Amaryllis

I have an amaryllis that has had a very rough life prior to my owning it. It was given to my daughter as a gift when she was in college. It was one of those that comes as a kit with a pot to pot it in. The whole thing is in a box when you buy it. She put it in a closet and just left it there till she came home for Christmas. I came across it and opened it and to my horror it was a white and yellow long coiled up sprout with pale, pale leaves, a flower that had already bloomed and one that was ready to open. It looked like something from a sci-fi movie. Especially since the flowers were a deep red. I potted it up and gave it the food that came with it and you literally could stand by and watch it get greener. It turned out to be a nice plant and the bloom opened and it was beautiful. But then came my mistreatment to add to its sad life. That was two years ago and it is still green and has never bloomed again. I have since learned a little more about bulbs, and realize that it needs to go though a dormant season which it cannot do in my dining room window. So what can I do now. I should have planted it outdoors, but I dont know when to do so. I don't know if it needs the summer heat before the cold or should I do it in the fall?

You can plant it now outside, inground, full sun and eventually its cycle will normalize. Planted inground it will likely bloom for you next april or so. Water lightly to prevent bulb rot but enough to hydrate leaves.

This message was edited Jun 19, 2006 8:47 PM

That's good news! However I have a question because I always need to learn more.
Why do I not want it to root?

sorry that is a typo. I meant "rot", lol