Garden

[gardenman]

I have a bunch of Amaryllis bulbs that I let flower whenever they feel like flowering and my double one feels like flowering now, so here's a photo of it.

I know how to force them to flower for the holidays, but I don't really care when they flower so I just let them flower when they want to and enjoy them then.

[clarika]

It's georgeous! Enjoy this unexpected gift, amaryllis make me think of my mother who has a soft spot for the darker reds. You made me smile, thank you

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Nice!  I've found they are more compact and sturdy when in bloom with the higher light levels of spring/summer.

I can remember hearing a crash one late December day.  Sure enough, the amaryllis (which had stretched beyond its ability to bear the weight of blooms) had toppled.  The bulb was out of the pot and the whole thing was a mess.

[gardenman]

I leave mine on my front porch all spring and summer. After the first frost (typically mid-October) I bring them in and set them in a dark cool corner someplace and cut off the foliage and let them rest. Then in the spring, they head back to the front porch, start getting watered again and they reward me with flowers. I've got three more that will be flowering soon. I could force them for December, but then I'd have to deal with them over the winter and this is just easier. 

[KingstonsMom]

@gardenman 

Gorgeous flower! Thanks for sharing your method with us!

[gardenman]

---

@KingstonsMom wrote:

@gardenman 

Gorgeous flower! Thanks for sharing your method with us!

---

This is the easy way to grow amaryllis if you don't care when they flower. And I don't care when they flower. From mid-October to early May they just sit in a corner, forgotten and ignored. Then I move them to the porch, start watering them and they start to grow and flower. They're easy to care for on the porch as I just water them when I water everything else. I find the foliage never dies back naturally, so in the fall I just wait for the first frost, hack off the foliage, bring them inside to a cooler/darker corner and forget about them until spring. It's the easy-peasy way to grow Amaryllis if you don't care when they flower.

I could force them to flower in December by drying them out and cutting off the foliage in August then start watering them and giving them light in December. But then I have to deal with the plants all winter as they'd need light and water. And they get a bit bulky with foliage, so this works out best for me.

[KingstonsMom]

@gardenman 

I'm with you, I would let those beauties bloom whenever they want!

I definitely will try it with your method, thanks again!

[Carmie]

I bought two around thanksgiving.  One grew leaves, but no flowers., the other one didn't do anything.

When the warm weather  came, I set them outside.  Finally the dormant one is starting to grow leaves.

I Hope I get flowers.  @gardenman   The flowers you posted are beautiful.  I am keeping my  fingers crossed.

[lulu1]

@gardenman 

What a beautiful amaryllis.  Over the years, I've managed to accumulate 11 potted amaryllis.  They bloom whenever they please. (3 bloomed around Easter and 1 is about to bloom any day now)

I cut the leaves and put them outside against the back side of our house in May.  They are watered occasionally during the summer.  September I clean the bulbs and replant them in new soil.  I bring them in later in the month and put them in a sunny window.  I water them when they are dry.  I've only had 1 that didn't bloom again. I find the white  flowers are the most stubborn and take their sweet time.

@Carmie 

I had one like your shortest one I purchased in November with a bud peeking out. It never grew and the bud finally rotted.  I was about to toss it when suddenly, it began growing and bloomed around Easter. Don't throw those bulbs out.  Stick them outside and let them go dormant.  Do whatever @gardenman  does or what I do.

[Carmie]

@lulu1   I  am going to cut the one with one leaf back and set it aside to go dormant.  The other one has just started to grow about a week ago.  I am going to let that one be...  maybe it will flower.

If not, I will cut it back too.  my sister always has such good luck with these.  I have never  had them before and I am disappointed so far.  I can usually grow anything.