Planting and Caring for Amaryllis

Potting

Amaryllis have long stems and big flowers. A heavy pot with a wide base will help the plant stay upright. Choose a pot that is about 2” wider than the bulb. If you are planting several bulbs in one container they can be planted about an inch apart.

Soil

Fill a pot with good-quality, sterile growing mix or potting soil. Moisten the soil, fill the pot a little more than half full and set the bulb on top. Set the bulb in the soil so that the top two thirds are exposed.

Lighting

For best results, grow your amaryllis in a relatively cool room (60-65°F) with bright, indirect light. Keep the plant in a sunny spot, though not direct sun and rotate the plant so as to avoid the flower stalk leaning towards the light.

The first thing to emerge from the bulb is usually a bud. Leaves and additional stems will follow. Rotating the pot every few days will help keep the stems straight.

Watering

After you plant your bulbs, water well to help settle them into their pots. Then keep the soil barely moist, applying no more than ¼ cup of water per week. Water only when the surface is dry, watering too much just after potting can cause the bulb to rot.

Storing and regrowing your Amaryllis

Once flowering has finished cut off the flower stalk 5-10cm above the bulb - don't cut off the foliage. Usually the best thing to do is keep watering it through the summer, and in late summer or early fall, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a cool (55°F), dry location, away from bright light. A basement or garage is ideal. The leaves will gradually wither and fall away as the plant goes dormant. Leave the bulb alone and do not water it. In November bring it back in to the light and start watering again. Remove any remaining old foliage and take care not to cut any new shoots off. In a few weeks, a new flower shoot will appear and flower just in time for Christmas.