How to Grow Amaryllis Bulbs Indoor

Sharing my tips on how to grow Amaryllis indoor and what to do with the bulbs after they have finished blooming.

Now’s the time to get your Amaryllis bulbs planted so that they will bloom during the holidays. To be honest, I look as forward to growing these bulbs as I do decorating for the holidays!

There is something just lovely about having a bold and colorful blooming plant indoors while it’s cold and gray outside. Amaryllis and Paperwhites are my favorite bulbs to grow during the holidays, though they can be grown any time from Christmas through Spring.

How to Grow Amaryllis Bulbs Indoors:

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• In choosing your Amaryllis Bulbs, in general, larger bulbs will have larger flowers and will produce more flowering stalks;  the flowers the plant will produce are already inside the bulb!
• You can grow your bulbs in soil, pebbles or just water.
  • If you plant in soil, then use a potting mix as opposed to garden soil.  Place damp soil in a heavy pot, place your bulb, roots down on damp soil and then add more soil around the bulb, leaving 1/3rd of the bulb exposed. You will want a  heavy pot as it will be less likely to tip over with the weighty flower head, as well as a pot with drainage holes.

    

  • Plan to add a stake for support as needed.
  • To plant on pebbles, put about 3″ of small pebbles (I’ve used a natural gravel for fish tanks) in a deep vase, place your bulb on the pebbles and then use a little more gravel to support the bulb.  Plan to add a stake for support as needed. Keep water level slightly below the bottom of the bulb.
  • I prefer to grow my bulbs in these tall Amaryllis Bulb vases as they provide more support for the long stems. The heavy flower heads still want to lean, but the tall vase definitely adds some support. With the vase, it’s as easy as adding water in the bowl of the vase and then place the bulb in the vase above the water, roots down.
• Your amaryllis bulbs should not need to be fertilized during the growing season.
• Avoid overwatering for bulbs planted in soil and pebbles. Water sparingly until you see about 2″ of new growth. From then on, water regularly, letting the top inch of soil dry between waterings. If using a pot with a saucer, dump out any water that accumulates in the saucer to prevent your bulb from sitting in water.
• The warmer the air and water temperature, the faster the bulb will bloom.
• In general, plan to plant your bulb 6-8 weeks before you want it to bloom, but do check your bulb label as some bulbs will take longer to bloom.
• Rotate your pot or vase regularly so that the plant receives equal light and will be less likely to lean.
• Once your amaryllis has bloomed, cooler temperatures will help the flower blooms last longer.

  

??If you are looking for a lovely gift idea, amaryllis bulbs are always welcome. Go ahead and start one in soil, pebbles or over water in the tall vase and gift it already growing! You might also print out some instructions to give the recipient.??

What To Do With Your Amaryllis Bulb After It Has Bloomed:

• Many folks find it too difficult to regrow an amaryllis bulb, so merely discard them after they have bloomed.
• I have had both success and failure with regrowing them, so here is what has worked for me.
  • The bulb needs to be fertilized after expending all its energy to bloom.  The best way to do that is to plant it in soil if it has been grown in water or pebbles over the winter.
  • Cut the stem back to 3″ of the top of the bulb, but let the leaves remain.
  • Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer and place in a sunny spot.
  • Come August, start withholding water so that bulb begins to go dormant, the leaves will die back.
  • Place the bulb in a cool dark spot for at least 8 weeks and then you can begin the process all over again.
• You could also plant your amaryllis bulb in your garden and let it bloom

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