Holiday Plants - Amaryllis
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  (October) In trying to get a jump on the holidays, I have just purchased 4 amaryllis bulbs. However, I see that they need to be planted 6 to 8 weeks before they bloom. Well, that is just a bit premature for the Christmas table!! So, my dilemma is this, what shall I do with them until time to plant? I have placed them in the crisper, but; I may be on the wrong track. Any advice would be appreciated.

  Take them out of the crisper--amaryllis bulbs don't need chilling, like spring blooming bulbs. I would simply leave them unplanted until you are ready for growth to begin. Store the bulbs in a cool, dry place until planting. If you have several bulbs, you may want to progressively begin planting. Even if they begin blooming in six to eight weeks, they can stay in bloom for several weeks. Why not begin to enjoy them early. They also can take their time about sprouting. When you are ready, pot them up leaving half of the bulb, or at least the top slightly exposed. Water them lightly, and put them in the sun. When you see growth beginning, then increase the water. Once growth begins, you should have a bloom in six to eight weeks. The cooler they are, the slower they are to grow.

  (December) Need your advise on my Iris. The leave have never turned brown-they are still green. If I cut them off, will it deter them from blooming in the spring? Also, my amaryllis bloomed this fall! Do I need to cut the foliage off it? It is in a pot. 

  Bearded iris are usually evergreen in Arkansas--we never cut the foliage off completely. If we have a severely cold winter, the foliage may get nipped back, and then you can clean up the damaged foliage. Many iris growers cut their plants back in the fall in a fan shape to make the foliage more manageable. If your amaryllis is outside, now that a frost has occurred, cut the foliage off and mulch it heavily to prevent it from freezing. I would definitely sink the pot in the ground, or bring it indoors. If it already is indoors, cut the leaves off and let it rest for several months. When you see signs of new growth beginning, then increase water and sunlight. You should have your new bloom about six weeks following the new growth. These holiday amaryllis bulbs are not considered a hardy bulb, but many gardeners have started planting them outdoors in the spring, and leaving them there. With added mulch in the fall, they have been overwintering nicely. Keep in mind that we haven't had a cold winter to test them yet.

  (December) I enjoyed the recent holiday plant article, but I wasn't able to get all the information I needed from it. I'm glad to learn that my amaryllis bulb "can linger for years and re-bloom each season," but what do I do with it after it finishes blooming this year? It's one of those bare-bulb setups in which the roots are in water and the bulb is held up by stones in a clear glass pot; do I need to plant it or just dry it and keep it in a dark, cool place? Your expertise would be greatly appreciated!!

  If you plan to keep the plant long-term, I would suggest planting it in soil after bloom. After bloom, cut the flower stalk off, but leave the foliage in-tact. Give the plant plenty of sunlight and keep it evenly moist. I would move it outdoors after all chances of frost have passed, for the spring and summer months, fertilizing monthly, while outdoors. In the fall, cut back on watering, bring it indoors and cut the foliage off. Let it rest for a few months and when you see signs of new life beginning, increase water and sunlight again. It should bloom in about six weeks following the signs of new growth next year.

  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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