Today is an exciting day! Not because it's Children's Picture Book Day or Eat an Eskimo Pie Day but because I'm going to share with you how to grow amaryllis.

I definitely mean it when I say Amaryllis are AMAZING. Just look at their large, trumpet-shaped blooms, and tell me they are aren't A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

If you had never seen these before, I'll bet you'd say "Holy guacamole, those are some big blooms!"

That's what I said the first time I laid eyes on one 👀👀

But down to the nitty gritty, how do you get these beautiful blooms in your home or garden?

Choosing a spot for your amaryllis bulbs

First and foremost, you should know you can grow amaryllis bulbs inside or outside, in pots or straight in your flowerbeds. But unless you're in USDA zones 8b and higher, I would not recommend growing them outside unless you want to dig up the bulbs when they're done blooming. These bulbs do not like the frost... not saying they can't sometimes survive it but they don't like it and it can kill them.

As with most spring bulbs, amaryllis likes full sun but FILTERED so think about that when choosing a spot. If you need to you can choose a part shade location but bear in mind, they require at least 6 hours of sun a day otherwise you may not get a good show of blooms. I stressed the part about filtered sunlight, too, because their leaves can burn with direct sunlight constantly bearing down on them.

Well drained soil, well-drained soil, well-drained soil

This is very important so I did not want you to overlook this. Always plant amaryllis bulbs in well-drained soil. BHG has a quick guide on what exactly this means, and how to amend the soil as needed here.

How to plant them

Never ever fully cover an amaryllis bulb with dirt. No, no! Instead, leave the top 1/3 of the bulb uncovered when you plant it, regardless of whether you put it in a pot or in the flowerbed.

Like this:

As for spacing, I'd recommend bulbs placed in pots should be spaced one inches apart for a nice show. However, if you plant the bulbs in your garden, give them about 12-15 inches apart.

Water your bulbs after you've planted them but not again until you get new growth. This also applies to bulbs planted outdoors. You pretty much want to forget about them after planting and watering the first time until a green shoot appears from the top of the bulb. Once that jolly green shoot emerges, you should begin watering about once a week.

When to plant

Amaryllis may be planted from September through April (in warm climates), and typically they bloom for you in mid spring.

Fertilizing your bulbs

At least one application of fertilizer is a good idea once the amaryllis's new growth has begun to emerge. (Look for the first green shoot from the top of the bulb, then you'll know it's starting the growing cycle). A 0-10-10 or 5-10-10 is good.

After bloom care

After they've bloomed it's time to snip away the old flower stalks. Do leave any foliage in tact, however so the plant can still take in nutrients. Remember from science class, leaves are required for photosynthesis, the process by which plants get energy from the sun to make food. This is very important so the bulb has enough energy to make new blooms next year.

Mulch away

If you live in an area that receives frost or freezes, do apply mulch or ground cover around the bulbs. This helps protect them from these harsh temps. Where I live in zone 8b, people frequently apply a three inch layer of leaves or pine needles to help protect their amaryllis bulbs from the winter freezes. In the spring, do not forget to remove the mulch so that moisture held in does not rot the top of the bulbs.

Forcing amaryllis bulbs

Lastly, you must know that amaryllis need a dark period before they'll start the growth cycle. Trust me, this sounds way more complicated than it is. Simply place your bulbs, potted or unpotted, in a cool, dark, dry spot for a minimum of eight weeks, (sometimes this needs to be longer). Then, if you have not already done so, pot the bulbs about 8 weeks before you want it to re-flower and put it in a place that receives high, indirect light.

Amaryllis bulbs spread, so be sure and share them with your friends and neighbors!

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

I can't wait for my amaryllis to bloom! It's been so much fun watching how fast it's been growing.

Mitzy has been keeping a close eye on it, too 😃

This bulb is one I purchased locally. I potted it first, then placed it on a closet shelf in my bedroom, which is very dark. I previously made the mistake of placing it in a location that was not dark enough, so keep this tip in mind: darkness is key to getting the bulb to re-emerge. Once the green shoot was visible, I placed it in a south-facing window and began watering it once a week.

I hope this really helps answer some of your questions about amaryllis. There's a lot more I could cover on the topic but I'll have to make another post. I was inspired to write this post because the first time I saw amaryllis, I naively thought I would have a hard time growing them. But then, I actually tried, LOL. And how wrong I was - they're super easy to grow, and you should try it, too!

By the way... Eat an Eskimo Pie Day is a real holiday. Go see) for yourself
😎

Until next time,

Happy Gardening!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6