• Gardening Tips
  • Growing Plants
  • Landscaping Ideas
  • Garden Furniture
  • Garden Shop
No Result
View All Result
Gardening Tips 'n Ideas
  • Gardening Tips
  • Growing Plants
  • Landscaping Ideas
  • Garden Furniture
  • Garden Shop
No Result
View All Result
Gardening Tips 'n Ideas
No Result
View All Result

How to Care for your Amaryllis / Hippeastrum bulbs

March 27, 2009 - Updated on November 9, 2021
in Gardening Tips
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The names Hippeastrum and Amaryllis may be interchangeable but we’re talking about the same bulb. They’re members of the Amaryllidaceae family so you’re probably more correct if you do refer to them as Amaryllis flowers. And as blooms go, these are superb.

The Hippeastrum grows from a bulb that spears through the air to a height of more than 1/2 metre. As it does, the bud begins unfurling along the way erupting once it reaches its peak and then producing three magnificent flowers with equi-distant spacing. A birds-eye view will highlight the “peace-symbol” that it forms.

I was given a few pots of amaryllis bulbs years ago by a lady who found out that I had a weakness for them. I had never grown them before, let alone knew how to care for them, but had admired them from the sidelines hoping to one day get the opportunity. Well here it was.

In the beginning every mistake that could possibly be made with these bulbs I made. They were over-watered in their dormant period, under-watered in their flowering season and buried below the surface of the soil – in order to ignorantly commit the biggest doozy of them all. Yet, these bulbs persevered for a few seasons before finally calling it a day two years ago.

Since then, I’ve been researching how to grow these better and take more care of these delicious bulbs. It seems that the advice the donor lady gave to me was right. Lo and behold, it pays to listen.

Her mantra concerning the hippeastrum was this;

  • Leave the top third of the bulb above the soil. Unlike most other bulb flowers the amaryllis does not like growing beneath the surface and will rot and die if you plant it that way.
  • Plant it in a rich, moist soil. Hippeastrums require a rich nutrient base to flower so beautifully so a good soil to start with is imperative followed by regular feedings of compost tea and a good bonemeal fertiliser.
  • Water it regularly during the flowering season and hotter months but hold off once the foliage has browned and fallen off.
  • Don’t move it for the next 3 years. The Amaryllis is not a big fan of change and much prefers to get comfortable in its surroundings so resist the temptation to dig it up every year and dry the bulb out – they don’t work that way.

The Hippeastrum is best grown in a container for a few good reasons. First, you have the flexibility of location changes when they’re in pots than you would have if they were stuck in the ground. Second, this flexibility means you can remove the plant from the public eye once its blooms are spent and allow it to recuperate without messing up your garden. Finally, grown in a container allows you to bring these bulbs indoors and take care of them during the cooler months.

You can propagate amaryllis via bulb division separating the pups once the flowers and foliage have all died back. These can be planted in separate pots using the same care instructions as listed above.

Previous Post

10 Tips on Choosing Plants for Your Garden

Next Post

How To Fix a Hose Kink

RelatedPosts

A Single Garden Bed: Better Than A King-Size?
Gardening Tips

A Single Garden Bed: Better Than A King-Size?

November 27, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Cockroach Control –  How to Keep Cockroaches out of Your Garden and Home
Gardening Tips

Cockroach Control – How to Keep Cockroaches out of Your Garden and Home

July 12, 2012 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Michelle Obama
Gardening Tips

Michelle Obama’s Top 10 Gardening Facts

June 28, 2012 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Gardening Tips

How To STOP Cats Pooping in the Garden

June 20, 2012 - Updated on November 5, 2021
Gardening Tips

Are You A Nuisance Gardener?

June 6, 2012 - Updated on November 5, 2021
Landscape Fabric
Gardening Tips

Landscape Fabric | 5 Weed Barrier Options to Consider

May 30, 2012 - Updated on November 10, 2021
Next Post

How To Fix a Hose Kink

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You might also like

A Single Garden Bed: Better Than A King-Size?

A Single Garden Bed: Better Than A King-Size?

November 27, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
A fully fledged gabion fire pit.

How to Build a Gabion Fire Pit

November 6, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Why Gardening Is Your Destiny

Why Gardening Is Your Destiny

October 16, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
The beautiful Erempholia Nivea

Eremophila nivea – Outback Silver Foliage

October 3, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Foolproof Shade Plants For Dimly Lit Areas

Foolproof Shade Plants For Dimly Lit Areas

September 25, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
Tis been too long – but Spring has sprung

Tis been too long – but Spring has sprung

September 8, 2013 - Updated on October 21, 2021
GardeningTipsnIdeas.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, we participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • DMCA
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2006-2021 - All rights reserved. Gardening Tips ‘n Ideas

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Gardening Tips
  • Growing Plants
  • Landscaping Ideas
  • Garden Furniture
  • Garden Shop
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2006-2021 - All rights reserved. Gardening Tips ‘n Ideas

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.