What's wrong with mine?

I have seedlings that I planted like five years ago. They've never flowered and they've never put on a lot of leaves b/c they keep yellowing and falling off.

I don't know what the problem is. I tried feeding, lessening feeding, stopped feeding, different formulas. Misted, stopped misting, more sun, less sun. Higher temps, lower temps. More humidity, less humidity, more watering, less watering.

They're in a shallow pot but not so shallow that their bulbs are exposed. I have some sphag on the top layer for decoration.

Am I Amaryllis challenged?

Photos please if you can. It makes diagnosis easier. KK.

I would never bury a Amaryllis bulb. When I plant mine the "shoulders" are always exposed and sometimes up to half the bulb. It is my opinion they hate to be underground. I have many in the ground and many in pots and all bloom well, often several times a year for me. I notice when the ones in the ground get covered with mulch, etc. over time they stop blooming as much, so I lift them and all is well the following year.

Good luck.

My first question is, what kind of drainage do they have?

A picture would be useful. . Have you been forcing dormancy on young bulbs? Also, what type of seeds? Where did you get them?

They've had all kinds of drainage at different points in their life all with the same effect.

I got the seeds from a trade a long time ago. They're not any special kind or color, just random. I haven't been forcing dormancy. Should I?

Would lifting up the bulbs really work? I'm willing to try anything!

Ok, Here's my best guess. I think they are still in "seedling" mode. Grow more leaves, sleep, grow more leaves, sleep, repeat ad infinitum, because they are too crowded together. I would try dividing them up. Take the three to five biggest bulbs you find and give them their own solo pots (about 8in/20cm across and at least that deep) and put them up in a good, free draining, high organic soil mix. Once they have settled in the new pots, hit them with a low nitrogen, high phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. To get flowers what you need is big bulbs, if the bulbs stay small they wont flower IMHO.

The smaller remaining bulbs can go back in that pot for a year or so, until you see what happens with the biggest ones.
I know Hippeastrums don't mind be a bit pot bound, but I am convinced that crowding seedlings inhibits their growth and maturity. Best of luck, Kaelkitty.

Edited to add: Lose the moss by the way, you should be able to see at least the top 20 % of the bulbs, as they can photosynthesise from the bulb as well as from the leaves.

This message was edited Nov 18, 2007 2:29 PM

I also think that they look too crowded and need to be carefully seperated and replanted with more room to grow. It looks like the ones closer to the middle are the less healthy ones because of the crowding.
Their roots are fighting for resources.

And no, you don't force dormancy with seedlings, I just thought that might have been the cause of your trouble.

Yep, I would agree. I would give them their own pots and expose some of the bulb as well. The leaves are healthy looking and some look as if they may have nice size bulbs on them...I would love to see a picture of the bulbs as you take them out to repot.

Some of my seedlings have larger bulbs than others, and I haven't decided if it is because they are a different variety or because of the containers they started out in....it will be interesting to find out once they are blooming size, and I see what I actually have grown..lol But I grew different seeds in different containers from the beginning, and now most of them are in the same small pots...they were started in April this year.

Another note, I too will be growing mine year around without forcing dormacy periods. It is my understanding this will make them healthier and they will be producing flowers earlier because they are growing year round.

Makes sense! I'm going to start doing this tomorrow.

Ugh! That means that I could have had flowers by now if I hadn't messed them up!

You don't have far to go. Be sure to use a good quality potting mix like MG, and I would mix something in to make sure it's light and has good drainage.

The only way to learn is to start them off and see what happens! I think you have done a marvelous job getting them going! They will flower, and I can't wait to see what you have...please take pics of the bulbs!!! I want to see what sizes you have in that pot!

Please post your results. I have lots of seedlings that lose leaves and look like your pic. I just haven't been concerned. But I will transplant them if it makes a good difference!

I'm excited! I'm not going to get flowers this year but if they pick up then next year definably. They're probably not anything special but I've never grown any before so it'll be exciting to me when they finally do flower.

Do they only flower around Christmas or can they flower other times? I live in MD z7b. I have them late spring and summer into early fall. Then in a sunny window the rest of the year.

No. The Christmas thing is a marketing gimmick. Since you can use the dormancy period to force them to bloom at chosen time, they are popular Christmas items. If you keep them green year-round most types will bloom more than once a year, but you can't choose the exact time.

Mine flower in Spring/Summer outside, and some that flowered inside last year, flowered again on the porch this Spring...I love them!

I had no idea! That's why so many people get rid of them after Christmas after they flower! Shhhh! Don't go telling everyone! Maybe they'll give them to me.

I agree that they're too crowded. The big boys need their own pots. :-)
Looks like you have a year or two to go before you have flowers.
Amaryllis require patience.

Enjoy!

K, I separated all of them (some died in the process for some reason :( ) and put only the three largest into a container with most of the bulbs exposed. For some reason, one of them still has it's leaves turning yellow and falling off.

Hmmm, died or went dormant? Have a feel in the new pots and see if the bulbs are still there! If they are, they will come back to life when they are ready. DO NOT overwater dormant or near dormant bulbs - they can rot if you give them water when the plant cannot make use of it. The soil should be near dry each time before you get them wet again. Less is better than more. Any Hippeastrum bulb bigger than a pea can easily cope with a week between waterings - longer intervals as the bulbs get bigger.

How big were the bulbs once you got them up and had a look at them?

All different sizes. They're all in the sunroom at room temp. Some are fine, others lost their leaves.