Amaryllis

The Amaryllis in the park are bloomimg everywhere. They are stunning!! the first few pictures I took of Kathy Cochran's and the large bed of them were from across the street, and a picture at our house of the Geraniums, which looked better until I cut the spent blooms off, but more are coming on.

Here's some info about growing Amaryllis


AMARYLLIS AS CUT FLOWERS: Amaryllis make a stunning display if you cut their flower stems and place them in a sturdy vase. The best time to cut the flower stems is when the first bud has colored and is just ready to open. This will ensure that the rest of the buds on the same stem have formed sufficiently and will open fully. Make a straight cut across the bottom of the stem, so the stem will rest evenly inside the vase. Because the stems are hollow, the bottom may split and curl up, but this will not affect the blooms. Adding a floral preservative to the water and changing the water regularly will help prevent stem rolling and lengthen the life of your bouquet. Remove individual flowers as they fade. If kept at temperatures of 60-70°F, your cut Amaryllis flowers will last for up to 10 days.

GROWING AMARYLLIS IN STONES AND WATER: These large bulbs will grow happily and bloom abundantly in nothing more than stones and water. To "plant" your bulb, begin by carefully placing river stones or pebbles to a depth of about 2-4" in our Hurricane Vase or Bulb Vase or your own clear glass planter. With scissors, trim off any roots on the bulb that are brown and dried*, but let the roots that are whitish and fleshy remain. Place the Amaryllis bulb, roots down, on top of the stones, then put the remaining stones around the bulb, leaving the top third of the bulb exposed. Finally, add water until the level reaches about 1" below the base of the bulb but no higher. If the base of the bulb sits in water, it will rot.

After planting, set the container on a sunny windowsill in a room where the temperature remains above 60°F. The warmer the temperature (70-80°F night and day is ideal), the faster the bulb will sprout and grow. Check the water level daily. Add water as needed to keep the level below the base of the bulb. A shoot will emerge from the top of the bulb in 2-8 weeks; you may (or may not) see thick white roots pushing between the stones before then. Rotate the container frequently to prevent the flower stalks from leaning toward the light. After the last blooms fade, we recommend that you dispose of the bulb; Amaryllis grown in water may not perform well in subsequent years. However, if you do wish to continue growing the bulb, follow the instructions given in "Potting the Bulbs" and "Rebuilding the Bulb."


*We recommend trimming dried roots off because they will decompose in water over time. Adding aquarium charcoal to the river stones will also help prevent any odors.