I am having dejavu right now. I have already answered this question and yet here it is again. Peachguy, look up your earlier ad and see the reply.

Whoops sorry i looked for my earlier post but I couldn't find it so I thought maybe i didn't click submit. Sorry everyone

No need to feel sorry. Mistakes happen. Glad that you found your original post. Hopefully you got the answer you were looking for.

Yes, they can indeed be planted out in the garden. They do well outside where I live; and I have heard people with harsher climes can be host to them, too. Have fun with your new hobby; I love hippeastrums as there is so much to them. They can be constantly surprising!

Pots should be about two inches larger than the bulb to start. I use terra cotta pots or those beautiful glazed pots. Just be careful to not water them too much. The glazed ones do hold water a bit longer, but it is no big deal to water a little less. I like to colour coordinate the flowers to the pot. For instance, I have a beautiful pink and white one in a pale green pot, and a deep red one in a yellow pot. The looks are stunning in some cases. Usually I do this for gifts for people; even if they have no success with the bulb, they can keep the gorgeous pot and plant what they wish to in it later on!

Someone who cannot even keep amaryllis is really a red-thumb, black-thumb, whatever it is that is completely anti-plant. :o)

Well. I guess others have to learn how to keep them; as they are not born knowing it.

I think the companies that market the bulb kits hope that most people have black thumbs. That way, they can sell you a new one each year. I suspect that's why the cheap bulb kits come with plastic pots that have no drainage holes.

I have found that half of a green thumb is knowledge, and the other half is love for plants.

There are so many different types of plants, and each type has specific needs, and likes and dislikes... But once you have the basics of plant care down pat, tailoring the care to meet the needs of each plant is relatively easy.

I've killed many plants in my day... but each plant death was a learning experience as I found out why that plant didn't make it.

I keep a small collection of houseplants, and I like them all... but the Amaryllis bulb is my favorite. There's something incredibly intriguing about a plant that is a self-contained food and bud storage unit.

I know some people who simply kill any plants they get or buy, so they opt for plastic ones in their house and they don't have pets. I think that is responsible behavior.

I tend to agree... although, I've always thought plastic plants were a bit on the tacky side... especially when you see baskets of fake flowers left hanging outside in winter with snow on the ground! Ew! LOL!

I kind of hate plastic plants. They remind me of houses of dying, old ladies... And that is not a very pleasant thought. I don't know, but it seems like whenever we went to look at houses to buy and if an old lady lived there before, the place was full of plastic plants. Plus, they very often put plastic flowers on wreaths, so it would "last longer." I mean, who enjoys those things anyway. If I ever have to go to a funeral or take a wreath to someone, I definitely go with live blooms or dried arrangements. We have enough plastic and fake things in our lives.
Huh. I became too dark here... But point is taken. If you cannot buy live flower for someone, steal it, but don't take plastic. :o)

Did you know that margarine is one molecule away from plastic? Yes, it's true... eat butter, save a cow! Save yourself... butter is better for you!

Tacky is a cemetary full of plastic wreaths and plastic bouquets.

Jo-funny, your comment about nurseries hoping people have black thumbs in hopes they kill their plants and order more. I also collect orchids. There is a grower here that recommends after a plant it done blooming "just throw it away, we have more in bloom for you"!! What kind of marketing is THAT?? I could never throw away any plant just because it is not in it's bloming cycle. Sheesh, I guess some people are really just plant morons!

Unfortunately, the nursery business is just like any other modern business; it's all about the money!

I learned this when I worked at a small garden center many years ago... I wondered why the garden mums weren't as hardy as they used to be, and was told that the mum breeders were breeding for flower size and shape and color, and not for hardiness. If they don't make it over winter, the customer will come back to buy more to replace those that died.

It seems that almost ALL businesses operate with that thought in mind... if it breaks, doesn't work or dies, it means repeat business for replacements.

As a veteran American Bulldog breeder, I've watched the dog business go this same route; pump out the puppies to make money, never mind that they are genetically inferior, poorly temperamented, child-biting curs... just keep raking in that almighty dollar.

After 25 years working with this breed, I'm broke! But I know that every dog I've placed is a genetically healthy, stable, intelligent, capable working dog. Have I produced a lemon or two? You bet! Any breeder that says he hasn't is lying! Did I sell it anyway? No way! I sent it back to God to be re-worked. Have I replaced animals? Yes, of course. I want satisfied customers happy with their companions. I also want to retain my reputation as a responsible breeder. Is it about the money? Nope. It's about making a better dog. Period.

Margarine might be one molecule away from plastic, but it can mean all the difference in the world.
Chemistry is really interesting if you can grasp the root of it... Oxigen that makes you live and survive is just one ATOM away from Ozone that is a poison and kills you. It is not even a molecule away from the very thing that you depend on to live.
So Margarine being one molecule away from plastic is all the world needs to have to create good food for you. Plastic is based on animal's deceased bodies, oil, so it is carbon based. Margarine is the oil in the body of plants, so it is carbon based.
I wouldn't worry about this. Don't believe what some ingenious people say in order to sell you something INSTEAD of something else... There will be people who will twist reality and try to get away with it counting on people's ignorance or lack of better knowledge... Of course not all of us are chemists, so we all cannot do more than believe some of these stuff, but I can guarantee you, your stomache will not be plastic wrapped inside if you eat margarine, but your cholesterol level may lower, which is good.

I don't think the cholesterol problem is butter... it's the AMOUNT of butter people slather on what they eat! I realize that margerine is not going to turn into plastic in your gut, but it's still not as good for you as something that is natural...

I never buy into advertisements for new or improved items or diet this or lower fat that... you really have to know how to break down a label on a product to see what it REALLY contains per serving... If we, as Americans, ate a more natural and normal sized serving of food per meal, and added exercise... we wouldn't be the fattest nation in the world! Bigger is not better when it comes to food! :-)

If you really learn about nutrition, you come to the conclusion that we are poisoning our systems with all the processed foods and chemicals and preservatives that we ingest. We are, I believe, actually changing our genetic structure with our lifestyles. Look at the statistics of children with asthma and allergies today versus children of only 75 years ago... and that's just one problem. There are cancers and diseases and illnesses that weren't present years ago. Of course, food isn't the only culprit... but it is one factor that each of us can control by what we put in our mouths.

As I said in another post somewhere here... I am now toxin free. I eat only natural foods and meal replacement shakes that are natural and balanced. I feel a thousand times better now than I did when I was eating like everyone else I know. Now, if I eat a burger from a fast food chain, I literally get sick.

I have even put my plants on a natural fertilizer... I use fish emulsion. I use natural fertilizers in my garden outside, too! It helps, of course, that I have access to goat and horse and duck and chicken manure... :-)

I realize that I'm rather opinionated... and I'm not trying to push my beliefs on anyone... but I think it's important that I share my views and findings; if I can help one person feel better, I have made a positive impact. Please keep this in mind when reading my long-winded posts! :-)

I agree with you about the amount. But what can I do? I just can't stop eating. The more I eat, the more I want to eat. :o) What else can satisfy you in this life? :o) (I mean as much as eating and feelign well fed and happy about it...) I know your little wheels started churning and making up answers for me. :o) )

LOL! I love to eat, too... but I also like to get out of bed each morning with as little pain as possible... and move through the day without feeling sick and in pain. I have Lupus, and I know that diet plays a small role in how I feel. That's one of the reasons I started eating better. I figured that if I omitted all the chemicals and poisons from my diet, it would help to a certain degree, and it has. My better diet and taking a regimen of vitamins has boosted my immune system, and I feel a lot healthier. I haven't been really sick in months! And my daily intake of pain relievers has gone down quite a bit, too! I'll probably always require some type of narcotic or synthetic pain killer to be able to move around and live a normal life, but I don't want to have to take that much.

Besides Lupus, I have constant back and hip pain from a car accident that happened a few years ago... and I know that if I carry around too much extra weight, I'm just hurting myself more. Added weight puts an extra strain on my back and hips. But I found that once I started eating right, the weight just fell off! I have lost about 35 pounds in the last 5 months or so. I look better, and more importantly, I feel better!

I can't make answers for you... I can only tell you how I feel and what works for me. You have to be happy with yourself. It's not how much a person weighs or how much they eat... it's who they are that's important. The cover of a book does not tell the story... it's what's on the pages inside that counts. I have no idea what you look like, but even if I did, looks are irrelevant. I like you judging by the person that comes out in what you write.

I didn't lose weight to look better; that is just one of the benefits. I lost weight to feel better. My family and my friends don't see my fat, they see me... and I know they love me regardless of what my bathroom scale says. And most importantly, I like me. I liked me before, too... and now I like life even more because I don't hurt as bad every day.

Changing my diet didn't take anything away... I still have chocolate cake and other goodies, just not as often. I cheat once a week. On Sunday I eat whatever I want. During the week, I have 2 chocolate fudge meal replacement shakes with whole milk a day, plus some fruit and yogurt for snacks. I actually feel full, and I'm never looking around for something else to eat. Just in case you're curious, the shakes I have are called "Complete Protein Diet" by Optimum Nutrition, chocolate flavor. They have a website... www.optimumnutrition.com ... I also get their Glucosamine Chondriotin with CSA. My husband uses their weight gainer shakes, creatine and the branched chain amino acids, among other things. It's not cheap, but it is cheaper than the average grocery bill.

Bottom line... I feel better, both physically and about myself. I have 2 Grandchildren and 1 on the way... I want to be around to see them grow up...

I cannot even keep track anymore of the natural supplements and vitamins I am taking. They are in the kitchen. It takes 10 minutes daily to get them ready for me to take. People laugh at me when I take the pills. I look like a very sick person taking 30 pills.
Then I show them and they are amazed how logical it is.
- multivitamin
- B Super complex
- Stone free (kidney)
- pumpkin seed oil
- Vitamin C
- Cinnamon
- Gingko Biloba
- Ecinacea
- Ginseng
- Vitamin E
- Aloe Vera
- Grape Seed oil
- Green tea
- Q10 Coenzine
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
just to name a few... All help and don't cause any troubles. Of course I will take them. I'd rather take them than to find out 10 years later I should have taken them.

That's quite a list! I don't take nearly that many, but my meal shakes are very balanced and the nutrition in them is readily available and completely digestible.

I take:
Echinacea for immune system, twice daily
Glucosamine Chondroitin CSA for joint support
Purified Fish Oil with Flax and Borage for Omegas 3, 6 and 9
B Complex
Diet Boost for energy and alertness
Alphalipoic Acid
Acetyl L carnitine

The meal replacement shake mix and the milk contains everything else my body needs nutritionally. I sometimes add Branched Chain Amino Acids in powder form.

Before I take anything, though, I take 2 Lortabs with my coffee so I can get out bed and move around.

You see, you do it for necessity. I do it out of whim right now. Sometimes I give up, but most of the time I do this daily routine... If it does not kill me, it should help.

You know, Soultan, you hit the nail on the head earlier about people who can not care for Amaryllis are red-thumbed or black-thumbed. In 60 years my cousin in Manhattan, has NEVER kept any plants in her condo. She is a world traveler and is always too busy to bother. Last birthday (November) I sent her an amaryllis. I talked her through the care. I have had her cut the plant greens back this summer and let it dry out. I had her wick/water it when she traveled. She called me 2 weeks ago and said she is now getting new green leaves again as she has slowly started giving it some water again. She keeps it in a sunny window and it is doing great. Know what? She saw some bulbs last week in a shop near her, and bought herself another one!! She is tickled. She has never gardened and is able to care for them, now. So I agree 100% Amaryllis are a very easy and rewarding plant to grow for someone who has not a lot of experience. (But then there are those of us who can not grow enough of them!!) I hope I haven't turned her into another Amaryllis nut! I think I'll send her more this birthday! Really get her hooked! lol

Hehe... So you are having sweet revenge on your cousin? I am doing the same with my friend in Hungary. I have ordered her bulbs again. And one for her sick mom to enjoy. Accidentally, it turns out that one of my earlier, cancelled orders will go through as well, so she will have three bulbs for herself and one for her mom... It is a little too much though, but I told her that the extra bulbs are for her coming birthday... I buy her small flowering varieties so she wouldn't have to worry about the huge flowers and scapes that much. Sooner or later, I will run out of the small ones, so by that time, she might learn how to care for them and she'll enjoy the large flowers too.

I bought my first bulb on a whim... and I'm just as thrilled every year when it flowers as I was the very first time it bloomed! My husband mentioned that just today, when he was looking at moisture meters to buy for me... he said that it tickles him to see me get so excited over a flower that only blooms once a year and looks the same each time! I think he's really starting to get into the whole amaryllis breeding thing... at least, I hope he is! Besides you guys, I have no one else to share this with! I would dearly love it if he were to become interested in breeding these bulbs!

It's nice to have a hobby that you love... and even nicer to have someone to share it with!

Maybe when he sees what kind of treasure these flowers become at blooming, he will apreciate keeping them and tending for them out of the season. A lof ot flowers are like this. Tulips - if I'm right - completely die down not long after flowering.

Yes, I believe most bulbs flower for only a short time, once every year... and are just green and gathering energy for a time... and then the leaves die down...

My husband, prior to this, had no interest in any plants... and even though I've always had a good sized collection of houseplants, and have always gardened outdoors, he never showed the least bit of interest for any of it! He thinks I am just "playing" out in the garden!

The first time Minerva bloomed, he was awestruck that the flower was so huge and beautiful. And every time she bloomed after that, he always mentioned that it was extraordinary. But I never thought that he'd ever develop an interest in more than just looking at the blooms. I'm very glad that he wants to share this with me!

Just tonight, he said I should make a list of the things that I will need before the 6 bulbs come in, like pots, soil, lights, anything that the bulbs will require for optimum growth. And he even told me not to be cheap about the type of pots or soil, or other requirements! He said if I need something, put it on the list and we would shop for it! I believe his words were: "You're spending good money on good bulbs, and you want them to have every advantage... so don't cheap-charlie on your supplies!"

Never in a million years did I think he'd develop an appreciation for a plant! Go figure!

jodik,

before we forget, I don't know if you have realized that these varieties are small flowering ones... Did you know that? If he loved the huge flowers of Minerva, he might be disappointed in the small (though plenty) blooms of these bulbs.
I hope you knew what you were ordering. I did.

Yes, I studied the online catalog. No, he won't be disappointed... even the smaller flowers are huge when sitting on a window sill or shelf! He's colorblind, so he sees in shades of gray, and shapes... and I think he was impressed by Minerva's color, as he interprets it, and the petal shape, not so much by the size.

I told him they would be smaller... he said it doesn't matter. They will be awesome even if they are the size of a quarter!

Not to mention that they should produce seeds pretty well. Especially that they are all kind of the same kind, so they can cross breed.

That's going to be the fun part; breeding them! According to what I already know about genetics, they should produce some nice color combinations when crossed. It will be interesting to see the offspring colors, then take the strongest offspring and cross THEM to see different results! And so on... With good record keeping and a little help from my husband, I can breed some very interesting plants!

You could, and if you are very lucky, you could come up with something new and exciting, copyright it, then submit it to a commercial grower for propagation and get royalty for the sold bulbs... There are everyday folks, actually, who do that...
Most of the time it takes a LOT of crosses to find one unique and worthwile to lift from the crowd, but it can happen.
I read that Meyer and Meerow, for instance, are working with 40.000 seedlings a season from which they usually select about 70 to further examine and a few years later, maybe 2-3 gets to mass production. 40.000-3. Not a very promising concept, but luck is never based on concepts.

That's exactly where Mother Nature comes in... every once in a while, She'll surprise you with something new and different, even though it's not what you were trying for.

Yes, I imagine it takes a lot of work and dedication to grow a new variety worthy of being produced on a grand scale. Rather like trying to write a novel that makes the top of the Best Seller list. But I think experimenting on a smaller scale will be loads of interesting fun!

I'd like to write a novel that makes the top of the Best Seller list. :o) Sometimes you just know when you find a jewel or get the great idea, but one has to dedicate himself to the process to create the most sellable product. EVERYTHING is a product. There is no such thing as art without monetary benefits. Otherwise it is just simple waste of time.

Unless the artist does it for personal pleasure... I don't create jewelry to sell... I create jewelry to give as gifts, and because I enjoy the process and the beads I'm working with... if someone wants to buy a piece, so much the better, but my first intention is to have fun creating!

I meant artist that cry all the time that their "art" doesn't sell. Art that doesn't sell is not something others consider art too. No matter how much you are proud of your own creation if nobody else likes them. Let's not call artists artists who cannot create likeable products. I'd rather call a little old lady, who knits pretty sweathers an artist than a singer who cannot sell her CDs, and cannot make a living off of her "art."

Art is a funny thing, though... what I like as art might not be what someone else would like... I've seen paintings that I wouldn't hang in a dark basement sell for big money... Art is an abstract notion, and the art lover or buyer is fickle... so... who can say what's good or bad? It's a hard business to make a good living at...

I simply thing that if they buy it, they must like it. If they don't buy it, no matter how much of an artist you consider yourself, you do something wrong. :o)

This is true... there are probably as many untalented artists as there are talented. It's all in the eye of the beholder...

Definitely. I really know that art is in the eye of the beholder... Picasso created ugly pictures, but they were so unique at the time that people are still fascinated with them up to date and will be in the future because they are worth so much... If I owned a Picasso, I'd only like to own it for its value, not because I like it. :o)