Amaryllis Bulbs Information
Our Giant Amaryllis Bulbs make the perfect gift for literally everyone! And these “no planting, no watering” bulbs are also popular for decorating… on mantles, nestled in seasonal greenery, placed atop candle pillars, or in clusters for center pieces. Blooming for months, it’s the gift that keeps giving!
About the Bulbs… Our bulbs are all grown by one grower in the coastal desert valley of the Andean foothills. Once imported by their partner in the USA, Let ‘Em Bloom, most are then hand-dipped in a special wax from Holland that is specifically formulated to be flexible as bulbs change shapes and shrink as they bloom. These giant bulbs typically produce multiple blooming stalks; each stalk has 3-8 large, beautiful blooms. (The size of bulb, the size of the blooms and the number of blooms will depend on the variety and the conditions during the growing period.) The bulbs will bloom for months, and with proper care, will bloom annually in your yard or a pot. Don’t ever throw them away!
I JUST RECEIVED/BOUGHT AN AMARYLLIS BULB. WHAT DO I DO?
No Green Thumb Needed… These bulbs are cultivated to bloom with no planting and no watering.
First Blooms… Once you see any greenery peeking out of the bulb’s “neck,” then you can expect the first open blooms in about 4-6 weeks! If you purchase a bulb with no green showing, it may be 6-9 weeks, but you can speed it along by placing it a warm spot. Half the fun is watching from no green to full bloom!
Blooming Cycle… The bulb blooming cycle is the period of time from when the first bloom opens until the last bloom (on the last stalk) opens. Our bulbs typically have a minimum of two blooming stalks, but more likely, they’ll have three or even four. Each stalk will then have multiple blooms. The time from when the first bloom on the first stalk opens until the last bloom on the last stalk opens is typically 8-12 weeks.
Light... The bulb will grow wherever there’s light... including offices and hospitals under fluorescent bulbs. Avoid putting bulbs right next to windows. If they get too cold at night, it takes 12 hours for them to recover. They will think it’s too cold to bloom.
Room Temperature will Impact Growth… Bulbs will sprout and bloom more quickly in warmer rooms with an ambient temp above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bulb Care… As the blooms wilt, pinch them off. Once all blooms on the stalk have wilted, cut that stalk down to the base, being careful not to cut other stalks or leaves. Repeat throughout the blooming cycle. (The blooming cycle is -- at minimum -- two months.)
NEVER add water to the bulb. Adding water to a waxed bulb may cause the bulb to mold and preventing growth.
Propping or Turning… As the bulb blooms, you may need to provide support for the bulb to be steady. If the stalk is leaning toward the light source, then rotate the bulb to promote straight growth.
It’s Portable... I’ve heard people say... oh, they leave town for a month after Christmas. That’s ok. The bulb can ride along to the next destination! If it’s blooming at the time, just pop it in a backseat cupholder.
The Gift that Keeps Giving... Once the blooming is done and no more stalks grow (wait at least 3 months to be sure), cut any wax and peel off the moss. Plant the now-shrunken bulb in a pot or in the ground. Let the leaves grow tall for “re-charging.”
MOST IMPORTANT... AFTER THE BLOOMING CYCLE, DON’T THROW BULBS AWAY! THEY ARE STILL ALIVE!
WHAT NEXT? Months have passed and my Amaryllis Bulb has finished blooming... what do I do?
If you want to keep your bulb and enjoy it for years to come, follow the directions below:
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- Remove any treatment from the bulb (wax or moss) and cut off any stalks that have lost their flowers. Leave any leaves in place.
- Remove any exterior skin layers that may be brown or soft. Get the bulb to the freshest, firmest skin layer (like peeling an onion).
- Plant the bulb in a pot (up to the bulb neck) with soil and some flower fertilizer. Place it in a very sunny, open spot in the garden or patio. It's important that the spot chosen gets lots of drainage and/or wind to keep the soil from staying too damp. Too much moisture can cause major problems with amaryllis bulbs.
- Keep the soil just moist and every 1.5-2 weeks add some flower fertilizer, following the instructions on the bottle. Try not to get water down in the neck of the bulb.
- The bulb will produce big leaves which will soak up all the summer sun's energy, transferring it into the bulb, growing new buds. The leaves will tell you if it needs more water, less water or more sun. The bigger and greener the leaves, the better.
- At the end of summer, reduce watering and fertilizing. Once the leaves turn yellow, cut them off, remove the bulb from the soil and store the bulb in a cool, dark spot with average temperatures of 55-60 F. You should check the bulb every few weeks to make sure no mold is growing on it. It needs 10-12 weeks of dormancy to bloom.
- These bulb varieties can bloom without planting or watering -- as they did the first time around -- if they have stored enough energy in the bulb from its time in the summer sun. If you aren't sure, you can always plant them in a pot or place them in a bowl or vase with water to ensure good blooming from now on.
- After the dormancy period, the most important thing is to bring the bulb to an area of 70°F or more. For timing bulbs to bloom for Christmas, you will want to store the bulbs in late August or early September, and then pull them out again the middle to end of October.
Too much work? I know lots of customers who have just planted them in a small pot and put them on the porch. Others just plant them in the ground and forget them. So, if steps 1-8 are too much, try one of these alternatives and see what happens.