Bulbs - Agapanthus
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  (January) About four years ago, I planted a large pot with agapanthus bulbs. I keep it watered, fertilized, and in my sunniest location, bringing it inside in the winter. Foliage is beautiful, but it has never bloomed. Why? Secondly, would the bulbs survive in the pot if I leave it out during the winter? Normally I have it inside before the first frost, but this year I do not. Thank you. 

  Many gardeners have trouble re-blooming agapanthus in Arkansas, myself included. However, I have been to numerous gardens in the past two years that have truly outstanding agapanthus blooms annually. They are hardy in the ground, but may be less so in a container. Do you have a location where they could be planted, or the pots at least protected somewhat during the winter? Container grown, they will need more fertilization since you water more frequently and leach out the nutrients. Since these bulbs haven't performed well for you, why not start with a new one this season and see if your luck improves. They should bloom at least the first season you get them.

  (January) I would like some information about Canna Plants. I am not much of a gardener. I know the plants can stay in the ground over the winter in Arkansas. I do need to transplant some, but did not want to dig them out (not knowing where to put them during the winter). I have cut the plants back. Can I leave them in their current location till spring and than transplant some of them? 

  At this stage that is your best bet. As the cannas begin to emerge in the spring, dig them up, divide and replant. They do multiply rapidly, so division is a good thing to do annually. Always clean up the spent foliage like you did, to start the season off clean of insects and diseases. In fact, that is my recommendation every year. Either lift and store for the winter, or dig and replant in the spring. Digging and dividing in the fall would make them more susceptible to winter damage.

  We received what we believe to be a white amaryllis for Christmas. It had one tall green stem with 4 white blooms at the top. The blooms didn't last but a very few days. Will it bloom again? Does it bloom only at Christmas? Also, I need to know how to care for it.

The tall green stem is beginning to dry up, but another stem having several "leaves" on it has sprung up, and grown very rapidly. These are still very green. (These "leaves" are the type on our red amaryllis which blooms in the yard, like a mother-in-law tongue plant) Is this an inside plant, or may it be planted in the yard?

  Amaryllis bulbs are common gifts at the holidays. The flower stalk often appears prior to the leaves coming on, but occasionally, the leaves appear first. The flowers should stay open and attractive for several weeks, not days. If your house is really hot, or the plants got too dry, the flowers could fade early. Unless you have another flower stalk coming, this flowering is it for the year. The leaves all emerge at the base of the plant, and are large and strap-like in appearance. The flower stalk begins as a green stick with an enclosed bud at the top. As it grows, the bud opens to several flower buds--usually there are four flowers per spike. As the bulbs age, you may get five or six flowers per stalk. Cut off the spent flower stalk, but keep the other stalk and leaves. Water regularly, and fertilize monthly. When all chances of frost have passed, move it outdoors. many people have taken to planting their amaryllis bulbs outside permanently. You must provide good mulch after they go dormant. We haven't had any killing winters in so long, that there has been no damage. You can also grow it outdoors all summer and then lift the bulb in the fall, allow it to go dormant inside and when new growth begins, enjoy your flower indoors.

  I have moved my amaryllis bulbs outside for the growing season. This is my first year to attempt to get them to set flower buds again. I received two at Christmas, and bought several others on sale after the holidays. What care should I give them to insure blooms next year? 

  Give them a half day of sunlight, and keep them evenly moist. It may easier to keep them watered if you sink the pots in the ground for the growing season. Fertilize them monthly. As the days get cooler in the fall, lift the pots out of the ground, and keep them a little drier. As the foliage begins to die down, cut it off and bring the bulbs indoors. Keep them in a cool, dry place while they rest. When you see signs of new growth beginning, put them in a sunny location and begin watering. You should see blooms within six to eight weeks of new growth beginning.

  I have several amaryllis bulbs which bloomed the first year, but which I cannot get to bloom again. After they finish blooming, I leave them inside until the weather is warm and then I put them outside where they get sun half the day. About the middle of the summer, I lay the pots on their side where they stay until the middle of September. I cut any remaining leaves and bring them inside where new leaves appear about the middle of December. They produce large healthy leaves, but no flower buds. Please tell me how to get them to bloom. 

  Try changing two things. Don’t lay the pots on their side during the growing season, this is interrupting their growth habit, and probably makes them look unusual. Laying the pots on their side is normally done while they are in their dormant state, not during active growth. Fertilize them monthly with any houseplant or water soluble fertilizer while they are growing. Let the leaves begin to die down naturally in the fall. Then bring them indoors, cut off the old growth, lay them on their side to rest. When new growth begins, increase watering and sunlight. Hopefully, you will have a bloom next season.

  I know you have written about this before, but please help. I cannot get my amaryllis to re-bloom. I fed them and give them sunshine outside. In the fall I let them get dry and put them in the basement, laying them on their side. When I take them back out, after about three months, I water and set in a sunny window. Yet all I get is beautiful foliage. What am I doing wrong?

It sounds like you are following all of the necessary steps. Give them at least four to six hours of sunlight outside all summer. Fertilize monthly with a complete fertilizer. Try using a super-phosphate fertilizer as a substitute once or twice. Gradually reduce water in late September to allow the plants time to die back with the onset of cooler weather. Hopefully, you will get a bloom next year.

  I have a flower that I call a surprise lily. It has large strappy leaves in the spring, then they die down, and a few months later a pink flower appears. I have planted many in my yard, and some bloom one year and others are another year. Are theses plants biennials or alternate bearers? When is the proper time to divide them? I would like to share some with friends, but I don’t want to lose any bulbs. 

  The plant in question is a Lycoris -- Lycoris squamigera. Although there are several different varieties, they are similar. They do best in full sun to partial shade and need good drainage. They are members of the amaryllis family. The foliage comes up earlier in the summer, when it produces the energy needed for the bloom. Then it dies down, and the flower appears. They prefer not to be disturbed, but if you want to share some, dig them up either as the foliage is dying down in the late spring, or as the flowers fade in the summer. They often won’t bloom the year after they have been moved. As to alternate flowering, I know of no reason why this should occur. Allow the leaves to grow undisturbed, and let them die down on their own speed, to allow time to build up the energy needed for blooms. Lack of sunlight may be another factor.

  We have several Naked Lady plants that have been in the family for years. When is the proper time to separate and replant the bulbs? And how deep should they be planted? Thanks for your assistance.

  These plants are actually called lycoris. They are members of the amaryllis plant. You may either dig and divide immediately after bloom, or in the spring when the foliage is up.

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