what if not quite dormant?

I assume most of you have had the issue that it takes FOREVER for the bulbs to go dormant. I've had mine down in a basement with no light or water for weeks - and there are still leaves. Has anyone ever gotten impatient and just decided to start watering one again even if it has leaves? And was it a problem? I suppose I should just start with the ones that are already dormant as well as (heh heh) my brand new ones (BTW, John Scheepers sent HUGE bulbs)...but I'm impatient and wondering. Thanks!

Hello Scubadoobie. I have not done that. If I did, I would bring it inside and just let it to continue growing in a bright window. This would avoid any rot problems if ever. I would not expect much for a flower from it, not soon anyway if it did not get the recomended 8 weeks of dormancy. Hope that helps.

You should be fine. I rarely force dormancy, but I have heard some pros say that if you are going to force dormancy you should cut off the leaves to spare the bulb the energy used by the dying leaves. I don't do it that way, but that's the reasoning.

If it doesn't want to go dormant, just leave it alone and start rewatering when it's time.

Is dormancy necessary for flowering or is a a period of chilling all that is needed?

Dormancy is not necessary in most cases. A cold period is not required in most U.S. climates. Dormancy allows you to control the bloom date. If you don't care when it blooms, skip the dormancy period if you have the space for the plant to remain green.

I don't know how long a bulb has to be dry before it dies, but I have never known one to be completely dead. My daughter, up in Portland, Maine, puts the pots out in her garage (hot in the summer, freezing in the winter) and forgets about them until sometime around Chrristmas. Then she will bring in two or three pots at a time, whenever she happens to think of it, and soaks the soil (she fills the kitchen sink with warm-ish water and then sinks the pots in the sink until bubbles stop coming up), and then leaves them on the kitchen table where they get bright light but not direct sunlight. First thing you know, she has bud spikes showing. I don't thnk she even fertilizes them. They seem to thrive on neglect!

Down here in Orlando, I grow gift bulbs in whatever comes with them, then set the dormant bulbs out in my garden. The mature ones blossom mid-February through mid-April (I keep the dead biossoms pruned and cut the stalk as soon as the last blosssom fades) and get at least one addtional blossom spike.) I also have some summer-blooming amaryllis. Life is good!