Amaryllis Bulbs, Beautiful even in bud.

Addicted to Amaryllis Bulbs !

Craving something to grow and bloom in winter?

Oh yes, we gardeners have our amaryllis plants to keep us company during the long winter months. They are not hard to grow, so don’t be intimidated by them. Just get one and you can enjoy it for a few months in bloom. After all, I miss my Backyard Flower Garden.

Well, I have become addicted to Amaryllis !  Paperwhites are great too! And hyacinths…somebody slap me!……Thanks.

Two amaryllis bulb kits

You will see different bulbs for sale during this time of year, and  amaryllis bulbs can be expensive for a single bulb. But these make wonderful gifts for anyone who gardens and also for a hostess gift if needed. Some can be purchased as a kit. I have some links to Amazon here. I am an affiliate and may earn a small commission if you should make a purchase. See this page if you have any questions.

I could plant them all over my house! And you don’t need to spend a lot on your bulbs. Try out one of the less expensive options and see how it goes. You may become an aficianado!

My amaryllis in these photos is the

[easyazon_link identifier=”B017EY9RZS” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”thehypegard0d-20″ cloak=”n” localize=”n” popups=”y”]Amaryllis Apple Blossom Holiday Gift Growing Kit  [/easyazon_link]


But it is available in a gorgeous red called [easyazon_link identifier=”B002UUAY4A” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”thehypegard0d-20″ cart=”y” cloak=”n” popups=”y”]Amaryllis Red Star[/easyazon_link].  Such a bright scarlet red and beautiful for the winter table. 

I love amaryllis bulbs blooming in those long months waiting for spring. It is so nice to have some plants blooming in the house during those cold snowbound days of January and February.

There is an [easyazon_link identifier=”B0178X828I” locale=”US” nw=”y” nf=”y” tag=”thehypegard0d-20″ cloak=”n” localize=”n” popups=”y”] Amaryllis Minerva Holiday Gift Growing Kit[/easyazon_link] which is a mix of white and red. Glorious!

stages of a sprouting amaryllis bulb

Now my amaryllis seems to grow quickly. I usually have 3-4 weeks from planting until blooming. But like they say, YMMV, or “your mileage may vary.” I had my Apple Blossom bloom in mid-summer which had not happened in prior years. So I hope it has had time enough to recover to bloom for this Christmas and New Year.

These bulbs don’t need any chilling for weeks such as other bulbs do, so you can start them off right away. Most varieties have 1 stem, but some do have 2 stems bearing 4 blooms up to 7 inches across.

Blooming pink amaryllis in window sill

Plant your amaryllis bulb in a pot that is only about 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the bulb itself. The kits sometimes come with a pot and the soil needed to plant them.  The soil should be a rich soil but no fertilizer is needed. Just plant it in the soil leaving the upper half to one-third of the bulb out of the soil. Just loosely place it in and build the soil around it.

Then water it in thoroughly and then let dry out completely before watering again. It can take a few weeks before you see some growth, but while you are waiting, just keep it on a sunny window sill.

Amaryllis kit showing price of $4.49

The only thing you need to worry about is turning the pot to keep the stalk growing straight. It will try to reach for the sun so just keep rotating to get a strong and straight stalk. Buds will form and start to show a little color, and it is at this time you move it out of direct sunlight.

And then your amaryllis will open and you get to enjoy your beautiful blooms!

The best part of growing amaryllis bulbs is that you can continue to enjoy them for years.

When the bloom is finished, just cut off the flower stalks but keep the plant growing by watering and feeding it. When the weather warms up, you can take it outdoors and just tend it and let it live outside all summer long.

It will need at least 6 hours of sun and fertilize it regularly so it will store up the nutrients in the bulb and  be ready to bloom again in the winter.

Before the first frost, dig up the amaryllis bulb and clean it up, and allow it to dry.Take it inside and place in a darker area and allow it to dry out thoroughly.  Let it rest for 6-8 weeks and then it will be ready to bring out for a repeat show!  If it appears to have outgrown its container, you can re-pot into a slightly larger pot. An amaryllis prefers to be root bound.  You can enjoy this bulb for many years!

Have you grown an amaryllis bulb?  How many do you have?

3 Comments

  1. Vicki Zwiebel says:

    Hi Kim,
    I love the Amaryllis too. Like you say, it gives us a living thing to grow and enjoy during the dark days of winter. I try to wait until after the new year to start mine, so that by the time it grows and is finished blooming it’s almost Spring!
    I’ve never tried to keep them though, may try it this year.
    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

    1. Merry Christmas to you and the family too! I have kept mine and they have rebloomed, but I don’t have hope for this Apple Blossom since it bloomed in the summer and then lived so long outside. I don’t think it got enough rest. We shall see. I like to set them out later too. Those Jan and Feb days need brightened up somehow.

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