Indoor Gardening/Growing Amaryllis

Gardening will move indoors around December just before the holidays. In winter, here's what you can do to get your garden fix and it's a good one: plant Amaryllis bulbs.

Amaryllis flowers are amazingly beautiful. The trick is plant them now if you want them to bloom for the holidays.

Here are my growing tips:
1) Amaryllis bulbs are big, but they like to fit snug in a pot. Pick a pot that is one to two inches past the bulb size. The right size pot is usually a little over 6'' and 7" being about perfect.
2) Plant roots down, leaving the top 1/3 exposed above the soil.
3) Place them in a sunny window.
4) I like using a soil covering: you can plant grass seed around the bulb, moss or cover with decorative stone.
6) Amaryllis come from South Africa and Holland. Bulbs from South Africa bloom for the holidays, Dutch bulbs bloom after, closer to February. So be sure to check when getting your bulbs.
7) Water once, well after planting. Make sure the water drains from the pot in to a saucer. You must have drainage, and do not over water or the bulb might get mushy or spongy, not good. Water once or every other week or when the top of the soil dries out a bit. Water more often in bloom.
8) Do not use fertilizers or soil heavy in nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes foliage growth not floral growth
9) Amaryllis start to lean towards the direction of the light. Rotate the pot if this starts to happen.

Amaryllis are so easy to grow and so festive for the holidays. Give them a try!

Next post: fall traditions, and having something clever by the front door.