70 days until Christmas which is enough time (just) to brighten Santa’s arrival with amaryllis
Next weekend’s clock change is a signal that the seasons are on the march but if you want to brighten up the dark months ahead then one of the easiest ways to do that is by planting amaryllis bulbs for growing indoors.
Amaryllis take six to eight weeks from planting until flowering, and so if you get your skates on you might just be in time to have a few in bloom by Christmas.
The name covers both true Amaryllis and Hippeastrum, which are similar in looks and can both be treated in the same way. And the first step is to choose fat, heavy bulbs that show no signs of rot.
Next, soak them in some tepid water for a few hours to stimulate the growth process and then plant them two-thirds deep into compost with the top of the bulb protruding from the soil. Water regularly and feed with tomato fertiliser, staking tall-growing varieties. Keep them somewhere bright but out of direct sunlight and turn the bulbs daily to prevent them from growing towards the light.
With a bit of care, you can keep amaryllis bulbs going from one year to the next, feeding them until the foliage dies down and then allowing them to rest before starting them into growth again. Do this and you could, in a few years, build up a sizable collection of varieties of different heights and colours.
Another autumn favourite is the florist’s cyclamen, which is a bigger, more flamboyant version of the hardy cyclamen that grow outdoors. These need to be grown in a cool, bright spot and one reason why they fail so frequently is because they are introduced into a warm sitting room, where their leaves quickly turn yellow and drop.
Over-watering is another surefire way of sending cyclamen straight to the compost heap, so wait until the compost feels dry to the touch before standing the plant in a shallow saucer of water for an hour, then letting excess water drain away.
Just like Amaryllis, cyclamen can be kept for many years. Simply cut back on water in spring and let the cyclamen go dormant over summer before beginning to water again in early autumn.