The thing you have to remember is that even though you go through the drying, low light dormancy routine, you still might not get a flower -- and then too, some of this depends on the variety too. At the top of each flower stem, two to six blooms usually develop, according to Missouri Botanical Garden. Carefully grasp the flower and locate its stem. For foliage pruning, wait until it has completely yellowed and becomes brown before trimming it off the plant. However, be sure not to cut the green stalk. Amaryllis plants grow from bulbs that require a dormant period each year in order to bloom. Deadhead or cut away each individual flower head that blooms on top of the amaryllis flower stalk as each flower fades. Choose a pot. Amaryllis are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, notes Missouri Botanical Garden. When Do You Make an Amaryllis Go Dormant? • After the flower buds have opened, withered, and bloomed, it’s time to trim the stem. Wait for the bulb's leaves to turn yellow to brown and become shriveled and dry. Be careful not to cut into any leaves. I have had an amaryllis get a flower bud while the leaves were still very green and growing on the plant -- but that is a rare occurrence. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the bulb. I love to give a blooming or near ready to bloom Amaryllis as Christmas gift but did you know those bulbs can be regrown for many years? If you wish, you can then transplant your amaryllis into a separate pot then. Make sure you keep the leaves attached. Dig a hole and set the pot into the ground. Amaryllis can indeed be replanted, but they are not especially hardy in USDA Zones except 8 or higher. Other sterilization options including wiping the blades with Lysol or other household disinfectant or ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. This is as easy as wiping down the blades with alcohol. Dip the blades of the pruning shears into the solution, submerging them for 20 to 30 seconds to clean them. Wait until the flowers completely fade and the flower stalk yellows before trimming it off the plant. If the green leaves are healthy and within the confines of the garden, allow them to continue growth and produce food for the amaryllis bulbs. After the blossoms have faded, cut off the flowers, but leave the stalk until it withers. They will eventually die naturally. Prune away any dead, badly damaged or disease stricken leaves surrounding the … Prune the flowers and stalk once it’s spent and before the amaryllis develops a seedpod, which depletes the amaryllis bulb’s energy. Leaf Growth and Development. You can also trim the roots if needed so they fit into the new pots. Simply dig out the clump of bulbs, get all the way under it, and gently remove one or more bulbs. Use a sharp knife to cut the stalk so it’s about 2 inches above the bulb. If planting an amaryllis bulb in a pot for indoor or outdoor growth, remember that bigger bulbs produce bigger flowers, so be choosey when selecting your bulbs. A subtropical bulb belonging in the family Amaryllidaceae, amaryllis bulbs are popular during the holidays because you can force them to bloom with ease. You can remove any dried roots from the bulb. by Dragonfly Blue13 on October 16, 2006 08:45 AM Thank you for the help The person who sent me the plant growns his in pots year round. Your messae does not say where you are from. I Moved My Hyacinth Outside & It's Losing Leaves and Not Blooming, How to Move Narcissus Bulbs From Inside to Outside, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Amaryllis, Missouri Botanical Garden: Hippeastrum (Group), University of Florida IFAS Extension: Disinfecting Your Garden Tools, University of Minnesota Extension: Growing and Caring for Amaryllis, How to Plant an Instant Tulip Garden With Plants Already in Bloom. And if you follow my advice, it will be very easy to keep your amaryllis blooming every year for years to come! How Often Should You Water an Apple Blossom Amaryllis? © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Amaryllis bulbs gather and store energy from their foliage after flowering; therefore do not cut the leaves off before they turn yellow and die back. Advertisement Do feel free to trim the leaves back as needed if you would like a … Usually, these flowers are planted outdoors or in a pot, but you can also cut them and display them in a vase. If you cut off the leaves, you’re weakening your plant. Now you can move it … Advertisement. Move the container to a cool location with temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more important is giving amaryllis plenty of light, or the stalk gets too leggy. They're like daffodils that way- just let them die back on their own. In fact, the amaryllis bulb will even produce additional plants. This is the crucial time for your amaryllis where you will be nurturing it until it reblooms again for you the following year. If you have several bulbs to plant, dig holes in a row which are one foot apart. Amaryllis bulbs actually prefer to be crowded, but if you want to divide a plant you can do so, just do it gently. Provide some shade for replanted bulbs as they become situated in a new spot. Dig up outdoor grown amaryllis bulbs when you need to thin the flowers. When planted in the garden, amaryllis performs best in well-drained soil. Be careful of the leaves as you make the cut, and don't worry about the juicy sap that may run out of the cut stalk. Trim the stems once the flowers fade, but let the leaves grow until they start to … Amaryllis plants like sun, the brighter the better, especially in winter. The right time for amaryllis repotting is actually at the beginning of its growth cycle, in early fall. Store loose or potted bulbs in a dark, dry place with a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit for eight to 10 weeks. Water the plant while it’s blooming and keep watering the plant when the bloom is … Whether grown in a container or directly in the garden, select a location receiving partial sun, as too much shade negatively affects flower production and growth. When you’re ready, bring the pot inside where it’s warm, and place it on a sunny windowsill. They like deeper, narrower pots. Leave the bulb dry for about eight weeks, then around November you can begin again, bringing the bulb somewhere warmer and starting to water again. You plant is healthy and even though the flower is gone, those leaves are making food for next years bloom. For 20 years, she’s owned a garden center and landscaping/consulting business and holds numerous horticulture certificates. Trim it off about an inch above the bulb, being sure not to cut into the foliage. I later read on SEVERAL web articles that you should never cut the healthy leaves. Once the blooms have faded, amaryllis plants race to store as much energy in their bulbs as they can before they return to dormancy. I am in zone 7b or 8a, which is to say minimum temperatures in winter are about 15F (about -9C), and my Amaryllus does well in a sheltered spot. I have been letting them turn completely yellow & letting them fall off naturally, but it is pretty unsightly where I have them planted. Keep the bulb in this location for around 6-8 weeks total. After 2 or 3 days, gradually expose the amaryllis to longer periods of direct sun. Amaryllis leaves require cutting once they have died back. In this video I show how to care for an amaryllis plant once it has finished flowering. Terra cotta pots work best because amaryllis plants like dryish conditions, he said, and the terra cotta will let the root structure breathe.