you're both correct. The instructions given for amarylis
in books and websites are really for the vast majority of gardeners in the
north, who want to have blooms in the winter. The dormancy is basically
"induced" by a combination of cooler temperatures and letting the soil dry
out. - and in this way, a northern gardener can also induce the amarylis to
bloom a few months ahead of its natural schedule. In Tallahassee, where the
average winter temperature is pretty warm, but there are still 20 or more
days of frost most years, the foliage of the amarylis I grew outdoors there
would die back after a frost, and the plant would send out new foliage and a
flower scape in March. I have kept amarylis going year round in spokane,
but the foliage gets very ratty in the short gray days of a northwestern
winter, pressed up against a cold window pane. However, the plant will still
bloom in its normal time - which is March, April, or early May. Eventually
the ratty foliage drops off and new foliage replaces it - about the time
that the new flower scape begins to rise. I'm not good about repotting
every year in fresh soil, so often my bulbs s will give me about 2 years of
bloom and then peter out.
"Pam - gardengal" wrote in message
news:EWM2d.2698$wV.1360@attbi_s54...
Sorry to contradict both of you but the large flowering amaryllis sold as
gift plants/bulbs during the winter are hybrids of Hippeastrum and are not
hardy in the ground in zones below 9 or 10. And while they may very well
be
evergreen in your climate, David, they are not in colder parts of the
country and they do go through a period of dormancy. Obviously they must,
as
they are most frequently sold as just a bare bulb without any foliage.
There are many websites which address how to get one of these large
flowered
amaryllis to rebloom in subsequent years in zones where they are not
winter
hardy and the instructions are exactly as I have stated.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8529.html
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/amaryllis.html


pam - gardengal


"David Ross" wrote in message
...
Hippeastrum is an evergreen bulb. With proper care it does NOT go
dormant. If you force it to go dormant, you risk sacraficing the
next season's flowers.

True Amaryllis is a deciduous bulb. It does go dormant. As with
all deciduous bulbs, however, if you remove the foliage while it is
still green you risk killing the bulb.

See my http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_hippeastrum.html for
information on how to distinguish between Hippeastrum and
Amaryllis.

Please reread my Web page, where I state:
"I leave the clumps in the ground year-round, where they MAY
[emphasis added] remain evergreen. They bloom more reliably if they
do not go dormant in the winter. Contrary to some advice, never cut
the foliage or force dormancy on Hippeastrum. In their native
tropics, they are indeed evergreen."
Note that I do not say that Hippeastrum never goes dormant.
Generally, at least one bulb (a different one each year) does go
dormant each winter; all go dormant in some winters.

However, in cold-winter climates, bulbs should be lifted, potted,
and continued indoors, where they MIGHT stay in leaf all winter.
This reflects the advice given by Colorado State University
Cooperative Extension, for which there is a link on my Hippeastrum
page.

As for bloom time, I have two Hippeastrum that are blooming right
now. One of them is blooming for the second time this year, having
bloomed about 2-3 months ago. No, I did nothing to force
blooming. Blooming twice in one year is common (but NOT universal)
for the Hippeastrum in my garden. On rare occasions, a bulb might
actually bloom three times in one year. (They like me!)

My "California Mediterranean" climate is not frost free. We get
20-40 nights of frost in the winter, none of which lingers after
the sun rises. We had a killing frost only once in the 31 years
that I have been in my current house. In that same time, I think
we might have had snow three times (each in different years),
lasting on the ground only a very few hours. The point is that
mine is NOT the tropical climate found where Hippeastrum
originates; nevertheless, most (not all) of the Hippeastrum bulbs
in my garden remain in leaf all winter (albeit looking somewhat
ratty as indicated by gregpresley). They have been here the entire
31 years, having been moved from our previous house when we moved
into this house.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/