Amaryllis Bulb Size Questions

This is my first year trying to save a Hippeastrum bulb and get it to rebloom. After it bloomed last winter, I continued to water and fertilize it regularily. Then in early summer I planted it directly outside in the garden. In the planting hole I put composted cow manure and time released fertilizer. Periodically I gave it some liquid fertilizer. All summer long it grew happily and shot up several new leaves as the summer went on. This past weekend I gently dug up the bulb and surprised to find out it appears much smaller. Here is a photo. It now measures 26 cm at its widest point across the diameter. I have two questions:

1) In catalogs when they mention bulb size and say it is 'xx cm' -- which dimension is this referring to? Is that the widest diameter or the bulb? It isn't the height right?

2) So I have noticed that some reputable companies are offering bulbs that are in the range 32 cm or larger for the same variety I have. Do you think it is worth planting and trying again inside or start over since this one is only 26 cm?

I have put it to dry out and go dormant since I do not have the room to leave it growing (the leaves make it take up a lot of space). So my plan was to restart it in 3 months.

Thanks for your advice!
Sue

dear sedum

some bulbs are smaller than others. The miniatures are a smaller bulb but lovely flowers. I had a Papillo Butterfly last year. It was so small I was certain it wouldn't bloom but it did! I just dug it up and again, it looks like a midget compaired to others.

Some of the doubles are enormous. So, I'm not sure what the answer is, just wanted to say that I've seen plenty of amaryllis diversity
cynthia

Size 24-26 cm = appr. 10 inches (div. by 2.54) circumferance and 3 inches diameter (div. by 8) and gives usually 1 stem with 3-4 flowers.
Size 26-28 cm = appr. 10.5 inches circ. and 3.4 inches diam. and gives usually 1-2 stems and 3-4 flowers per stem. So if you get only 1 stem, it most likely will have 4 flowers, while if you get 2 stems, you may have 3 flowers on each stem.
Size 28-30 cm = appr. 11.5 inches circ. and 3.6 inches diam. and usually gives 2 stems with 3-4 flowers on each stem
Size 30-32 cm = appr. 12.2 inches circ. and 3.9 inches diam. and usually gives 2-3 stems and 3-4 flowers per stem
Size 32-34 cm = appr. 13 inches circ. and 4.1 inches diam. and usually gives 2-3 stems and 3-5 flowers per stem
Size 34-36 cm = appr. 13.8 inches circ. and 4.4 inches diam. and usually gives 3 stems and 4-6 flowers per stem
On the doubles the flower production moves up 1 or 2 sizes. so a 24-26 cm may give the flower production of an 28-30 regular one.

All this is in general terms......depends also on feeding....watering.....warmth....TLC....and what kind of music you are playing.

Thanks for the info seems worth it to give it a try in any case. I am just disappointed with the effort I took to fertilize and put it outside directly in the ground that it isn't bigger. I am posting the photo again as it doesn't appear to be showing correctly (in case anyone is interested).

Sue

sedum
which hippaestrum is it? Is it single? Then I think it will be fine. Red Lion is a commonly sold, pretty small bulb that blooms nicely.
cynthia

Hi Cynthia,
The type is Apple Blossum. After a long time not growing these, someone got me this one as a gift last Christmas. Just loved the colors of this one.

Sue

Last year I bought some apple blossom and red lion bulbs on sale at Lowe's I thought they might not be big enough to bloom, so I put several in a planter....just to be certain. All had at least 1 stalk and most had 2.

caution, they are habit forming
grins
cynthia

sedum37-
That's the after photo, right? It still looks like it's still heathly and of blooming size. It may be that you could have watered a bit more. But you fed it, and it should bloom again. Next year, water daily in well-draining soil. Use a weak fertilizer in each watering. I have a variety and some double in size over a summer, and others remain about the same.

Hi Andidandi,
Yes the photo is after I dug the bulb last weekend. We have had very cold temperatures here in Massachusetts in the high 30's so I didn't want to take a chance leaving it in the ground any longer if we get an early frost. I have it in a cool dark place to dry out the leaves.

Sue

I grow my hippeastrum year around. They are outside in the summer and in the kitchen in the winter. They bloom twice a year, reliably. I leave them out until night temps are forecasted to go below 40. I put them out when day temps reach 70. Never had a problem, never dry them out, feed annually with a nine month time release fertilizer in spring. One bulb has divided into 9 in one pot - one big pot! I repot every three years (or when winds from a storm blow the pot over and break it). They are tougher than you think.

snapple45-
Your's is the method that I suggest. Lifting them causes stress and less blooming. In a cool winter area like sedum37's she might try submerging a pot in summer so that they remain potted yearround. No need to dig them up. They will bloom more often this way.

This message was edited Sep 22, 2006 7:21 PM

I wish I could say I do it this way because I was smart. It was more a little lazy about all the drying off, putting in a dark place stuff when the plant looked liked it didn't want to go dormant. One of these years though I am going to have to divide this pot. The bigger it gets obviously, the harder it is to handle. I like to put it in the shower every six weeks or so in the winter for a soft soaking. It takes a crane to get it out of the tub when the soil is fully saturated.

snapple
which bulb multiplied like that? I have many 'ryllis in the yard. Only one has multiplied like that. Others remain just one bulb, or slowly add bulblets.

I think the multiplier is Fairy Tale, but not sure. It is a stiped flower with a relatively short stem. It does freeze here, so they don't grow year round.

Any idea who this might be? It was one bulb in the spring of 2003, this is spring 2006.

thank you
cynthia

Boy, THAT is pretty! My multiplier is unnamed. It was an end of season, no label, near death, marked down rescue from a big box store. One thing I have noticed is that it doesn't multiply in the same season it is repotted. It is a double white with red edging. Most of the bulbs are at least as big as softballs. This year it added two offsets. I'm gonna look for that Fairy Tale. It is impressive.

I pretty much do what snapple45 does and get flowers every winter. The only difference is that I repot every two years or as the new bulbs look like they are ready to separate from the parent bulb. Mine may be the same as I went from 1 bulb 6 years ago to 12 bulbs plus another 6 that are still immature.

Bulb size is neither the hight nor the width of the bulb. Bulb size is the circumference, the distance around the outside of the bulb.
Your bulb is much bigger, than the ones in the catalogs. You have a nice health bulb and nothing to wory about.

This message was edited Sep 26, 2006 1:19 PM