How to Grow Amaryllis

Amaryllis bulbs are usually marketed as Christmas flowers, but I don’t plant mine until after the holidays. I love picking up the bulbs on clearance and then having them bloom in February and March when I’m sick of the winter gloom. There’s nothing more cheery to me in the winter than the big, bright blooms of amaryllis flowers. This year I'm going to stagger planting, so I can have several weeks of Amaryllis blooms.

How To Plant Amaryllis Bulbs In Pots:

• Fill your container with new potting mix only about a third to half full.
• Set your bulb in the pot on top of the potting mix.
• Add more soil and tamp it down a bit until about 1/3 of the bulb is still showing above the top of the potting mix.
• Tamp the potting mix around the bulb.
• Sit the pot in the sink and water (add the fertilizer at this time) it allowing the water to drain completely.
• As the soil settles in around the roots after watering, you may need to add a little more soil.
• Be sure to set your pot on a saucer to catch water runoff.
• Place in a sunny window.

It's so exciting to see the green tips start emerging from the bulb. In my experience, it usually takes 4 – 6 weeks before the blooms start opening.

How to Take Care of Your Amaryllis:

• Water the plant when the top inch or so of the soil feels dry.
• Each time you water allow the plant to drain completely and then empty the saucer.
• Don't forget to turn your pot, so the stem grows straight.
• To lengthen the bloom time, once your Amaryllis starts blooming, move it out of direct sunlight.

Have you ever grown Amaryllis indoors in the winter? Some of my readers from warmer climates can grow these beauties outdoors, but here in Minnesota we grow them indoors. They really are super easy to grow and they also make great gifts, so I encourage you to give it a try this winter.

For more tips on growing Amaryllis and even storing the bulbs and forcing rebloom, please check out my article, How to Grow Amaryllis Bulbs For the Perfect Winter Flower.