Amaryllis reblooming

Per requests, I am posting my methods for getting amaryllis to rebloom. After experimenting a few years, this method has proven to be effective for 4 years now!

I will start my cycle in the early spring, assuming a dormant bulb in a pot just barely big enough to hold the bulb. Take it out of storage, water it thoroughly, and put in a warm place until leaves start to grow (I put mine in the dark basement on top of water heater: warmest place). When they start to come up, I put mine in a bright place. Keep it somewhat moist, but not constantly wet. When outside temps stay above freezing, move pot outside, starting in shady area, gradually increasing exposure to sun (like you are hardening off seedlings). Keep outside until late August/early September (or at least 5 months).

Move into a dark place, withhold all water for 8-10 weeks. Then resume watering, put in a warm place to resume growth. At that point, a flower stalk should emerge!

If you have disturbed the roots (repotted, etc) it might be an additional year or two before it flowers: amaryllis really hate to have their roots broken or cut. If you are starting now (early summer) you won't have Christmas blooms, but not too late for Easter blooms! Just keep the plant going inside (if you live in a cold climate) until the foliage has been growing for at least 5 months. Then give it 2 months of dormancy. Works! Now if I could just figure out a way to keep the flower stalk from falling over!

Kathy

I do that and get blooms every year,I just keep forgetting to pull them out of storage so I can get blooms at Christmas,I ussually remember about them in Febuary...I cross pollinated them this year,(I was fustrated with no brug blooms to cross pollinate)It was not something I expected to work ,but it did.I threw the seeds in a flat ,watered,and now have(or had) 20 seedlings popping up(its 10 now,a creature knocked them over today ,and had some loses)i know it will take YEARs to get a bloom but I'm excited It worked!(I usually kill everything)

Thanks for posting this Kathy!

I too forget to take them out of hibernation to get blooms for Christmas. I even had forgotten one pot that really got hid and it just finished it's bloom for me. But, February was an exciting time and one of the months I really needed a pick-me-up. I took several pots to work with me for my fellow workers to ooh and ahh over.
Crested Chick, Cool about the seeds sprouting.

When you pot an Amaryllis, go for an 8 inch tall pot rather than a 6 inch tall one...or a 10 inch versus an 8 inch. Make sure the roots are all hanging down and then hold the bulb at the right height and keep on filliong the pot with medium while really pressing hard on the soil. Keep doing this until the bulb is covered just past its widest point. Then water it real well and after 1 or 2 days, try pressing the dirt around the roots again.

Ofcourse, put the pot in the lightest place you have and turn it 2 - 3 times a day away from the light.

Thanks Bleek! Would you believe mine are in 4" (deep) pots? No wonder the silly things keep falling over LOL. Even though I (somewhat faithfully) turn the pots every day, the leaves still flop all over. Sounds like I need to do it more often.

Karyn, that is so exciting about your babies! I just might have to try that myself this winter!

Kathy