AND NOW FOR AMARYLLIS CARE AND ENJOYMENT!

At Christmas we went to our daughter’s home.  She had this amaryllis blooming on her table in the living room.  Like so many of us, a little guidance on how to care for this gorgeous plant would be helpful.  I will attempt to do that here.  I will give you the “simple” guide, but I will provide you with some links that will go into much greater detail, so you can go as deeply into this as you’d like…or stop at the simplest!

I am going to assume you were given a blooming amaryllis bulb and it is beginning to fade.  Your question now is probably, “What now?”

You can just treat it like any other houseplant in order to have it bloom again next year. BUT, there are a few things you need to do.  As soon as the flower has faded, cut the flower stalk off a bit above the bulb-maybe an inch or two.  DO NOT CUT OFF THE LEAVES.  The leaves are needed to replenish the bulb with all the nutrients it utilizes to re-bloom next year!  On the photograph of Christa’s blooming amaryllis, you’ll notice there are no leaves, or at least just a tiny one.  (After you cut back the flower stalk, leaves will miraculously appear.  Just let them grow until they fade as well!)

Place the pot near a sunny window, water and fertilize in the same manner you do with your other houseplants.  Then, when all danger of frost is gone, sink the pot in an east or west facing spot in your garden.

As the leaves begin to turn yellow during the progressing season, cut back on any watering until the soil drys out and the leaves fade totally.  At that time, your bulb is dormant and you can bring it back inside.  If you have a cool spot (about 45*-55*f.) allow it to stay there for a couple of months.  At that point, you can water it and set it back on your sunny windowsill and treat it the same as your other plants.

I promised you a couple of sites that would give you more in-depth direction and information.  Here are two.  One is from the University of Minnesota Extension and the other is from Iowa State University.

Here is a past Post from my New Hampshire Blog about how I dealt with Amaryllis there.  It’s from a different climate and zone, so you may get a chuckle out of seeing the differences!  Enjoy!

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2005

Amaryllis, indoor

My amaryllis has finished it’s blooming. Those bright, vibrant red blooms were a delight on the window sill in our northern climate. The Easter Cactus blooming right next to it was the same color. What a joy!
All things must end, however, so it faded and I cut the stem off just above the neck of the bulb. Strangly enough the bulb never put forth any leaves. NOW that the bloom is gone, however, the leaves are making an appearance. There are 4 or 5 of them popping up from the bulb.
I will now put the plant downstairs in the cooler basement and cut back a bit on the watering. Fertilization will not happen again until the weather is a bit warmer, and it goes outside.
I do not have an outdoor cold frame, so I’ll have to find a sheltered spot out in the garden when the frost is no longer a problem. In this northern climate, we joke that the “no frost dates” are from July 4th until Labor Day!
Anyway, it will be coddled until it goes outside and then I’ll put it in my chicken-wire box where it will be safe from critters, but able to enjoy the great outdoors. In the fall the reverse process will happen. I’ll stop the water again, bring the pot back inside, checking for insects, etc. It will stay in the basement while the foliage dies back. At that point (January or February), I’ll clean off the old foliage and dried scales, as well as take out about an inch of soil from around the bulb (gently) and add some rich soil and compost.
Amaryllis bulbs do best if pot-bound, so don’t be too quick to use a larger pot. Give them 2-4 years before this kind of a change.

 

 

 

 

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POINSETTIA’S AND THEIR CARE

We went to Molbak’s last week.  I got some tiny poinsettias, and then won a larger one at a Christmas Party we went to afterwards.  My window sill is a “groaning board” of poinsettias!

How about a little information about the “what & where” of poinsettias?  For instance what most of us tend to call the “flowers” are actually “bracts”. The little yellow “things” in the center are actually the flowers.  Here’s

 

a rendering of what a bract actually is!

The issue now is whether you have purchased those plants for Christmas color, or to keep forever.  They are inexpensive, and therefore easy to “buy and toss.”  I have NOT got the room to save them from year to year, and they are so inexpensive to purchase, I’d rather just let them fade, compost them and buy new next year.

At this point, I’m going to assume you fall into the latter category.  If you keep them from year to year, that is a whole different story…not to be answered in this blog, but try this link for more information from Clemson University Extension Service.

Anyway, when you get them home, be ready to have a very christmas-y house.  They are wonderful for that, aren’t they?  But what do you do with them to keep them looking good and being healthy for the time they live at your place?

First, look for a draft free, relatively sunny spot for them to be located.  They don’t like to have a frosty reception when the sun goes down.  They do need about 6 hours or so of indirect sunshine…  Unless you live in deepest Alaska, pretty much any relatively sunny spot will do!  Some spots in Horizon House are incredibly sunny.  If you have one of those units, aim for a table nearby.

Watering?  If you don’t keep the soil from totally drying out, the leaves will turn yellow, curl and drop off.  OUCH!  Disaster!

Every other day, I take mine to the kitchen sink and let them (in their plastic pot) sit in shallow, tepid water for 20 minutes or so.  Then I remove them, drain the water, put them back in their  pretty (no hole) container, and place them back on the sill.  That seems to work very well.  Most directions say to water every day.  I think if you see the leaves looking a bit “curly” get them into water, and do it daily.

It is normal for the lower leaves to finally turn yellow and drop, so don’t panic, just be sure the plant is not thirsty.

You shouldn’t need to fertilize them, unless you are going to attempt to keep them longer than the 6-8 weeks we hope for under usual circumstances.

If you keep them in the foil they usually come in, be sure to punch some holes in the bottom, so any water can drain.  NEVER let them sit in water and become soggy.  That’s a sure path to disaster.  I set the plastic pots into a prettier pot (with NO hole) to protect my furniture.  Although the foil is pretty, I usually remove it.  But that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.  Do what you think best for your circumstances!

Contrary to popular thought, the leaves are NOT poisonous.  So your pets should not be bothered.  However, the sap can sometimes cause an allergic reaction so be aware of that.

Poinsettias are named for Joel Poinsett, a botanist, who was also ambassador to Mexico.  He introduced the plant to the USA in 1825.  It is pronounced:  “poin·set·tee-ya”.

Good luck with your new acquisition.  Enjoy all the Holiday color and cheer!

 

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