Growing Amaryllis for the Holidays
Learn how to grow a holiday Amaryllis bulb.
A gift that keeps on giving
A flowering bulb that is a popular indoor plant Christmas gift in North America can be grown outdoors in our gumbo soil.
Amaryllis, those beautiful exotic looking flowers that come in various shades of red and white, are a good choice for gardeners who want a plant that will provide low profile green leaves most of the year and sensational color each spring. In mass plantings they are particularly eye catching.
Amaryllis bulbs fare best in semi-shade and loose, well-drained soil. And yet I’ve seen them thrive even in our compacted clay-infested gumbo in almost full sun. Planted in the fall, Amaryllis bulbs need to be roughly one-quarter exposed. Do not plant them too deep! Plant about a foot apart. They will bloom the following spring if all conditions are met and snails or slugs don’t get them. We separate ours every three years after the foliage dies back in the fall. You can also put a few in pots in early fall for forcing indoor winter blooms.
Fertilizing isn’t essential if you have good soil, but if you do use a low nitrogen fertilizer like 5-10-10 otherwise you’ll get more leaves than blooms.
growing amaryllis - News
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Hardy amaryllis can't be found in nurseries, so keep an eye out for a generous ... Hardy amaryllis can't be found in nurseries, so keep an eye out for a generous Then, as days shorten and temperatures begin to drop in early September, your amaryllis plants will green up and grow again. Apply an all-nitrogen plant |
Anna Pavord goes beyond tulips
Writer Anna Pavord cradles an amaryllis bulb at Allan Gardens in Toronto. Bulbs are the subject of her latest book. From Saturday's Published and more »
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What New Orleanians should know about native plants Bulbs that rebloom well include leucojum, many narcissuses and some daffodils, Dutch iris, amaryllis, bletilla, Easter lily, wood hyacinth, and more » |
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Some spring work to do The strap-like leaves keep growing and contributing to the size of the nice fat bulbs. Amaryllis(s?) are supposed to start to die back in September, |
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Palms played important part development of civilization By the by, amaryllis, meaning “twinkling eyes,” comes from the name of the Greek country girl, a shepherdess, in some of the poems by the ancient Greek poet |
