Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Amaryllis – the Art & Soul of winter
Amaryllis, the “art and soul of winter”. I just came across that line from a company out of Connecticut and thought it was pretty appropriate!
Amaryllis bulbs are usually in garden centers in early October and online even earlier. Some varieties are already sold out, but there’s still time!
Amaryllis are synonymous with the holidays as we watch their growth and those incredible blooms!
Bulbs take 4 to 6 weeks from planting to bloom, depending on how much sun and warmth they get in their location. If you buy just the bulb, an expert has these suggestions for planting:
- Use cylindrical containers
- Allow an inch or so of soil between the bulb and the container walls.
- They need at least an inch and a half of soil beneath the bulb for roots.
- Plant with the top 3rd of the bulb showing.
- The new waxed amaryllis don’t need any drainage as they’re not watered. PS, these are sold just about everywhere now. If you have a local option, buy there.
Notice HOW the bulb below is planted.
For 2022 take a look at ‘Ice Pink’ from amaryllis.com. It’s a deep pink variety from Israel.
‘Tres Chic’ has small , but spectacular blooms. Red tipped petals plunge into white in the center.
Amaryllis ‘Samba’ is some kind of beautiful.
This is their description of Samba: This flouncy, energetic newcomer is lipstick-red with a bright white star, ruffled white petal edges and a pale green-flushed center. It will make your home a really happy place, no matter how the snow falls or the winds howl. Now THAT is an apt description.
Most amaryllis blooms last 2 to 3 weeks. After blooming, you can keep those bulbs and force them to bloom next year. Let the flower stalk die back and turn brown, then remove it.
And a bonus beauty for 2022 ‘Wild Amazone’ (out of stock):
