I would let it bloom in the summer but in fall, I'd stop watering and cut off the leaves when they yellow and give it a 2 month rest (dark, cool, no water). Then bring it out again. OR, buy a new one in fall, ha ha.
Indoor Blooms & things that get you through the winter.
'Buy a new one' is a nice option! LOL
I agree with Boojum. Often they are confused for the first year. I got some in the spring a few years ago on sale and they bloomed that summer, but then reverted to a winter cycle after doing what Boojum suggested. Patti
Great! I'm kicking myself for letting all my old amaryllis go to the compost. Now I have to start all over!
Info I gave my mil with her's last year
Fall Rest Period for Amaryllis
In mid September or so, stop watering completely and rest the bulb for about two months. Store it in a dry, dark and cool (not cold) place with a temperature of about 50 to 55 degrees. Some gardeners turn the pot on its side during the rest period. When the leaves yellow and die back, cut them off.
How and When to Restart and Repot Amaryllis Bulb
After about eight to ten weeks of rest or dormancy (or if your bulb begins to grow on its own) it’s time to restart the bulb. If needed, repot it now. Use a good quality potting mix formulated for container plants and a pot with drainage holes in the bottom.
Set it in a warm (70 to 75 degrees) and sunny place and water it thoroughly once. Thereafter keep the soil just barely damp. Once it begins to grow foliage, water a bit more generously so it is moist but not wet. Turn the pot a quarter turn every day like you did last year. When it begins to bloom, move the pot to a slightly cooler but still bright location; cooler temperatures help keep the bloom stem short and sturdy and the flowers last longer, too.
Effects of Time and Temperature on Blooming
Expect blooms in six to eight weeks. Timing depends partly on growing conditions and partly on the specific variety you are growing -- some take longer than others. To speed up blooming, move to a slightly warmer place (75 degrees). To slow it down, keep it cool (65-70). If your plant is tall and leaning, increase the amount of light it receives.
Thanks Jen!
I tried---I just have regular foliage---no bloom stalk.
Jen that's great info. I have some Amaryllis that have been resting now that I want to pot up when they are ready. However I was worried they wouldn't bloom well because, I was told that they needed to be planted in the ground for summer. I never took them out of their pots this summer due to no room so I wasn't sure how they'd do but figure I'd give it a try anyway. Do you keep them in pots all summer?
I always summered mine outdoors in pots, in the shade. As the growth started to yellow in the fall, I would cut off the foliage and store the bulbs in a cool, dim place in a bag. I've had stored bulbs send up a flower spike before I planned to re-plant them, so you have to check on them periodically. There are several varieties that are evergreen, btw. Papillo is one of them.
Didn't know that! It's a lovely amaryllis.
Great info Phoebe, so you been holding out on your knowledge of amaryllis huh? Do you still grow them? I find they help get me thru the winter and I can put them to sleep in the summer when i'm too busy to care for them.
Ha-ha-ha! I have many hidden talents--hee-hee! Besides, had to get you back for the AV 'newbie' deception! LOL! Nah--don't have any now--too big for my space :-( , and can't really put anything outside in summer--it gets stolen.
Oh good, thanks for the info. I just got Papillo this year. Now you say store them in a cool dim place in a bag. Nothing else, just a bag?
Your plants get stolen?
Yours don't? LOL! I no longer own a home or land...That's why AV's are a good fit for me.
Micro-mini Tiny Moon Goddess
How cute.
No, mine don't. We live way out in the country, a little over a half mile from the road. Most folks don't even know we're here. And we have a roadway alarm that let's us know when someone is coming.
Sounds good to me! ^_^ We have strangers swarming around here all the time. It's really annoying sometimes....
Phoebe, thanks so much. I guess the only thing I did wrong was leave them in too much sun. I had them on my deck in part sun, but I thought keeping them in the shadows of the railings and under a open metal table would give them some shade. Have you ever had red streaks all over them? I think it might be a pest? Not sure. I had that happen to all of them though. It seemed to go away when I brought them in. The old leaves died and the new ones it was sending up weren't red streaked. So hopefully it was nothing fatal.
I googled this..
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep060 Scroll down to diseases...:-(
http://www.theflowerbulb.com/plants/Amaryllis.php
Scroll down to Amaryllis Bulbs http://www.chicagolandgardening.com/CGMPages/QandA/Bulbs.htm
I'd dust them with a fugicide if they were mine...just in case.
Thanks so much for those great links.: ) I'm not sure if it is the insect damage or the red blotch disease.
Check out this blog--got the link from the owner who posted on the Houseplants forum...
http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/
Interesting articles, Phoeb!
Since we have 300 post on this thread I thought it was time to start a part 2. Please join me and bring what gets you thru the winter.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1062351/