Storing Amaryllis Bulbs

I've read that this is a summer bulb and I can't plant these til Spring. How do I store them til then?????

Here in zone 8 they are left in the ground. When is your first heavy frosts due? I would put them either in the ground provided you are not gonna be frozen solid for the next 4-6 weeks. or plant them in long tom pots using a well drained mix that is peat free.

Mark, tne thing is I can't plant them now b/c of other circumstances. They were given to me, I didn't dig them up. I think our first frost is in a couple weeks or so. But I need to store these. Any suggestions how???? Thanks for your help!!!!

Here in zone 5 amaryllis have to be stored inside. I dug mine up a month or so ago. They spend the summer in a semi-shady location outside. I fertilize them when i remember to do so. Some are planted directly in the ground and some remain in their pots. i have about 20 or so bulbs, each year i can't stop myself from buying another one or two. I bought a really nice large bulb from WalMart a month or so ago, it is showing two nice bloom stalks.

After I bring them inside either here in the house in my plant room or out in the garage Bonsai storage room, some with the most leaves I continue to water, others I let dry out for a couple of months.I'm not sure yet which way brings the most blooms. If a bulb doesn't have at least 4 leaves it won't bloom this season, an so I feel it best to try to keep it growing and lightly fertilize.


Mark, why shouldn't the soil for amaryllis include peat moss. When one buys a bulb already pre-planted, it almost always is in what appears to be only peat moss. Which I never thought was very good, but I hadn't heard that peat moss shouldn't be in the planting mix. Donna

It holds too much water which can cause bulbs to rot. I have lost too many bulbs over the winter this way. It probably doesnt applie to areas that freeze solid in the winter.

So I could wrap them in newspaper and store them on my cold garage?????

I would plant them in pots

Mark, should I leave them in the garage or put them outside so they can get rain this winter?

Berrygirl, there is a lot of information on this thread:
http://davesgarden.com/t/404049/amaryllis

Did these bulbs come from a nursery recently? Usually amaryllis bulbs that are sold at this time of year are meant to be planted in pots inside (if your climate gets too cold for outdoor planting) to bloom around Christmas. That means they have already had their resting period and are ready to be potted up.

If somebody gave them to you from their garden and they have been growing all season, you can go ahead and give them their rest period as described in the hyperlink.



This message was edited Nov 12, 2003 1:27 AM

outside so they can grow when they want to but you can follow which ever bit of advice you think is best.

Thanks so much for all the help!!!! Yes, someone recently gave me these that had been growing in their garden this yr. I'm gonna let them sleep in my garage til Spring.