Get Ready to Grow
- Plant each bulb in a 6-7” pot or — for a REALLY stunning display — plant 3-5 bulbs or more in a large container, such as a punch bowl.
- Put potting soil in a pan and add warm water, mixing until the soil is moist, but not soggy. Fill the pot half full with soil, set the bulb on top with the roots fanned out and fill in around the bulb with more soil. Leave 1/2 to 1/3 of the bulb uncovered.
- Firm the soil lightly and water a bit to settle in the bulb and its roots.
Bringing your Amaryllis into bloom
Put the pot in a bright WARM spot. Amaryllis are happiest in 70-80F temperatures. If your home is cool, set the pot on top of a warm appliance or by a sunny window. IMPORTANT: Water ONLY with the top inch of soil is dry. Watering too often — especially until the stem is 3-4” tall — can cause the bulb to rot. It can take a few weeks before the bulb begins to grow. Don’t worry! Be patient, keep it warm and please don’t overwater. Once a stem emerges, give your Amaryllis lots of bright light or sunshine.
Watering and Care
Water sparingly at first, just enough to keep the soil lightly moist. Once you see the green shoots emerging, you can water a bit more regularly. Avoid overwatering—let the top inch of soil dry out between waterings.
Pro tip: Rotate the pot every few days to keep the stalk growing straight.
How to prolong the show
In about 6-8 weeks, your amaryllis will reward you with its gorgeous blooms. Depending on the variety, you might get one or two flower stalks, each with several blossoms.
Once your amaryllis begins to bloom, move the container OUT of direct sun — a simple step that makes the flowers last a lot longer. As each bloom fades, snip it off close to the stalk to encourage more blooms — and even more stems — to emerge. When there are no more buds on a stem, cut off that entire stem about 2” above the bulb. Don’t cut off any leaves.
How to save the bulb to re-bloom next year
Once your Amaryllis has finished blooming, set it in your sunniest window, continue to water when the top inch of soil is dry and begin fertilizing every month with any water-soluble fertilizer.
Around May, set the container outside in full to part sun for the rest of the summer.
In the Fall, after the first frost, cut off ALL the foliage just above the bulb, bring the pot indoors and put it in a cool (50-60F) dark place for 8-10 weeks. DO NOT WATER AT ALL DURING THIS TIME. Amaryllis must go through a dormant period to develop flower buds inside the bulb. After 8-10 weeks, bring it out.