Forcing Amaryllis Bulbs
I was late putting my amaryllis plants out for the summer last year, so I didn’t put them to sleep for their dormancy period until October. So, I decided to purchase some new bulbs to ensure I’d have bloom that winter. I found a decent sized bulb of ‘Apple Blossom’ at Home Depot. I could see that a bud had formed with the possibility of a second bud next to it. Inspect your amaryllis bulbs before you purchase them to find the biggest bulbs you can.
Last year, I looked for sales on jumbo amaryllis bulbs on the internet. I found the best way to get interesting varieties of amaryllis is to order them online. I purchased ‘Luna’ (white), ‘Magic Green’ and ‘Gervase’ (a bright pink). The jumbo sized bulbs were quite a bit larger than the bulbs I bought at the box store. You can see by the pictures that I couldn’t stretch my hand around one of the jumbo bulbs, but I could get my hand halfway around the smaller bulb.
I planted the bulbs up to their “shoulders” in pots that had some heft because the flower stalks can become quite heavy. Later, I added some plant supports such as branches or bamboo stakes. I watered in the bulbs and then placed them in good light in a warm environment. In short order, flower buds appeared and the flower stems began growing, at which time I placed them in very bright light in front of a window where there was space for them to grow.
I had a nice succession of amaryllis blooms over a few months in the winter and early spring. The bulbs that I brought inside after their summer vacation this year have been placed in a dark space and are taking a rest. When they show any signs of regrowth, I’ll pot them up and bring them out of dormancy.
Give it a try!
Last year, I looked for sales on jumbo amaryllis bulbs on the internet. I found the best way to get interesting varieties of amaryllis is to order them online. I purchased ‘Luna’ (white), ‘Magic Green’ and ‘Gervase’ (a bright pink). The jumbo sized bulbs were quite a bit larger than the bulbs I bought at the box store. You can see by the pictures that I couldn’t stretch my hand around one of the jumbo bulbs, but I could get my hand halfway around the smaller bulb.
I planted the bulbs up to their “shoulders” in pots that had some heft because the flower stalks can become quite heavy. Later, I added some plant supports such as branches or bamboo stakes. I watered in the bulbs and then placed them in good light in a warm environment. In short order, flower buds appeared and the flower stems began growing, at which time I placed them in very bright light in front of a window where there was space for them to grow.
I had a nice succession of amaryllis blooms over a few months in the winter and early spring. The bulbs that I brought inside after their summer vacation this year have been placed in a dark space and are taking a rest. When they show any signs of regrowth, I’ll pot them up and bring them out of dormancy.
Give it a try!
“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.” ~ Jim Carrey