My amaryllis is dying back what should I do with it now ? Will it come back this year? I have never had one before. Thank you Margie moderator's note: moved topic to more appropriate forum
Amaryllis? as in... Hippeastrum? Large bulb? No idea what the weather is like in Indiana, but here in Romania we let them dry out during the winter months, keep them in a cool location and when the flower bud emerges, we start watering and then it shots up leaves (after the flower). And then for a few months Spring-Summer we let it grow leaves and then... dry period once again. When I didn't know this, years back, we kept watering them during winter, and they got large, long leaves... kinda ugly, always in need of staking. But now we know better. Some people even take them out of the pots for the dry and cool period. CALIN
Pretty much agree with everything Calin said. I managed to keep a couple going for years, but eventually, I forgot about them and they rotted. I have 2 now, and am keeping my eyes peeled as the garden centres sell them off cheap now Christmas has been and gone. Once mine have finished, I let them die back naturally, then stick them out of the way in the garden somewhere and wait until they burst into life again. I have a fab one at the mo, I have a piccy, will have to resize it. Dark velvet red. Dreamy.
Hehehe EJ... dreamy? I've been looking for a muse for my dreams LOL I am not a huge amaryllis fan cause they are cool only for the short period they are in bloom and then just the plain leaves and then not even those. So I'd say all the amaryllis we have are my parents'. And they just let them multiply, and multiply, and multiply. Problem is we only have the one orange-ish/red-ish that everyone seems to have around here, so I can't make money out if this I did buy my mom one last year. White with some pink as I remember... Bulb still ok, no leaves and no flower YET! In its pot, very dry and we'll see when it kicks off! Calin
My only experience with an amaryllis is the one/two I have had for 5 years. After the flower has died back the leaves will come out at which point you have a green leafy plant to nourish and care for through the summer into fall, about 6-7 months. The plant will eventually go dormant. Typically mine sleeps for about 6 to 8 weeks and then starts the cycle again. Three years ago my Amaryllis had an offshoot. I now have two bulbs to watch over. Both plants woke up about 2 weeks ago. I don't try and force the bulbs to flower. The plants have their own schedule so I let them do whatever they want. The other plants cheer them on as they emerge from their winter nap. They get fed as they grow. Enjoy an outside vacation along with 90 odd plants that also get vacations spots as the spring warmth gives way to longer days and the summer heat. In the fall they all groan as they have to go in for the winter. Now they stare out the windows at 3 feet of snow waiting for spring. A little pushing and shoving for good window spots. Everyone else gets a grow light. That' s about it. Jerry
