Force Blooming Amaryllis

I've never forced bloomed anything, but I have a good idea of the principals behind.

I want to force bloom Amaryllis (Voodoo to be exact).

1) Do I cut the foliage from the top of the bulb before refridgerating?

2) How long do you leave it refridgerated for?

Thanks,
Donna

What is the current state of the bulb? Is it potted? In leaf? Unpotted? Do you know what it's history is or did you just buy it?

They are currently in leaf planted in my garden and some in a planter... I have many. I've had them about 7 years. They have propagated themselves... bulb divisions. They are hardy.... well established. I haven't even bothered to collect seed from them... but will next year.

I've moved them time and time again... they don't complain!

Thanks,
Donna

You should not put them in the fridge regardless. If you want blooms on an exact date, I suggest buying new plants on the brink of bloom at the appropriate time. I find that for plants in leaf there is no need to remove the leaves if they are in a warm spot. Withholding water a bit and them rewatering after a week or two tends to encourage blooms, but don't let them go a long period without any water in a warm climate.

Hmmmmm. I really can't do that. And I don't think that works too well with these. The ones in my garden get watered automatically... can't withhold water without affecting other plants. The ones in my planter, I hardly ever water anyway. Poor things. I always forget about them... and then I remember about once a month and I water them. It's a wonder that they even live. The planter is a concrete planter.... in the boiling sun... day after day after day... but they seem to thrive of neglect. So, withholding water... done that.

But I have heard so many times of people forcing bulbs into bloom by putting them in the fridge for a few weeks. Is it just that they are amaryllis that is the problem?

Donna

Yes, the issue is that they are Amaryllis, which are warm-weather bulbs from the lower continents. It's very easy to force bulbs that require a cold period prior to blooming, and those can be timed since you are using the fridge to manipulate the blooming period. Amaryllis do not require a cold period, and therefore are not what you want. Leave those alone and they will bloom for you most often. Don't even think of digging them up. It's easier to buy new Amaryllis if you want to control bloom time.

You can use hyacinths, daffs, crocus, or tulips for that. Although they will not give you blossoms on the scale of an Amaryllis, they are easy to force. I suggest hyacinths, you can buy them now or soon, and throw them into the fridge. They are fragrant and colorful. Paperwhites are another option that don't need to be chilled. They tend to show up in stores around October and are scented and very easy to grow and time.

Donna, FWIW, there is an amaryllis coop going on that will be closing tonight. There is a selection of Double Christmas blooming and Single Christmas blooming. Ck it out, there's still time. There also minis, novelties and Dutch hybrids singles & doubles.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/633570/

Well, I have the Voodoo, that I have had for years and years. I also have many seedlings that I grew from seeds just this year. So, I'll have 3 different kinds... and that's really enough of the Amaryllis. I have other bulbs. I have Crinum lilies, crocus, freesias, calla lilies... etc... and mostly daylilies. I just really like the abundance I get with the amaryllis. And they always bloom the same time each year (early spring), is why I thought they were timed by temp.

I really don't want to buy any new ones. If I buy anything it will be Tiger Lilies or of the sort.

Thanks,
Donna

DonnaA2Z~

Hippeastrums (amaryllis) can be forced into bloom. If you keep good records or have reliable information on your specific hybrid, cultivar or species, you can get them to bloom *around* or *near* a specific date. Sometimes it's a ballpark kind of date, but as you know, Hippis have multiple blooms per scape, so if you could get a bulb to be in bloom in some way, to cover the date. If you can repeat all the cultural details again the next year, you can zero in a bit to a target date.

Anyway, there's a lot on the web about forcing Hippis, both for commercial growers and home growers, do a Google or other search. You'll find a lot there.

A just bought bulb has already undergone a cool rest period and when potted up and brought into the warmth range of growth, will flower. Named varieties are known to flower within known time periods, which can vary depending on storage temps and growing temps. If your flowers start coming too quickly, you can lower the temps and slow the growth. Another variable will be, as was pointed out in this thread, what has gone on before with the bulb and what shape it's in. This is true for "store bought" bulbs and maybe more-so for passalongs or what you have on hand yourself.

Hopefully, it's been awhile since your bulb has bloomed. I wouldn't try to force one to bloom right after having done so. I would make sure it was at least 3 months since you removed a spent scape.

If you had one potted up that you could work with or maybe the ones in the planter, here's what you can do:

(This is in general--for most modern hybrids)

You'll have to have a cool room, at about 55F with good light. Don't unpot it or cut back the foliage! Leave it there for 8 to 10 weeks, and 10 is better than 8. Do not feed and do not let dry out. Be sure that you don't overdo the water. At 55 degrees, it stays in there longer than you might expect. Water when they need it, not by a schedule. Keep a check on them. The relative humidity and the size of the container will also figure in, sooner for single 8" pots, longer for big, deep multi-bulb containers. Lightly moist. Never really wet.

So, your bulbs are in good light and are in a cool room. They may rest soon after they cool down. They might be already at rest (no new growth happening outdoors) when you put them in the coolness. Some of them may throw another leaf or two (to differing lengths and so on). It all depends on the specific hybrid, strain and even your own bulb's nature.

Don't worry about it. It will respond to the coolness by slowing down and resting and preparing for the next warm period and that means developing the blooms that are already formed (or should be if they're healthy and have been well-grown) deep in the bulb. There are several "flushes" of blooms in there at any one time. The soonest to bloom are the ones that have been developing the longest and are closest to the outer edge of the bulb, alternating from one side to the other.

After the 10 (or even 12) weeks, you'll have to up the temps to, say, between 79F to 82F, constant temperature is best, and never cooler than 72F nor warmer than 86F. It's the new warm environment that starts the new growth cycle.

So, you've been cutting back (to say 4" till they wither away) any yellowed leaves and removing any dead ones by cutting close to the neck, keeping it from going too dry or getting too wet (that's worse!) and are ready to initiate blooming, now that your plant is all warm and toasty--just not too HOT! That can force more foliage and delay blooming under some circumstances. Think spring, not full-out summer dog days. Give your bulb the best light you can! The stronger the growth and the better the color.

You *should* soon see a scape emerging. Many times this is within a week. How long it takes to start blooming will depend on all the factors mentioned before. If your soil doesn't have any working time-release food going, you can feed once green leaves are coming out of the bulb. In blooming, the bulb uses its own stored food, so until that is over and roots and leaves are growing, don't worry about it. Until that bulb is actually taking in the fertilizer, it is only wasted and might damage tender roots if it builds up in the soil.

On balance, it *can* be weeks before that first scape comes. Isn't that terrible? It just depends on so many what-ifs and variables. On thing I do know, is that skimping on the length of the cool rest (8 weeks or lest) causes a great many hybrids to lag in sending up that scape.

But once you know your bulb under the conditions you rested it etc. (and you made great notes, right?), you may be able to fine tune timing.

My 2-cents for ya'.

Robert.

edited to correct temperature range.
This message was edited Aug 22, 2006 11:49 PM

edited to correct grammatical errors. Darn spellcheck can't do everything. Hope I got 'em all. {giggle}

This message was edited Feb 11, 2007 12:47 AM

Two cents? Two bucks, easy ! Thanks, Raydio, this is exactly what I needed to know.

raydio,

Thanks so much for the info. Unfortunately, I can't control the temp like that. I live in Florida, it's either hot outside or cold in the fridge. LOL... sad but true.

I wasn't aiming for a specific date. It's just they always bloom in early spring... every time. Just wanted to have something for my garden nice like that blooming late in the season... like now.

Perhaps my best bet is to look for other lilies and such that do bloom this time of year. Know of any?

Donna

claypa~

I take PayPal.
Just kidding!
Glad you found it worth something. Thanks.

Donna~

A 55F degree room can be hard to find in a Florida summer.........

Who knows, maybe you'll find one of those glass-fronted fridges and can set the thermostat at 55 and point it at the window, lol.

Three I like for late summer blooms are Cannas, Crinums and Lilium formosanum. (The first two aren't really lilies (Liliums)) , but all of them do bloom late or are in bloom til late, or can rebloom late, the Crinums and Cannas til frost (here, anyway).

I'm sure there are others, but these are three that don't require winter chilling. Not sure how low the formosanum actually needs in winter, but that should be on the web to verify.

Robert.

Robert,

Yeah, I have some crinums and liliums (Asiatic Hybrids - Sorpresa). I just put both down this year. I'm letting them settle in a bit before I try anything like that. The crinums I put down (got them from a friend) just a month or so ago... during blooming... they weren't happy about that. But none the less, have managed to live. I need to adjust the location of both the crinums and liliums when it gets a little cooler.

Note worthy of mention... I have a lot of daylilies. I realize that they are not really lilies either, but, can you force bloom them ya think? I'll bet ya can.

Thanks,
Donna

Raydio, I followed your advice and this is the result:

I guess the one on the right is yet another Red Lion. It had two stems with four blooms each a few years ago, then nothing until now. I put it a bigger pot and now another bulb is forming. Not sure what the other one is, nothing too exotic, but it's sending up leaves on the side of the pot, too. They liked being outside last summer!

claypa~

Great-looking flowers!

I had entirely forgotten this thread. In re-reading it, I saw so many spelling errors in what I had written..... {embarrassed chuckle}. Guess I should go edit it.

R.

It's probably worth it - I didn't mind bumping it back up, because it's good advice! Thanks again.
Mike