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auntiedonna2

How to get a Amaryllis to bloom the second year

20 years ago

Hi All, For several years I have been giving my mother Amaryllis from the local chain store. She has such fun growing them. My mother lives with us, so I get the benefit of her labor of love.
The first year the bloom is always perfect, however, she doesn't have any luck bringing them back the second year.
She lets them go dormant, puts them in a new pot, puts them out side in the summer and then when they start to grow they have perfect stems, but never flower.
She always puts the brand new Amaryllis next to the old to compare so they are in the same growing conditions.
Thanks in advance for any help sent my way.

Comments (6)

  • 20 years ago

    I have the same problem. I read recently that they do not like to be repotted. Maybe that's why. I brought mine out 2 months before Christmas; they are nice and green but have not bloomed. Then I read not to repot them. Nice timing. Let me know if you figure it out.

  • 20 years ago

    The common problem is underfeeding and a generally poor husbandry.
    In contrary repotting is no problem. But a far better performmance is obtained from undisturbed plants.
    D'ailleurs repotting and repotting is not the same.
    If you transfer the whole ball of root network (sorry for possibly inadequate terminology) without traumatization into a bigger pot - then the plant takes only benefit from that!

    If you keep the bulbs in their pots during the winter reposal - which salvages the roots from fatal drying out - and you remove the old substrate cautiously (so as not to damage too many roots) in order to prepare them for repotting, before you begin to force them then the results are very good, too.

    Hans-Werner

  • 20 years ago

    It is certainly possible here in MA with not too much effort. All of mine older ones are sending up buds right now. Give them plenty of sun after flowering and then put them outside in the summer. As Hans Werner suggests feed regularly. The bulbs need to be nourished by the sun and fertilizer to replenish over the summer. I put mine in the shed in September to force dormancy and keep them in a cool dark room until I see them start to grow. Normally this is in early January. I repot some of mine without too much damage. I wonder if buying them at a chain store (a not so dependable source) is also part of the problem. I dont think you need to pay the ridiculous prices at Jackson and Perkins or White Flower Farms but much better bulbs can be had at a local nursery for about $12. Size matters here.

  • 20 years ago

    Thanks to all for your replys. Hans-Werner I asked my mother what she does for fertilizer and she says she uses those little plant sticks. In the summer we mix up the miracle grow for all our annuals, should we be watering with that weekly instead of just using those sticks in the pots?

  • 20 years ago

    I greatly favorize a lquid fertilizer which is added with EVERY water administering.
    I use one 6-3-6 at 1 mL/L lukewarm water and I water exclusively from the bottom.
    I have some qualms towards "Miracle" because of the high contents of phosphate in preparations from that brand.

    Now please go ahead and read trough the recent threads in this forum. I tend to believe that I have yet detailed all the essential informations within - and a.f.a.I.can see "no recommendation without substantiation" particularly as regards to the fetilizer formulas

    Fertilizer substantiation in "Hans - a question"href>

    Hans-Werner

  • 18 years ago

    If I understand right, your mother lets them go dormant right after they have flowered. That might be the problem. Don't let them dry out and die back right after flowering. Keep them green and alive till next September, THEN let them dry back and die back and go dormant. Maybe your mother cannot get blooms following year because the bulb cannot gather enough energy to concentrate on bud production when it has to go to sleep exhauste and hungry.