Amaryllis bulbs are one of our favorite holiday traditions - and once you start, you'll want to make these beautiful blooms a part of your celebration year after year! Get these plants started in late October and they'll be in full bloom for Christmas. Not only do amaryllis make wonderful home decor, you'll find our potted amaryllis plants to be the perfect gift.
How to Plant Amaryllis Bulbs
The first step in
planting an amaryllis bulb is to be sure you have your supplies. You will need a container 6-8" wide and potting soil for potted amaryllis. Next fill up your decorative pot almost full, leaving about ¼ of the soil out of the pot. Add in your amaryllis bulb pointed up and add remaining soil around the bulb. Leave the top of your amaryllis uncovered at the soil level. You can moisten the soil but do not over water. Place your container next to a window or near indirect sunlight. Remember that some varieties grow faster than others so it may take several weeks for your bulb to sprout. Once your bulb sprouts, it will grow quickly! It is best to stake your amaryllis, as sometimes the stalks can be very heavy and will fall. Try our
character amaryllis stakes to add charm to your amaryllis plant for the holiday season!
What do you do with Amaryllis Blooms After They Bloom
After your amaryllis is done blooming cut the stalk one inch above the bulb once the stalk is yellow.
You can keep it indoors until Spring but to get it to rebloom, you must allow to go dormant. Place the container near light and keep soil moist not wet. While going dormant it may continue to leaf growth. This allows the bulb to gain energy for the next bloom season. Eventually these leaves will die and soon will rest.
How to Store Amaryllis bulbs
After blooming store your bulbs in a dark cool place like a garage or basement. Bulbs should be stored at a temperature 50 - 60 degrees. Store amaryllis bulbs for 8-12 weeks to allow the bulb to go dormant. If you want your
amaryllis to bloom again bring out the bulb to replant and place back into your warm window with indirect light.
When to plant amaryllis bulbs outside
After your amaryllis has bloomed, trim up the dead leaves and move amaryllis to a dark cool place such as a garage or basement at 50-60 degrees. Once the weather warms up and spring brings warm temperatures you can plant your bulb outside. Be sure there are no threats to frost and the soil temperature is around 60 degrees.