AMARYLLIS

AMARYLLIS BULB
That amaryllis bulb (Hippeastrum) you received as a gift this Christmas is an easy bulb to coax into flower.

Many gift bulbs come complete with pot and potting mix. If not included, plant in a pot that is one inch bigger all around than the bulb. Set the bulb only half way into the soil, and use a light potting mix to firm in. Water well, and set in a sunny window. Inadequate light will cause the flower stalk to stretch. Keep moist but not wet and wait for the show - amaryllis blooms are spectacular. When the flowers fade, remove them, but do not cut down the stalk until it shrivels. Grow as a houseplant, fertilizing once a month with a flowering houseplant fertilizer. When summer arrives, you can move it outside, even plant it in garden soil. In September, bring it back inside, put in a cool dark place such as the basement, and withhold water to induce dormancy. If new growth does not appear by the second week in November, water the bulb. When new growth appears, move to a sunny location and you should have holiday blooms again. Bulbs that are well cared for and fertilized can produce blooms for years.