My one Santos bulb is just now poking up a scape. Last year this was one of my very favorite new bulb acquisitions, looks like yours are performers again this year, very pretty and they remind me what I am looking forward to!

Donna

Jim,

Just beautiful! The veining, the color - all of it! - J

Very pretty, I like all of them

Beautiful!!! How did you keep them this fall/winter Jim? Did you give them a cool rest? Kept them with leaves? Temps?

One of the best modern Minature-Hybrids with "gracilis" appearance. It looks like a "Baby Star" (the genuine form from StapoFlor, not the "Lilly Star") crossbred with "Mrs.Garfield"

Genuine (LEFT: Baby Star) and false (RIGHT: Lilly Star)

Maria, I kept them outside all summer in a shaded location. I watered them more frequently than my other hippeastrums. I have read that most of the hybrids developed with H. reticulatum need the extra shade and more frequent waterings in our summers in the mid-Atlantic.

In early November, after the first light frost, I brought them indoors and placed the pots in a south facing window in large trays. I left them growing as 'evergreens' with infrequent watering. I did not force them into dormancy but, their growth all but stopped during November and December.

Because my windows are deep, the temperatures were probably only in the low 60's during the day and dipped into the low 50's at night. When I saw the first scape peeking up in mid January, I turned on my heating mats under the trays and increased watering.

Jim C.

My only Santos bulb that I purchased last year has spent its entire life (living with me) in my sunny bay window. Lots of sun. I too let it grow as an evergreen and it finally lost its leaves around December and I think I've watered it a few times since, with no fertilizer of course, and now I have a big fat bud poking out. As for watering, I water all 20 or so plants in my bay window at the same time, which is at least once a week. Santos is a bulb that I wish I had bought another of, maybe next year they will offer it again and if not I will always keep mine inside, I don't want any NBF even thinking about making a meal of mine!

Donna