I was poking around my basement the other day and found my amaryllis bulbs. I stored them down there a few months ago to go dormant. Now it's time to move them into a sunny, cool room.
Amaryllis bulbs are native to the southern hemisphere. They normally bloom in spring and early summer in those climes, which means winter here. While the classic amaryllis has either a large sized, red or white flower, there are many variations in nature and for us to grow.
'Beautiful Emotion' is a salmon colored dwarf variety. 'Bright Nymph' is a red and white, double flowered selection and I recently purchased 'Sumatra' for its spider-like, red flowers.
Whatever variety you choose, bring them home and pot them in a container one size larger than the bulb. Amaryllis like to be root bound. Grow them in a sunny window in a warm room. Rotate the pot periodically so the flower stalk doesn't lean. Use wooden chop sticks to keep tall varieties from flopping over. For bulbs already potted up, place the plastic container in a larger decorative container. Just make sure the drainage holes are open. Keep the soil moist, but let it dry out a bit between waterings.
The bigger the amaryllis bulb, the more flower stalks and flowers you'll get. It's not unusual to have 3 flower stalks with 4 to 6 flowers on each stalk. Cut back the stalks once they finish flowering and grow the plant indoors until spring when it can be moved outdoors. Water and fertilize regularly remembering to give the bulb a rest next fall to stimulate flowering.
