Homegrown With a little care, patience and attention, an amaryllis bulb isn’t just for one Christmas
Amaryllis in shades of red and white have become a familiar part of Christmas, either flowering boldly over the festive season or given as presents while still bulbs.
These showy blooms are easy to grow and they positively thrive in the over-heated atmosphere of a stuffy home, needing nothing but regular watering and a position out of direct sunlight to remain in healthy condition.
The only real problem with growing amaryllis is ensuring they continue to stay upright because those big trumpet flowers, perched atop tall stems, can all too easily topple over, especially if they start leaning towards the light. So either stake them carefully, place them into very heavy pots or opt instead to grow some of the more diminutive forms that are just as lovely but which you are less likely to find scattered all over the carpet in the morning.
The real challenge comes after the flowers have gone over. Should you discard them or try to keep them going? Well, considering the flower power that’s packed into one bulb, it would be a shame not to give it a go. And it really isn’t that difficult. Just cut off the flower stem 2.5cm above the bulb and keep watering and feeding with liquid houseplant fertiliser.
During spring and summer new leaves will emerge but in mid-august start holding back on water and let the foliage die down then once it has all gone store somewhere cool and dry for at least eight weeks.
To start the flowering process, pot up the bulb and start watering again and in two months you’ll have those glorious flowers all over again.
However, none of this will work if you start with those brightly coloured waxed bulbs that have become available in recent years.
These novelties are specially treated so they will grow without soil or water. To do that the roots must first be removed.
The end result is that these will flower only once. So, skip the wax if you want to grow a long-lasting and rewarding plant and one that will give you pleasure for years to come.