Good job and good luck. As for hibernating, some of us grow them as evergreens while others hibernate them, you don't HAVE to hibernate them unless you want them to bloom on a certain date. So the question now is do you want it to force it to bloom or do you want to let it do its thing on its own.

Awesome, thanks so much for the quick reply! I just hadn't found a straight answer, so thank you for clearing the confusion.

Dacora,

Caveat, most bulb loss is due to too much watering- so as much as you want to help this plant (which will reward you with an amazing flower for your efforts) let it dry out between watering.

I hope you keep coming back to this forum so we can get you as addicted to these wonderful plants as we are and ask away as we all love to help each other. - J

Jstropic,

I'm definitely trying to be good about watering. I watered it the first time when I had to rehydrate the original planting medium it came with, and moistened the potting mix that I just bought yesterday when I got a more suitable pot with a drainage hole.

I've already started looking at websites with more exotic colors and patterns (according to the package mine should be a minerva), and the temptation is very strong to get another, haha! But for now I think I'm going to see how things go with my little rescue. He already seems to be straightening out his kink in the stem and while his leaves are a bit pale and curled, the new growth towards the base seems darker and healthier. It's encouraging!

But, you must have noticed how lonely he is. He is probably being brave for you but really would like some company! Oh did I tell you we are the biggest enablers on the web. Lol
-J

Hi I hibernate mine in a paper bag in the bottom draw in the fridge for 60 days and it seems to bloom in about a months time first the leaves then the bloom

Ok, so I have recently read a few other posts where growers store dormant Amaryllis bulbs in the fridge. As far as I know, cold treatment is not necessary for Amaryllis? I thought the idea was to simulate drought not cold?

Anyway, I have all my bulbs in pots that are about 1 gallon or a little larger. I feed them every time I water with 1/2 the recommend house plant mixture of all purpose Miracle Gro. Put them outside in the summer. Plan to repot them about every 3-4 years...haven't repotted yet, only have had them in larger pots for 2 years now. They are all doing better than ever! In the fall...just before frost, I stop watering and bring them all in and put them in the basement (making sure they are good and dry). This would be about the end of September - first part of October. Mid winter, after the leaves die back naturally, I cut them off and clean them up, leaving them potted. 1st of January I bring them up and drench them good (no fertilizer until the second watering)...making sure all the dry soil really gets hydrated well. Then I put them in a bright warm spot and watch them wake up.

I am extremely pleased with how much the performance of my bulbs have done since I have followed this schedule. I have some bulbs that have not bloomed for several years finely blooming again and at least 2 bulbs have 2 flower scapes each (I have 6 bulbs large enough to bloom). I've never had 1 with 2 scapes.

I like putting my bulbs to sleep in the fall and bringing them out after Christmas is all over. That is about the time I start thinking about gardening and bringing the bulbs up on Jan 1st gives me a bit of gardening in the winter. I expect my first flowers about the last week of Feb and expect flowers through the end of march...just in time to start some early spring gardening.

So there you go, that's how I take care of my bulbs and why I like to force them into dormancy.

I'll post some photos of them as they start blooming.

dacora:
I'd love to see photos of your new Amaryllis!
You will probably need to put a stake of some kind in your pot for supporting the plant as it grows. Last year my 'White Christmas' got 37 inches tall! That was ridiculously tall in my opinion and it looks as if it is on its way to a good 3 feet again!

Matthew
Indiana.Matt

Indiana.Matt,

Here's four pictures that show off the progress fairly well, I think:

It's mostly a picture of my desk, which I had just set up, but you can see how much the amaryllis is sagged in the corner.
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This was it perked up the day after the first picture.
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Another day or two after the second picture, and after I had cleaned up the bulb a bit.
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Sorry for how dark it is, this was this morning. Almost completely straight now, with a little bit of a kink left, and repotted in proper soil and a draining pot.
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I think he's doing pretty well, all things considered. The leaves are still a bit sad looking, but there's definitely been some growth over the last week.