To grow amaryllis successfully indoors, follow these steps. It is worth it to have a showy display of gorgeous blooms greeting you on an otherwise dreary day.
Choosing Your Bulbs
There are many different varieties of amaryllis in different colors, fragrances, and flower types. One bulb will grow two stems, which in turn will produce four flowers each. If you want really big flowers, choose the biggest bulbs you can find—with amaryllis, the size of the bulb is indicative of the size of blooms it will produce. If you need to store your bulbs before you plant them, keep them somewhere dark and cool (40-50 degrees Fahrenheit).
Timing
You can plant an amaryllis anytime between October and April, and it will bloom six to ten weeks later. Consider this timing if you would like your amaryllis to bloom for a special occasion or holiday—if you count six to ten weeks back from your ideal blooming time, that is when you should plant.
If you want to have lots of amaryllis blooming throughout the winter, simply plant every two to four weeks starting in October or later.
Container
Amaryllis work well in a variety of containers. The main thing that you must remember when picking a container is that it must have enough weight to hold up a fairly heavy stem and large flowers without tipping over. Consider a traditional terracotta clay pot or ceramic container.
Planting
Before you plant your bulb, soak it in lukewarm water for two to four hours. Using a premium quality potting soil, plant the bulb into your chosen container, being careful not to damage any roots. Cover the bulb in soil up to its neck and pack the soil down gently.
At first, only water when the top inch of the soil feels dry. Once a stem begins to grow you should start watering more frequently. Keep the amaryllis in a warm, bright spot with lots of direct sunlight.
Sit back and watch it bloom. Consider staking up the flower stem if it gets a little too heavy.
Re-Growing
You can re-grow your amaryllis year after year. Remove old flowers from the plant as they fade and when the leaves of the amaryllis turn yellow, it is time to cut the whole plant down to about two inches tall and remove the entire plant—bulb and stem—from the potting mix. Gently clean off the bulb and store it until it is time to plant it again for next winter.
Paperwhites
Plant bulbs in a pot filled with a premium quality potting soil or horticultural sand or pebbles (this product has been pre-rinsed and clean) and store in a cool room (50 – 60 degrees F) until shoots emerge, then move
the pot into a bright, cool window. Bulbs started by mid-month should bloom during the holidays. Remember to add a staking system to keep the tall stems from bending over.
