When the amaryllis outgrows its flowerpot
Have read your column for years. Now it is time to ask for an opinion. We have had an Amaryllis bulb that has bloomed in our house for more than 20 years. It has grown, as you can imagine. Right now it has about 11 or 12 long leaves extending from the bulb. The bulb is in a 5 1/2-inch plastic pot. As you can imagine, it is really in there with little room to spare. This year, the bulb started to tilt in the pot so that it is now leaning at a 45-degree angle. We placed a large rock on the edge of the pot to keep it from falling over. I stopped watering a week or two ago. I doubt that the leaves will die in the next two or three months of rest. I think I should repot the bulb into a 6-inch pot. My daughters say that it will not bloom if I repot it now. What do you think I should do? Incidentally, this bulb demonstrates that if you get a bulb as a gift, it is foolish to throw them out after they have bloomed in your house for the first time. Thank you for your opinion. — Pete Kromayer.
Yes, amaryllis bulbs do get quite large. At this time, it is quite okay to repot the bulb. Will you lose your blooms? Probably not.
Repot the bulb in a container that is one-to-two inches wider than the widest part of the bulb. Standard potting soil is okay; your own mix with a high organic content and sand or perlite for drainage is also acceptable. Be sure the pot has drainage holes, as the roots and bulbs may rot if they get waterlogged. Note that a bulb that has not been replanted in years may also have smaller bulblet that can be separated and repotted. Small bulbs may take years to reach blooming size.
It is time for the bulbs to go dormant for a few weeks. Stop watering and allow the greens to dry out. Trim and store the bulb in a cool, dark area until new growth emerges. Move to the light and resume watering.
Home maintenance
While a garden column may seem an odd place to advocate home maintenance, it is, in fact, part of the garden chores. While it is still warm, check and seal all those little gaps and cracks. Look around windows and doors. Check the foundation. Repair screens. Yes, it is a good idea for many reasons — heat/cool insulation, saving money. But I am mentioning it because now is the time when those annoying stinkbugs and other insects look for nice places to spend the winter.
The stinkbugs are massing on my screens now, and I’ve noticed a few on the inside of the window. Not really a bother now, but in a few months, those pests will really bother me as they fly about the rooms anytime things get warm. I hate being dive-bombed by a disgusting bug when I’m relaxing in the evening. So, now is the time to seal things up and make it more difficult for the stinkbugs to invade the house.
To be clear, not just stinkbugs seek refuge in your home. Ladybugs also seek shelter, and now is about the time when the mice — or in our case, the voles — sneak in. I don’t mind sharing the yard with a multitude of creatures, but I do strenuously object to finding them in the house.
So, for your own peace of mind, get out the caulk and fill any gaps between the house and the doors and windows. Add a sweep to the bottom of your doors to make it a bit more difficult to get in (and block out the cold winds of winter). Fix that hole in the screen before it becomes a doorway to a warm winter home for insects and other pests.
Water
It has been a very wet year, but in recent weeks, we have experienced some very dry weather. If you have new plantings or containers, or just notice some plants struggling along, water them.
We are not expecting any substantial rainfall in the near future — unless one of the tropical depressions moves our way. New plantings need regular moisture, especially as they work to survive until the root system matures and functions properly.
Anytime rainfall is less than an inch, consider watering. And continue to water as needed until the ground freezes this fall.
Sue Kittek is a freelance garden columnist, writer, and lecturer. Send questions to Garden Keeper at grdnkpr@gmail.com or mail: Garden Keeper, The Morning Call, PO Box 1260, Allentown, PA 18105.