As we venture into December, now is the time when our stores will be filled with all types of holiday plants. One of these will include the amaryllis. They are one of my favorite holiday bulbs and they will generally be sold by the bulb. These need to be potted up and you’ll have blooms in about 4-5 weeks depending on how well they’re taken care of. One of the unique traits of these plants is that they bloom on a leafless stalk. After they have flowered, then they will send out leaves to store energy for next year’s blooms.
When you first purchase an amaryllis bulb, be sure to select a healthy and firm bulb. If the bulb is soft or smells of rot, then you shouldn’t purchase it. Only select those that are without any growth and are firm. Amaryllis only need a 6” pot because they prefer smaller pots as opposed to larger ones. Most people will purchase terra cotta pots for their amaryllis. Fill the pot partially with soil and place the bulb in the center of the container. After you have placed the bulb in the center, fill in the sides with soil, but be sure to leave the neck of the bulb exposed. You want the bulb to sit slightly out of the container.
After a few weeks, you will be rewarded with huge flowers that will demand your attention. After they have flowered and the flowering stalk is yellow, then the leaves will start emerging. Cut the yellowing flower stalk and allow the leaves to grow and keep watering normally. You can use a gentle houseplant all-purpose fertilizer to help ensure healthy root and leaf growth.
During the summer you can place the pot with the leaves in a sunny location to allow them to continue growing and conserving energy. Most people will stop watering a few months before they want them to bloom again. This will help control the bloom period and send the plant into dormancy. Leave it alone in a dark area for a couple of months until you are ready for it again. After a couple of months, water it again and it will reward you with your large open flowers again. The flowers will normally pop back out after 4-5 weeks from when you begin watering them again.

As always, if you have any questions regarding any horticulture facet, feel free to contact Lucas Holman, Horticulture UT-TSU Extension Agent, Wilson County at 615-444-9584 or Lholman1@utk.edu.
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