Blooms are produced in many colors including pink, red, salmon, orange
and white. Around the end of October, Amaryllis bulbs appear in local nurseries
and garden centers.
Amaryllis flowers are popular as indoor winter and early spring holiday
decorations. Two to four magnificent blooms reaching widths of 8 to 10
inches are displayed on 2-foot flower stalks.
Blooms are produced in many colors including pink, red, salmon, orange
and white. Around the end of October, Amaryllis bulbs appear in local nurseries
and garden centers.
Amaryllis bulbs are easily grown. Some bulbs come pre-planted as a kit including a bulb, soil, pot and instructions. Growing a bulb from a kit requires little more than watering and watching.
Amaryllis bloom 5 to 8 weeks after the bulb is planted. Generally the larger the bulb, the greater the chance of getting multiple flower stalks as one large bulb can produce 2 to 3 flower stalks. Select a large firm bulb that is free of bruises or blemishes.
Select a pot for the bulb that is twice as tall as the bulb and 1-2 inches wider in diameter than the bulb. Soak the bulb in a shallow pan of lukewarm water for 3 to 4 hours prior to planting. Fill the pot with a well-drained potting soil mixture high in sphagnum peat moss or vermiculite. Position the bulb in the pot so that about two-thirds of the bulb is above the soil; the soil line should be just above the middle of the rounded portion of the bulb. Press the soil down around the bulb and water. Place the pot near a sunny window or in a warm room with a bright indirect light.
Water to maintain soil moisture while the tip emerges from the bulb
and as the flower stalk grows. Turn the pot to prevent the flower stalk
from leaning toward the light. When the flowers begin to open, move the
pot away from the sun to preserve the blooms.
Snap faded flowers from the stalk. When all blossoms are removed, allow the stalk to wither.
To produce flowers next year requires that the bulb be grown as a houseplant after flowering. Sufficient light, fertilizer and water are required to restore the energy stored in the bulb. Because of the short growing season and intense sunlight along the Front Range, care should to be taken to position the bulb where there is enough light but not so much as to produce sunscald on the leaves. To allow for a growing season long enough to sufficiently restore the energy in the bulb, watering and fertilizing with liquid fertilizer should start in a sunny window just after flowering has finished.
In early fall, move the pot into a cool dark room and
allow the bulb to rest for 5 to 8 weeks without watering. Move the pot
into the light and begin watering 5 to 8 weeks prior to desired bloom.
Q: I grew potatoes in my garden this year. When do I harvest them and how do I store them?
A: You can leave potatoes in the ground until the ground freezes.
Dig carefully around the base of the plant to find the tubers - they are
usually fairly close to the surface. Store them in a dark place with
temperatures from 38 to 45 degrees F and 75 to 90% humidity. Higher
temperatures and lower humidity will cause the potatoes to deteriorate
more quickly. Any of the smaller potatoes that are still in good
shape next spring can be used as "seed" potatoes to start next year's crop.
Q: We've planted some new trees in our yard this year. Do we need to wrap the trunks?
A: Young smooth barked trees should be wrapped during the first year or two after transplanting to avoid sunscald. This injury is caused by sudden temperature changes and water loss. Use a commercial tree wrap and start at the bottom, overlapping the wrap to the second branch. Remove the wrap in the spring to avoid harboring insects and diseases under the wrap that may harm the tree.
Pot up Dutch Amaryllis soon if you want them to bloom for Christmas. It will take 8 to 12 weeks for the bulbs to flower. Use a sterile, well draining soil medium with a neutral pH. Keep about one-fourth of the bulb above soil level. Water with tepid water, being careful not to over water and keep in a bright, warm location.
Your bluegrass lawn will benefit from a final feeding this fall. As long as your lawn is still green and it is 2 to 3 weeks before the ground begins to freeze, you can feed with up to 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. This late feeding means that your lawn will green up faster next spring and you can delay the first feeding in the spring until May. Your lawn will also benefit from a fall aeration if you have a problem with thatch and/or compacted clay soil. Fall fertilization is not recommended for buffalograss, blue grama, Bermudagrass or fine fescue lawns.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
Return to Master
Gardener News Releases .