Guidelines For Handling Amaryllis Flowers

Once amaryllis flowers close, remove them with a sharp knife. As the last one fades, remove the stem at the neck of the bulb. It is not advisable to permit seeds to form, as amaryllis require three years of constant growth from seed to bloom. This is a great deal of work and the chances of getting a plant as good as the parent are very remote. Continue the care of the plant, as more stems may soon appear.

As the third bloom (this being the usual number) dies, the plant develops leaf growth rapidly. During the spring and summer vegetative period, new blooms are forming for the next season. Leaf growth is dependent upon a high nutritional level in the soil. Thus, biweekly feedings of liquid manure or liquid fertilizers are essential.

Dutch hybrids develop leaves 48 inches long and over 3 inches wide. During the spring and summer the plants become large, if handled properly. Counting the leaves gives one an indication of the number of future stems developing. In the axil of every fourth leaf, a flower bud develops. Thus, a plant with 16 leaves indicates a potential three to four flower stems for next winter.

Early in October, the plant should be dried off and placed in a dry spot where the temperature averages 50 to 55 degrees for a three-month rest period. During this time, one can forget about the plant, providing the temperature does not go below 40 degrees. From January through March, the plants may be taken from storage, repotted in newly prepared soil and watered as already described.

On the basis of ongoing trials, the finest named varieties are available today. New varieties under test and unnamed seedlings being propagated for eventual introduction, promise even finer amaryllis.

Dutch hybrid amaryllis represent one of the great advances in plant breeding during the last 40 years. I think that the amaryllis is the flower of the future for the home, for exhibition and for flower arrangements.

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