Don’t throw them away after they have bloomed!
Reblooming your Amaryllis, (Hippeastrum) is not as difficult!
Like all bulbs, the Amaryllis will need a period of dormancy, anywhere from 10 to 14 weeks. The variables relating to how long a period will depend upon environment, nutrients, lighting and temperature. During the period of dormancy, your bulb will be building up the energy to bloom again.
Environment: Keep your bulb dry, too much water will rot the bulb. A dark place during dormancy is needed.
Nutrients: Fertilize as the bulb dies back, a general fertilizer will do or use a mild compost tea.
Lighting: Bright and even direct sunlight will wake up your bulb.
Temperature: Dormancy temperatures should not to go below 40 degrees, when breaking dormancy , temperatures should be above 65 degrees.
Once your bulb has bloomed, let the petals die all the way back. Then cut the stem off at the top of the bulb. When leafs grow, let those also die back down into the bulb. Once you see the leafs starting to yellow, that is the time to fertilize the bulb. I use a compost tea.
After you break the period of dormancy it will take 4 to 6 weeks for it to bloom again. So for Christmas blooms, count the weeks backward.
-Story and photo by Dodie J.
