As I write the snow is coming down pretty steadily and my garden is covered in a blanket that looks like it will not be going anywhere soon. (Actually, I find the snowfall quite lovely – provided I don’t have to go out in it.) I didn’t get nearly as much done in the garden this fall as I had hoped, but I have a lot of seed heads for the birds and winter interest outside for the coming season. We are headed into the holidays and my home, and possibly yours, will be filled with a lot of color and greenery until the end of the year. After that we may be looking for something to brighten our interior landscape.
If you are lucky, you will receive an amaryllis bulb for the holidays, and if not you could gift yourself with one. Amaryllis bulbs are available in garden centers now, and they come in a variety of colors; white, red pink, salmon, apricot, rose or deep burgundy and even bicolor or picotee (different colored edges). I recommend buying one for yourself now as they may be in short supply after the holidays. The bulb can be treated like any other flowering bulb, but by ‘forcing’ it to bloom indoors it can bring color and cheer to the drab months of January and February.
Amaryllis bulbs are tender bulbs that, unlike other flowering bulbs, require no special cold treatment to bloom. Very often gift bulbs will come with both a container and growing medium in which to plant your bulb. If it does not, you can use any container that is 1”-2” larger than the bulb, with drainage holes in the bottom. Make sure the bulb is dry and firm with no signs of decay or injury. Plant the bulb in sterile, light fertile soil so that the upper half is exposed. Place the pot in the sink and water until water comes out of the bottom holes. Allow the water to drain completely and set the pot in a saucer and keep in a cool dry space until the leaves appear.
Once the leaves have appeared move the plant into a warm sunny spot, watering when the top two inches of the soil feels dry, until the flower bud begins to show color. During this time you can fertilize with a half strength fertilizer with high phosphorous content. Keep the flower out of direct sunlight while in bloom. Cooler temperatures will let the flowers last longer, however amaryllis are sensitive to cold so keep them out of cold blasts from opening doors and windows.
If you want the amaryllis to bloom again next year, cut off the flower bud as soon as it is spent, before it uses any energy to produce seeds. Leave the flower stalk and leaves and it will continue to produce and store energy in the bulb for next year’s flower.
Treat your plant like any sun-loving plant and ensure that it gets plenty of sunlight in the waning days of winter. After all danger of frost is passed you can move the plant outside and place it in an area where it will get dappled sunlight. Gradually move the plant into brighter sun. Water the plant only when the soil dries out; over watering can lead to bulb rot. Fertilize with houseplant food a couple of times over the course of the growing season. As the foliage begins to fade and dry out you can cut it back. Bring the plant into the house before the first frost of fall.
Allow your bulb an 8-12 week resting period in the dark without watering before you start the process all over again. Every three or four years you can repot the plant. Sometimes you will find that the main bulb has produced secondary bulbs on the sides. You can separate them from the parent bulb and force them separately.
Paper whites are another bulb that, like Amaryllis, requires no cold treatment before forcing. Paper whites are delicate white flowers that are in the Narcissus family. You can force them much like you do an Amaryllis, but because they are much smaller you may want several in the pot.
There are other bulbs that can be forced to bloom in the winter months, including tulips, hyacinth, daffodils and crocus. The only difference is these bulbs require a cold period before they can grow and bloom. After potting (in the same manner as the amaryllis) in a clean, sterile container the bulbs should be held at 35°-48° for a minimum of 12-13 weeks. This can be in an unheated attic or cellar. Once they have been through the cold treatment place the container in a cool sunny location where it is 50°-60° until the leaves emerge and then move into a warmer spot but not in direct sunlight. The bulbs should flower in 3-4 weeks after they have been taken out of cold storage so if you want flowers in February, you should pot your bulbs and put them in cold storage soon.
There is nothing like a pot of flowering tulips, hyacinth or amaryllis on the windowsill in February to bring a gardener through the winter doldrums.