Amaryllis lily

[Neil Bromhall]

When is the right time and method for starting off Amaryllis lilies?

Some people have great success whilst my plants I the past are just OK but nothing spectacular. The plant is a stunner and I want to do it justice this year.

Have you any advice how to get the best healthiest looking flowers.

At the moment I've just planted the bulb with it's roots in gravel.
Should I start it off in the dark or by a window.
Does it need feeding? If so what with?
Does it like it cool or warm
Your advice will be much appreciated

I found one site in the US who say Our Amaryllis are carefully prepared and require only warm temperatures, regular watering and a little sun light to deliver a spectacular breath-taking beauty of brilliant colors.

[sue1002]

I gave up trying to grow them successfully a couple of years ago, everyone else's flowered beautifully and all I got was the leaves with no flowers:(

This RHS page gives detailed info http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0807/hippeastrum.asp

[blackfingers]

Hello Paul and Sue:)
You can start them anytime in the autumn.I've grown mine first time last year,made a post about it earlier on.Plant the bulb with about 1/3 upper part sticking out of the compost.Place the pot on the plate and water moderately from the bottom.If you overwater it or plant the bulb too deeply it might start rotten.Place the pot in moderate light and temperature over 10 degrees C and watch out for the shoots.Once they appear move the pot in the brighter place and water moderately.You can feed it if you want-I fed mine with miracle grow and it grew almost 4 feet.I had 2 shoots last year and it just finished flowering 2nd time this season.Good luck!:)

[blackfingers]

Forgot to add,they grow about inch a day so I had great fun measuring it:D

[Neil Bromhall]

My Amaryllis was planted up and put on the kitchen window sill.
I've fed it with bulb food pellets and watered it with rain water.
I turn it every few days so each part of the plant has a turn facing the daylight
Within a week the first leaves started to grow and now the flower bud is starting to emerge from the head of the bulb.

[Neil Bromhall]

The Amaryllis lily I planted on October is now in full bloom.
I was advised not to water it too much so I followed their advice and the plant looks very healthy.

Now the trick will be to see if I can get it to flower again next year.
Do any of you have any suggestions?
Neil

[blackfingers]

Give it a good feed once it stops flowering and then after some time cut the leaves off and let it dry.Mine one has gone absolutely mad-after first bloom I fed it and according to the instructions I was waiting for the leaves to die naturally.It never happened though,I had second flower about September and now it's flowering again.Completely mad!!!:confused:

[Neil Bromhall]

Thanks blackfingers for your advice on ways to get blooms again.
I have not cut the leaves off before so maybe that's the problem.
I am curious though as one normally leaves the leaves on bulbous plants as they feed the bulb as they die back for next seasons growth.

[sue1002]

I thought all bulbs were the same - leave them for about six weeks after flowering has finished for the leaves to feed the bulb.