Here's how to grow amaryllis over water! Fill a vase or watertight pot with about 3-5” of pebbles or coarse stone. Add just enough water to cover the stones. Position the bulb on top of the stones so the water level is just below the base of the bulb. Add more pebbles or stones around the bulb to help anchor it, leaving the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed. As water evaporates or is absorbed by the developing roots, add more water, keeping the level just below the base of the bulb.
When your amaryllis bulbs have finished flowering, you have two options: either discard the bulbs and purchase new ones next year, or keep the bulbs growing until they are ready to flower again next winter. If you want to save the bulb for next year, remove it from the water and plant it into a pot with potting soil.
During winter and spring continue watering as needed to keep the soil barely moist. The bulb will send out a number of long, strappy leaves. While you're waiting for the weather to warm up, treat your amaryllis like a houseplant. Fertilize every 4-6 weeks, using a standard liquid houseplant fertilizer.
When spring arrives and the weather has settled (several weeks after any danger of frost), you can put the pot outdoors in a sunny to partly sunny spot. Alternatively, you can plant the bulb directly in the garden. Keep the top 1/3 of the bulb above soil level. Water and fertilize as needed. During this time, the foliage will be producing the energy the bulb requires to form next year’s blossoms. The bigger and fatter the bulb gets, the more flowers it will produce the following winter.
When fall approaches (and before any danger of frost), dig up the bulb or bring the pot indoors. Put it in a cool, relatively dark place (garage or basement) and stop watering. After a 6 to 12 week rest, gently remove the bulb from the pot and pull off any dry leaves. Replant the bulb in fresh potting soil and care for it as you would a newly purchased bulb.
5 июл 2024
