Amaryllis

Our flower expert Lisa van Marrewijk, amaryllis grower with 30 years of experience, advices on cutting back amaryllis leaves:

 

When placing the bulb in cold storage, you can do so with the leaves still attached. During the cooling phase, the leaves will die back and turn brown. Once you bring the bulb back indoors, you should remove the brown leaves. However, do not cut back the green leaves if you want the bulb to bloom again.

Planting the Bulb: Use a well-draining pot with a good quality potting mix. Position the bulb so that the top third remains above the soil.

 

Watering: Water sparingly until growth appears, then water more frequently, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. 

 

Light and Temperature: Place the amaryllis in a warm, sunny spot with indirect light. A temperature range of 20-25°C is ideal.

 

Fertilising: Feed the plant every two weeks during the growth period with a balanced fertiliser to support the development of leaves and flowers. 

 

Staking: As the flower stalk grows, it may need staking for support. 

 

Reblooming: After blooming, follow the post-bloom care steps above to ensure the bulb regains its energy for the next season. 

Our flower expert Lisa van Marrewijk, amaryllis grower with 30 years of experience, advices on how to care for your amaryllis bulb:

 

Treat the bulb like a houseplant. Make sure the soil doesn’t get too wet, as this is the biggest risk for things to go wrong. Water sparingly until growth appears, then water more frequently, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. Place the amaryllis in a warm, sunny spot with indirect light. A temperature range of 20-25°C is ideal. Turn the pot regularly so that the stems don't grow crooked. As the flower stalk grows, it may need staking for support.

According to our flower expert Lisa van Marrewijk, amaryllis grower with 30 years of experience, it depends on the room temperature. According to her, with good conditions, yu can enjoy the flower for about two weeks.

Trim the stems when they start to 'curl'. You can also put a rubber band or clear tape around the end of the stem. This keeps them from splitting and rolling up so easily, because if that happens, your amaryllis won't be able to absorb water as easily.

Our flower expert Lisa van Marrewijk, amaryllis grower with 30 years of experience, advices on how to take care of your amaryllis after it blooms:

 

When your amaryllis has finished blooming, remove the flower stalk. It’s important for the leaves to grow now, as they produce the nutrients needed for a new stalk next year. (Note: This process won’t work with a waxed bulb.) Care for the plant as well as you can by providing fresh soil, enough water, and plenty of light until about June/July.

 

In summer, the bulbs can also be placed outdoors, as long as the temperature stays above 15°C. In August, place the bulb in a cool spot at around 12°C for two months. During this time, the leaves will die back, and the bulb will form a new flower inside. A dry and cool place, like a basement, is ideal. During these two months, you don’t need to do anything else.

 

After two months, take the bulb out of the cool space and place it in a warm spot (around 20°C). If you’ve cared for the bulb properly, it will produce a new flower stalk. With excellent care, it might even grow two or three flower stalks.

The motto is: prevention is better than cure. You want to avoid pollen stains on clothes or on a petal. This is because if pollen gets on a petal, it will be damaged and wilt faster. And a pollen stain on your clothes is difficult to remove. So cut away the stamens as soon as possible.

In the unlikely event that a stain does develop on your clothes, don't panic! The best thing you can do is remove the stain by blowing, using a dry brush, letting the stain dry in the sun or going over the pollen with an adhesive tape. Avoid using a wet cloth as this will actually get the pollen deeper into the fabric.