How to successfully grow an amaryllis

The two most iconic plants to decorate your home during the holidays are the poinsettia and Christmas cactus. But many stores this year are also stocked with amaryllis bulbs. They sell amaryllis in either a kit or on their own as single bulbs. These beautiful flowers produce gorgeous trumpet-like blooms. Plus they come in a variety of colours with either single or double blossoms. Are you an admirer of these beautiful plants and considering getting one yourself this holiday season? Or have you struggled in the past to keep your plant healthy and strong well living indoors? If so, the tips in today’s blog will be sure to set you on the right path. You will become a successful caretaker of your amaryllis plant in no time at all!

Why grow an amaryllis this season?

Amaryllis plants are one of the most stunning houseplants. This is especially true when you think about what you can grow indoors during the holiday season. They help fill the room with a warming pop of colour to break up the cold and dreariness that a long winter can bring. The variety of colours and shapes of the petals that are available today ensures one will catch your eye. Amaryllis blooms are also a beautiful addition to wintertime bouquets.

How to give your amaryllis the conditions it needs to successfully grow indoors

At your local garden centers amaryllis bulbs are either sold in a kit with a pot and premixed soil or as a single bulb. The bulbs are very distinctive in their appearance and sometimes come as large as a softball. If you purchased a single bulb and are looking on how to care for it when you get it home, you will need to find a container to grow it in and some fresh potting mix. Unlike other houseplants, amaryllis like to be a bit crowded into their container. Look for a container that is roughly an inch or so wider than the bulb. Anything smaller than the size of the bulb will not work as well. Make sure there is at least an inch or so out from the bulb to allow for adequate growth of the plant.

The importance of the correct pot for growing amaryllis

As with most houseplants, you also want to look for a container for your amaryllis that has good drainage. Amaryllis are plants that does not like to sit in standing pools of water. Finding a container with proper drainage holes is a must when growing this type of plant. Once you have found the right container, place a little potting mix in and then you will place the bulb on top. Fill up the rest of the container with potting mix around the bulb and continue until it is about ¾ of the way up the bulb. The last quarter of the bulb should be poking out from the soil. 

Potting up amaryllis bulbs

Be sure not to cover the top of the bulb up with soil completely as that is where the new growth will shoot out from. To avoid air pockets in the soil, press it down gently around the bulb to allow any air to escape. Do you want to help the plant grow taller from the bulb? If so, place some small stones or landscaping gravel around the base of the plant. As the plant grows up from the bulb, it can become quite top heavy, so the small stones will help to balance it.

Once you have successfully potted your amaryllis, give it a good drink of water around the outside of the bulb. Avoid watering right onto the bulb, but instead allow it to draw in water from the soil. Amaryllis does need bright light to grow, so try to find an east or south-facing windowsill. Is this not an option for you? If so, grow lights can also help to simulate the light that these plants need. Especially to successfully grow indoors over the winter. With the proper growing conditions in place, your amaryllis should start to emerge. It normally takes about 4-6 weeks, but sometimes this will vary, so don’t panic if it takes a little longer!

Watering amaryllis

Hold off on water until the first green shoots emerge from the bulb. Overwatering before this happens can lead to rot and poor root development. When you start to see green shoots beginning to emerge, you can begin watering again. Try to water each week or when the soil appears dry or feels dry to the touch. The best way to check to see if your plant needs watering is to stick your finger in the soil. If it feels moist, leave it for a few more days and check again. If it feels dry, it is time to give your plant a drink of water. Avoid overwatering your amaryllis as it can lead to the rotting of your bulb. This is a very common issue with these types of plants. So keeping a diligent eye on the water level while it pushes out new growth will be key to your plant’s success.

How to care for amaryllis plants while putting on new growth and blooming

Once your amaryllis has starts to push out new growth get into the habit of rotating it everyday. This way it will not be stretching for the light and will help to keep it growing strong and straight. The amaryllis needs to stay close to the light until the flower petals have started to emerge. Once it has bloomed, you can place it in an area of your home where you can see and enjoy it. If the stem becomes too floppy and starts to bend down, go ahead and cut off the bloom and place it in a vase to enjoy. The blooms have quite a long vase life. So you will be able to enjoy it for some time even if it is no longer physically attached to the plant. As the blooms fade, you can go ahead and remove them. But don’t be too quick to throw away your plant just yet. It might send up another flower stalk or two before it finishes for the year.

Amaryllis not blooming in time for the holidays? Here’s why….

A very common question that we get asked in our inbox is:

why did my amaryllis that I got for Christmastime didn’t bloom until after the holidays?

The reason is that there are actually two very different types of amaryllis bulbs. Both types have different origins and blooming times. Some amaryllis originate from South Africa and their bloom time is closer to Christmastime. Others are from the Netherlands and they bloom after the holidays during the winter. If your amaryllis did not bloom at Christmas wait a little longer. You may in fact have one that prefers to bloom after the holidays. 

A good rule of thumb for growing amaryllis

Always check:

• the packaging
• or ask a sales associate at your local hardware or nursery

to see if they can tell you roughly when the bloom time should be for your plant. In some cases, you may have to do a bit of detective work. You might need to research the bulb variety to find out its origins and what its bloom time should be. It’s not always easy. Knowing that there are two different bloom times for these plants is half the battle. You will be able to figure out which variety that you have growing in your home in no time!

What to do with the bulb from an amaryllis plant after it has bloomed

You might be wondering whether you can save an amaryllis bulb after it has bloomed and have it come back next year. We always say, anything is worth a try! Amaryllis bulbs are not as difficult to regenerate the next year as a poinsettia plant for instance. It all depends on the conditions and what the bulb wants to do. If you want to try regrowing your amaryllis next season this is what you need to do.

Regrowing amaryllis for next year

Once it has finished blooming for the year, trim back any spent flowers and leave the stem and foliage in place. You want to keep the plant in a sunny windowsill. Or try growing it under grow lights until your final frost date has passed in the spring. Once this danger has passed, you can go ahead and transition your plant outdoors into a sunny spot of your yard. Leave any stems or foliage where they are and water during periods of dry and intense heat. 

You can also give your plant some houseplant fertilizer every so often. We usually try fertilizing them from May to July, usually about once a month. In July bring your plant back indoors. Place it into a dark place in your home and do not water it until after Halloween. You want the plant to go into a dormancy period. This way it will push out new growth later in time for Christmas or shortly thereafter. Once Halloween passes, trim back the old foliage. Place your plant back into a sunny windowsill or under growth lights. Doing so will help it to wake up from its slumber and dormancy period. Like last year, hold off on watering until you see the green appear again. Don’t panic if nothing happens. Like any bulb or tuber that you try to preserve from year to year, sometimes it doesn’t work out. If you are successful in getting it to grow for another season, it is well with the time and effort!

Final thoughts

This season when you are shopping for the perfect houseplant to add to your annual holiday display, we hope that you give growing an amaryllis a try. These plants are actually low maintenance. They give you beautiful pops of colour throughout the holidays and winter. If you have always wanted to grow an amaryllis but never thought you could keep it alive, make this the year you take a leap of faith and go for it. Chances are you will thank yourself later. Especially when you have a beautiful houseplant to enjoy during the long days of winter. Follow us on social media and let us know how your amaryllis is growing!