Find Your Ask the Expert: How to get amaryllis to bloom again?
Flower Shop Network’s Plant Expert Reply: Although many people have success with Amaryllis bulbs, getting them to re-bloom is a long process. This is not a flower with a quick bloom turn-around. Usually Amaryllis will bloom only once a season, however they do bloom every year.
At our greenhouse, neglect is our course of action. If we have any Amaryllis left after the season, we cut the spent flower off the stalk and let the stem start to wilt. When the stem starts to sag, we will cut the stem off at the base of the bulb. We let the leaves grow, watering every couple of weeks and fertilizing every 6 to 7 weeks. We place the potted amaryllis in the back of a greenhouse that has some shade from the hot summer sun.
We don’t fertilize the Amaryllis after July 31st. Depending on when we want it to bloom, we stop watering it completely and cut off the foliage about 10 to 12 weeks before the desired blooming date. This encourages the plant to produce a bloom stalk. As soon as a bloom stalk forms, we begin watering and fertilizing the Amaryllis. We then place the potted amaryllis in a bright place (no direct sunlight is needed). We turn the pot every few days to encourage a straight bloom stalk. From this point it doesn’t take long to see the blooms.
Although many people have success with Amaryllis bulbs, getting them to re-bloom is a long process. This is not a flower with a quick bloom turn-around. Usually Amaryllis will bloom only once a season, however they do bloom every year.
At our greenhouse, neglect is our course of action. If we have any Amaryllis left after the season, we cut the spent flower off the stalk and let the stem start to wilt. When the stem starts to sag, we will cut the stem off at the base of the bulb. We let the leaves grow, watering every couple of weeks and fertilizing every 6 to 7 weeks. We place the potted amaryllis in the back of a greenhouse that has some shade from the hot summer sun.
We don’t fertilize the Amaryllis after July 31st. Depending on when we want it to bloom, we stop watering it completely and cut off the foliage about 10 to 12 weeks before the desired blooming date. This encourages the plant to produce a bloom stalk. As soon as a bloom stalk forms, we begin watering and fertilizing the Amaryllis. We then place the potted amaryllis in a bright place (no direct sunlight is needed). We turn the pot every few days to encourage a straight bloom stalk. From this point it doesn’t take long to see the blooms.
I am wondering if you can identify this plant for me, I think it may be an amaryllis?
Sorry, I thought I could submit a photo…..anyway, it has a long green stalk, thick, green leaves that shoot up from the bottom and the flower is a bright orange….3 to 4 on a stem….beautiful! They only bloom around May of each year.
Thanks!
Becky,
From your description I think it is an amaryllis. There is a photo upload in the Ask The Expert or you can email a photo to me at jadams@flowershopnetwork.com. If I see the photo I’ll know for sure.