Hello! Ho – Ho – Ho - Oops! Christmas is over and done with! I hope your Christmas celebrations were the very best ever. And I hope that you will hang on to your Christmas tree for a little while longer. Just keep it well watered.

So – you survived this beautiful holiday? Did all of your holiday houseplants survive as well? Last week we talked about poinsettias. Keep them watered – not too much – not too little – but just right! And still another popular Christmas holiday houseplant is the amaryllis.

The beautiful amaryllis is a tender true bulb that originated from the tropics. It does best when grown under warm (70° to 75°F) temperatures for 9 to 10 months to promote flowering and vegetative growth, followed by 2 to 3 months of cool (55°F) growing conditions.

Amaryllises (or is it amarylli?) At any rate, they produce 2 to 6 flowers per stalk, with the average being 4. Very large bulbs may produce 2 flower stalks. Flower colors are red, white, pink, orange, salmon, and bi-color (mostly whites with pink or red flushes). Plant heights range from 18 to 36 inches depending on the particular cultivar, the country where the bulb was produced, and home forcing conditions. When properly handled and cared for properly, an amaryllis bulb may produce flowers for up to 75 years! (Yeah, right, my 5 year old amaryllis bloomed only once. Maybe I should pay attention to more amaryllis information!)

In the home, your amaryllis should be kept in a well-lit area. A southern exposure is best for this sun-loving amaryllis. When the plant is flowering, keep it out of direct sunlight. This promotes a longer flower life. Initially grow your bulb at 70° to 75°F until it begins to root and the leaves and floral stalk begins to grow. Afterwards, any temperature from 65° to 75°F can be used.

After planting, thoroughly wet the growing medium with lukewarm water. Then keep it moist, but not wet. Don't over-water! Once per week is usually adequate. Avoid watering over the bulb nose. After the plant begins to grow, fertilizing is essential. You can use a complete nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium (NPK) slow- release fertilizer. This fertilization determines the size and quality of the flowers and foliage. It’s OK to use any soluble or liquid fertilizer (Miracle-Grow? Fish Emulsion?), but use it at half the recommended rate. Apply liquid fertilizers every five to six weeks.

When actively growing during the summer months, use fertilizers containing low nitrogen, such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12. A bulb booster type fertilizer can also be used. Avoid applying excess nitrogen because it promotes lots of vegetative growth, but reduces flowering.

Normally, when healthy bulbs are purchased, few diseases or insects are encountered. The typical insects that can become a problem are: mites, thrips, and mealybugs.

Getting the Amaryllis to re-bloom.
As stated before, an amaryllis can live for several decades. Normally, amaryllis bloom only once a year. Here are several tips on how to get your bulb to re-bulb. Here is where I start to pay attention to myself!
1. As soon as each flower passes its peak beauty and begins to fade, remove it by cutting the flower stalk two inches from the base. This will prevent a drain of food from other developing flower heads or foliage.
2. Don't disturb the foliage because it produces the food for next year's blooms.
3. The growth is most active during the next two or three months and should be encouraged by ample water and fertilizer.
4. When all danger of frost has passed, the amaryllis may be planted, pot and all, outside in full sunlight, or it may be grown indoors in a bright location during the summer.
5. If your amaryllis does spent the summer outdoors, bring it back inside before the cold weather sets in. (Remember – amaryllis is a tropical plant!)
6. Gradually decrease watering late in summer when the leaves begin to turn yellow.
7. Allow the soil to become completely dry when the foliage has died back.
8. While in this dormant state, the bulb should be left in the pot and stored in a cool place, preferably at 40° F to 45° F.
9. Do not water during the dormant period.
10. For the plant to re-bloom by next Christmas, bring it into a well lit 70° room and begin to water. This should be done in early November so that the amaryllis will be flowering by mid December.

So there you have it – Amaryllis 101! And I really hope that your amaryllis gets to be 75 years old! Now I know what I can do to help my five year old blossom again!

Have a truly Happy New Year!

Remember - Eat Smart New York!

And – Bye – Talk to you soon!
D