My passion for amaryllis started as a young girl and the obsession has been growing ever since. My grandma always had a multitude of amaryllis blooming for the holidays. She would display some with houseplants, place single bulb pots in visitor's bedrooms, and give dozens away as Christmas gifts.

When I first started growing amaryllis, I would purchase boxed grow kits from the local Tractor and Supply. These kits included dehydrated coco coir, a plastic pot, and a small amaryllis bulb. Generally, these small bulbs produced only one or two flowering stalks. But, as my passion for amaryllis grew, I started to invest in larger bulbs.

Amaryllis bulbs are sold in centimeters which is the measurement around the widest part of the bulb. I prefer to purchase 34/36 or 38/40 cm bulbs whenever possible. Larger bulbs will produce more flowers and have thicker, stronger stems than their smaller counterparts. Infact, I've had some 38 cm bulbs put out five flowering stems. These jumbo amaryllis bulbs are a full year older than smaller bulbs and will be slightly more expensive. In my opinion it’s completely worth the extra cost.

Most amaryllis bulbs come from Peru, South Africa, Brazil (Southern Hemisphere) or Holland (Northern Hemisphere). These bulbs naturally flower according to their country of origins calendar. Southern hemisphere bulbs are groomed for immediate performance and will bloom just 4-6 weeks after planting. You will often see these amaryllis listed as “Early Blooming” or “Christmas Flowering.”

However, amaryllis bulbs grown in the northern hemisphere (Holland) will generally bloom 8-12 weeks after planting. If you want to hold amaryllis bulbs, it’s best to use Northern Hemisphere bulbs.

Planting amaryllis bulbs is a fun, quick, and easy endeavor. Amaryllis bulbs prefer to be relatively tight in their pots so choose a container that's approximately 2 inches wider than your bulb. A heavy container with a drainage hole will keep the display from toppling over and from becoming waterlogged.

Fill your container halfway full of high quality premoistened potting soil. Set the bulb on top the soil and fill in around the bulb with more potting soil leaving the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed.

After your bulbs are planted water around the perimeter bulb. Then keep the soil barely moist, applying approximately 1/2 cup of water per week. Place your pots in a warm area (68-70°F) with bright, indirect light and watch them grow and bloom!

Bonus Tip! A 2013 study by Cornell and Kansas State University concluded that soaking amaryllis roots in room temperature water for 12 hours prior to planting resulted in more rapid and uniform early leaf growth, and greater overall early vigor. Read the full study HERE.

Reblooming an amaryllis bulb for future holidays is easier than it sounds. As with other flower bulbs, amaryllis use their leaves to produce energy for next year’s flowers. If you want them to rebloom at a certain time you will need to control their calendar. To have your amaryllis flower again at Christmas follow these steps.

After blooming, grow your amaryllis as a houseplant for the rest of winter and spring. Give it plenty of light inside the home and keep it watered. After all danger of frost has passed move the pot outside for the summer. The bulb should stay dry, and the soil should be barely moist -- never soggy. If your summers are wet, you may need to shield the pot from excessive rain.

In late summer, stop watering and move the potted bulb to a cool (50-55°F), dark, dry location. An unheated basement is ideal. The leaves will gradually wither as the plant goes dormant. Leave the bulb alone and don’t water them for 2-3 months.

After dormancy, bring the bulbs back into a warm area with bright light. Remove all the dead foliage, top dress the bulb with fresh soil, and water well to wake up the bulbs.

Amaryllis bulbs increase in diameter as they age and may need repotted every three to four years. To repot, remove the bulb from the container and gently shake off excess soil. Remove the dry scales and repot into the next size pot.

Ideally, you want to bring the bulbs out of dormancy 8-12 weeks before you want them to rebloom. Therefore, if you want an amaryllis to be in bloom on Christmas day you would put them into dormancy in August, take them out of dormancy in October, and they should rebloom in late December/early January. Naturally, there are variables, but this is the calendar that has given me the best success rate for subsequent holiday blooms.

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