December is such a busy month that I am forced to give up thoughts of glorious peonies, the hunt for unusual varieties of hosta and plans for areas in the garden that may need a little tweaking. However, I do manage to squeeze in enough time to visit my favorite greenhouses to relish the winter bloomers many of us use in our holiday décor.  

The traditional red and white poinsettias can now be found in shades of pink, peach, bicolor and even some that are tinted shades of blue (ugh).  They serve their purpose but from this gardener's perspective, I've barely been able to keep them alive past the holidays, let alone have them re-bloom. So, I decided to try something different and with beautiful flowers and the ease at which they re-bloom, Amaryllis became my winter décor plant of choice.

 But, before I give the basic directions on how to get your Amaryllis to re-bloom, let me state that, like daylilies, numerous varieties have been developed. The differences in the flowers are numerous. Some have large double petals and some varieties have exotic slender petals.  Some are striped, some are bi-colored. The height of the flower stalks can also vary, and so on. They are all gorgeous, but I am partial to the velvety, deep red double-flowered variety. Some mail order catalogues contain beautiful selections of unusual varieties. Although absolutely stunning, they can be quite expensive. With a little effort you can get them to bloom for you year after year, thus helping to defray the initial cost.



If you think you would like to give Amaryllis a try but would rather not spend a small fortune on something you aren't sure of, I recommend that you purchase one for about $5.00 starting around the beginning of November at a big box store. The selection will most likely be limited, containing only basic single red or white varieties. They are still pretty and at a fraction of the cost. They will come in a box. Open it. It should contain a firm large bulb with some signs of green sprouting from the top. Most of these amaryllis kits come with a pot and a growing medium. Follow the instructions on the box, paying close attention to the watering directions and you should have blooms in 4-6 weeks.   

Now, keep in mind that these are bulbs and like daffodils they get the strength for next year's blooms from the leaves, so it is important to keep the leaves looking lush. Once the flowers have faded, cut off the stem only and place the bulb which should have sprouted long, green strappy leaves, in a sunny window, continue to water and lightly fertilize. In the late spring when the danger of frost has past, plant the bulb outside in a sunny spot, trying to keep the leaves intact. The more sun the better and continue with watering and fertilizing. In the past I've planted them in a container on the patio with colorful sun-loving coleus. I find mixing them in with annuals insures that I water and feed them regularly and it helps to make the next step that much easier.

Around the beginning of October, cut off the leaves, remove the bulb from the soil, and let air dry for a day or so. By planting in mixed containers, I don't forget about them and removing  them  is easy when the tired summer planters are ready to be dismantled.  In a day or two I dry wrap the bulbs in newspaper and put them in a cool, dark, dry spot free of moisture and let them rest for 4-8 weeks.  

Towards the end of November, place the bulbs in fresh soil using a pot just slightly bigger than the bulb and place in a sunny window and water well. Within 4-6 weeks you will be rewarded with beautiful blooms and the whole procedure begins again. Once you see how easy it is, you may be more willing to try some of the fancy, pricier varieties. Either way I'm sure Amaryllis will become a new favorite tradition.

* Liz Rinaldi
Horticulture Chair