Frequency of blooms?

Why do some amaryllis send up multiple blooming stalks, one after the next, while others only bloom once? It's my first year growing amaryllis and I'm trying to learn about them. I've fertilized often - would that have something to do with it?

Thanks.

It just depends on the cultivar and at what point it is in its life.

New bulbs tend to have more scapes since they are grown and processed to do that. A wonderful showing all at once, in their possibly temporary life.

But even then, one could get only 1 or 2 scapes when someone else's same hybrid might give three. The size (maturity) of the bulb could be behind it and the way it was handled. If it was harvested at a certain point in its cycle, a scape or two may halt in development and not lengthen in the cool storage. One might only get one while another bulb of the same cultivar might produce 2 or 3. But those other healthy scapes will likely bloom later--sometimes in a few weeks or months later during the growing season--if they remain alive and all goes well.

Some hybrids/species may only produce one or two scapes at any one time regardless. That's just how they are.

After being grown by the new owner, the maximum number of scapes is rarer. I'm not sure how they prevent a bulb from sending up scapes during the year, but that will affect how many emerge after a rest or cool period. Also, it takes months for a start initiated scape to grow large enough to produce flowers, and if that doesn't happen under optimum conditions, the scape count for the next blooming is cut down.

So many factors, all active at once, will determine what a bulb does and when. Even the conditions of each different home environment will produce different results for different growers, and those can vary greatly year-to-year.

Fertilizing a new bulb isn't required or necessary and might even be a little detrimental at first. The bulb is using stored reserves to bloom and grow at first, and without a good healthy root system, the fertilizer is wasted and might build up in the soil and damage tender root tips that will follow.

But feeding while in growth is a must for the bulb's health. Your bulb has to make new food stores and produce numerous leaves so that it reaches the point of producing new blooms. Hippeastrum hybrids are known to be "hungry feeders" and need regular fertilization. I prefer to give a constant feed of diluted fertilizer to my potted Hippis when they are growing. Constant feeding avoids a "peaks and valleys" availability of nutrients, so they never go hungry between feedings and aren't given a stronger than really necessary dose all at once. A nice steady pace all along.

Hope this answers your questions and helps get plenty of blooms, whenever and however they occur, to your heart's content!

Wow, Raydio, thanks! I have learned a lot.

For us lazy gardeners:
I havn't been feeding mine (about 25) and I think I may be letting them dry out too much because I've been so afraid of rotting them.
(1) How often should I water?

(2) Can I just stick one of those Miracle-Gro plant fertilizer sticks in the pot with them? I don't have any compost right now.

Thanks, all knowing radio!

(Seems you and ecrane are always, everywhere with answers about all kinds of things)

3gardeners-
You can use fertilizer sticks, but I suggest avoiding them with a plant that has established roots. You don't want to harm them.

I think it's better to use a water-soluable fertilizer that you can distribute evenly in the soil. The others may come along to disagree, but I don't care for them if you have the time to use other methods. They beat no feeding at all, of course.

As to watering, use a well draining soil mix and allow it to dry between drinks.

Oh you MUST feed them. They are called "hungry feeders" and that means they like to have "more than enough" fertilizer. What that means is that they should be fed regularly.

I feed mine about a 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water (I use Mir-Gro) *every* time I water during the growing season. I will give pure water every now and then, mostly because I don't have time to mix up enough of "the good stuff", and that's OK. Pure water "flushes" can send any built-up salts away, not that it is likely with the dilute solution--there are always reserves of nutrients left in the soil anyway, so don't get crazy, OK?

And last year I used Mir-Gro's 24-8-16 and had *wonderful* results. I swore I'd never feed them anything else...

but I may try 20-20-20 this next season to see if there is any difference. There is no need to feed them with a "bloom-booster" mix like 15-30-15. Bulbous plants have different needs than annuals and perennial in bloom. The higher nitrogen (first number) promotes more leaves and each leaf make the bulb larger and one step closer to starting another scape.

Other people may think differently, and I won't quibble. My 2nd year papilio has three scapes this winter, and I'm happy with that!

Watering is complicated and depends on the temperatures and humidity your plant is in. Watering is an art and a science. There is no schedule, only guidelines. The rest is up to you to learn by experience and observation. The "technique" is different for watering a "new bulb" as contrasted with watering an established plant with leaves.

Beware of overwatering a newly planted bulb.

A "rule of thumb" is to water than let the top inch or so dry out, then water lightly. As your plant grows and the medium dries out more quickly, you can water more fully and/or more often.

For an established plant in growth, amaryllis are just like any other plant that like a "regular" watering--don't let them go too dry but don't keep them constantly moist as for a houseplant like african violet.

I wish I could give you an exact schedule, but growing plants isn't like that. It requires you to be present and to learn by experience.

Amaryllis are really easy and very forgiving once they are established, so have no fear.

R.

Thanks! You have both given me the exact info. I need. Now, I just have to get a mix of nutrients and water together and give them a drink!

May I ask a very basic question? What is a scape?

I thought I knew, but now I am confused....

The flowering stem.

R.

Okay, that's what I had understood.

Thanks.

Do amaryllis bulbs ever need dividing?

Yes, but the offsets will take years to reach blooming size, so if your bulb is new you probably won't need to do that for at least a year or two when you see the offsets sending up substantial foliage. Sometimes you see offsets on new bulbs when you plant them.

Here's the fertilizers I have:
Speedy grow which is a seaweed product - doesn't give numbers

4-10-6 Van Engelen's Organic Dutch Flower Bulb Fertilizer (doesn't have water soluable directions. I think it is only for mixing with soil or broadcasting.

9-9-6 Bone Meal

12-0-0 Blood Meal

Which should I use or do I need to go out and buy some miracle grow?

Thanks and I promise to at least slow down on my questions... for amaryllis at least :-)

No need to slow down with the questions. Every discussion is interesting. I would favor balance on the new plants. I would go with either of the first two. The meals (and this is another just me, thing, so ask others for opinions) don't get you very far unless you used them as a soil additive and mixed them in where they can get at the roots. Were you planning to just sprinkle them on the soil? If so, I think that's a waste.

Here's an interesting page about organic fertilizers:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/files/gardennotes/234-OrganicFert.html

Good link Robert--wish they had included rock powders (even though they said it wasn't applicable to Colo)--then it would have been perfect. I'm into rock powders here and have always sworn by bat guano--even for bulbs. Like the way they included how long different organic additives are effective.
=)
Debbie

Like I said, ignore when the better answers come along.