This is the time of year when gardening shifts from outdoors to indoors and if you are looking for something to grow indoors then perhaps you should try planting an Amaryllis bulb.

 

These large bulbs are very easy to grow as they already have the needed nutrients and flowers stored within the bulb so all you have to do is add soil, water and light and within 8-10 weeks the bulb will produce flowers.

 

The flowers are spectacular as one trumpet shaped flower can span 6-8 inches across and each stem produces 4-6 flowers. The flowers are grown on top of a large 18 inch stem, and if the bulb is large enough it can produce 2-3 stems which bloom one after the other, so you will have flowers in the home for many weeks. This is why you want to spend the extra 2-3 dollars and get a large bulb, because the larger bulbs have more space inside to be able to hold more than one flower stem, and the needed nutrients.

When planting an amaryllis bulb choose a deep, heavy clay pot as you want to have some weight on the bottom because when the amaryllis is in full bloom it can become top heavy. Choose a pot that is large enough to leave 2 inches of space between the bulb and the sides of the pot.

 

First, soak the clay pot in water for a few hours before planting, then, to make the pot heavier place some rocks in the bottom.

 

Next hold the bulb over the pot with the roots hanging down into the pot and begin filling the pot with a good quality indoor potting soil. When it is done the neck and upper part of the bulb is above the soil surface and the soil level is just under the top of the pot. Firmly press the soil around the bulb and then give it a good thorough watering around the bulb, trying not to get water on the bulb.

 

Choose a warm (18-20 Celsius) sunny location to place the potted bulb and water sparingly until there is growth. The bulb will first produce the flower stems and later the long leaved foliage.

 

As the flowers finish, remove them from the stem and when all the flowers have finished blooming cut the stem off an inch above the bulb.

 

You can save the bulb from year to year by continuing to water it and treating it as one of your houseplants. Then at the end of May, plant it outside in a semi-shady spot of the garden and give it some bulb fertilizer. At the end of August after the first killing frost, dig up the bulb and allow it to rest for 6-8 weeks by placing it in a dry place and then re-plant it again as you did before.

There are different varieties to choose from such as the red colored ‘Red Lion’, and ‘Ferrari’. ‘Peacock Blossom’ ( shown at right ) and ‘Elvas’ are very pretty as they have a double flower which is white with pink/red highlights, and then there is ‘Charisma’ which is pink with a red vein and ‘Apple Blossom’ is white with a pink vein, and ‘Minerva’ is white and orange. All of these are very beautiful and would make great Christmas gifts either as the bulb on its own, or already planted and growing.

 

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 west at Kimball road,
• Highway 97 north at Northwood Pulpmill Road.

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