How to grow Amaryllis? Understand the cultivation method in one article
1. Soil:
Amaryllis requires loose, fertile sandy loam soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5, and must never be waterlogged. The potting soil can be prepared by mixing 2 parts decomposed manure soil, 6 parts leaf mold, and 2 parts sand.
2. Watering:
Amaryllis needs to be kept moist, and watering should be thorough. But avoid excessive water and poor drainage. Generally, indoor air humidity is sufficient.
3. Sunlight:
Amaryllis likes sunlight and can take a moderate amount of direct sunlight, but not for too long. It should be placed by a window with bright light, good ventilation, and no strong direct sunlight.
4. Temperature:
Amaryllis prefers warmth and is not cold-tolerant. In summer it should be kept cool, with an ideal temperature of 18-22°C. During the winter dormancy period, it requires a cool and dry environment, and the temperature must not drop below 5°C.
5. Fertilizing:
Amaryllis likes fertilizer. When the leaves grow to 5-6 cm long, start applying topdressing. Generally, apply decomposed cake fertilizer water once every half month. After flowering, change to applying once every 20 days or so, to promote bulb enlargement and the production of new bulbs.
Amaryllis cultivation methods
Amaryllis blooms in April in spring and blooms again in winter. To promote flowering, management should be strengthened early. It grows quickly, and after 1 year of growth, it should be repotted into a suitable pot. After 1 or 2 years of cultivation, the potting soil for amaryllis lacks nutrients. To promote growth and flowering in the new year, fresh soil should be used. It grows quickly, and after 1 or 2 years of growth, many small bulbs form at the top, so when repotting and changing soil, divide the plants at the same time. Plant the large plants together in one pot, the medium plants together in one pot, and the small plants together in one pot. When repotting, changing soil, and planting, apply base fertilizer at the same time. After potting, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once a month. The fertilizing principle is to apply lightly and frequently, to promote flower bud differentiation and flowering. For vigorous growth and early flowering of amaryllis, pest and disease control should be carried out. Spray pesticide once a month. Spraying should be done on sunny days at around 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Do not spray under the strong midday sun to prevent pesticide damage.
Amaryllis prefers a warm, humid climate. The suitable growing temperature is around 23°C. It dislikes extreme heat, and sunlight should not be too intense, so it should be maintained under a shade shed. It fears waterlogging. During the winter dormancy period, it requires a cool climate, ideally 11°C, and must not be lower than 5°C. It likes humus-rich, well-drained sandy loam soil. Artificial bulb-cutting is often used to propagate bulblets in large quantities. That is, it is cultivated by methods such as sowing, bulb division, bulb scaling, and tissue culture.
Amaryllis cultivation methods
Amaryllis cultivation methods are relatively easier to maintain than those of clivia, and it is very suitable for home cultivation. The home cultivation methods for amaryllis are introduced below: Amaryllis morphological characteristics: perennial bulbous plant. Large bulbs can reach 6 cm-10 cm in diameter. The color of the bulb skin is related to the flower color: brown bulb skin corresponds to red flowers, while light green bulb skin corresponds to flowers with white or red stripes. Roots grow below the bulb, and leaves emerge from the bulb in two rows, with 3-4 leaves on each side, flat and light green. The flower stalk also emerges from the bulb, is green, sturdy, and hollow. An umbel inflorescence is borne at the top of the flower stalk, trumpet-shaped, with colors such as red, red with white stripes, and white with red stripes, often with 2-6 flowers opening opposite each other.
It likes partial shade and is not cold-tolerant. The suitable growing temperature is 18°C-25°C, and the suitable temperature during winter dormancy is 5°C-10°C. It likes moisture, fears waterlogging, and prefers loose soil rich in organic matter with good drainage. It likes fertilizer, but after flowering, nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers increased, to promote bulb enlargement.
The main species and cultivars also include Amaryllis belladonna, Hippeastrum vittatum, Hippeastrum reginae, Hippeastrum reticulatum, and hybrid hippeastrum, etc. There are many horticultural cultivars.
Key points for propagation and cultivation:Both bulb division and seed sowing can be used for propagation. Bulb division means removing the small bulbs growing around the mother bulb for propagation, carried out from March to April. When taking the bulbs, avoid damaging the roots attached to the small bulbs. Either pot cultivation or ground cultivation can be used. When covering with soil, the top of the small bulb should be left exposed above the soil surface. In cold regions, the bulbs should be dug out in late October. Bulbs with a diameter of 6 cm-7 cm or more can be potted separately to await flowering, while small bulbs should be stored in dry sand and planted in the ground again in April of the following year. Generally, after 2 years of ground cultivation, they can form flowering bulbs. In addition, in the high-temperature season from July to August, bulb scales can be cut for cutting propagation to obtain a large number of seed bulbs. The suitable temperature for cuttings is 27°C-30°C. Keep them moist, and after 6 weeks small bulbs will form and roots will grow. Planting should not be too deep; too deep causes the neck to grow thin and long; shallow planting with high soil temperature makes the root system grow vigorously. Plant from March to April, and they can bloom from May to June. During the flowering period, water fully. After flowering, increase topdressing. In midsummer, place in partial shade. After August, growth gradually stops, and watering should be reduced accordingly until it stops. In winter, keep dry and maintain 10°C-13°C to promote full dormancy.
Brief cultivation history and flower culture: Native to tropical and subtropical regions, such as the Andes Mountains of Peru, the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and Brazil in South America. It was introduced to Europe in 1633 and 1769 respectively. The Dutch studied the flowering period of amaryllis and bred plants that can bloom at Christmas and New Year's Day, allowing this beautiful amaryllis to bloom according to people's needs. Besides being used as a potted plant, amaryllis is also a high-end cut flower. Because of its long flowering period, it is much loved by people and often becomes material for painters.
Amaryllis spring management
Amaryllis blooms in April in spring and blooms again in winter. To promote flowering, management should be strengthened early.
1. Repotting. Amaryllis grows quickly. After 1 year of growth, it should be repotted into a suitable pot.
2. Changing soil. After 1 or 2 years of cultivation, the potting soil for amaryllis lacks nutrients. To promote growth and flowering in the new year, fresh soil should be used.
3. Dividing plants. Amaryllis grows quickly. After 1 or 2 years of growth, many small bulbs form at the top, so when repotting and changing soil, divide the plants at the same time. Plant the large plants together in one pot, the medium plants together in one pot, and the small plants together in one pot.
4. Fertilizing. When repotting, changing soil, and planting amaryllis, apply base fertilizer at the same time. After potting, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once a month. The fertilizing principle is to apply lightly and frequently, to promote flower bud differentiation and flowering.
5. Pruning. Amaryllis grows quickly, and its leaves are long and dense. When repotting and changing soil, cut off withered leaves, dead roots, and roots and leaves affected by pests and diseases, leaving vigorous leaves.
6. Pest and disease control. To make amaryllis grow vigorously and bloom early, pest and disease control should be carried out. Spray pesticide once a month. Spraying should be done on sunny days at around 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Do not spray under the strong midday sun to prevent pesticide damage.
The above six points are the tasks that should be focused on in spring management of amaryllis.
Amaryllis propagation methods:
Amaryllis is a perennial herbaceous plant with a spherical bulb, with a bulb diameter between 10 and 15 cm. The leaves are sword-shaped and neatly arranged, with clear veins and a glossy green color. The flowers are mainly red, yellow, pink, green, orange, bicolor, and other colors, with a flowering period of 10 to 20 days. Because of its strong ornamental value, it is widely cultivated around the world. Amaryllis can be propagated by sowing, bulb division, and tissue culture, among other methods. Several commonly used methods are introduced below.
1. Newspaper sowing method. When amaryllis is in bloom, after artificial pollination, the seed capsule naturally splits open after more than a month, and the seeds can be collected. Dry them for one or two days before sowing. Draw 3 cm squares on newspaper, then place it on the seedbed (avoid direct sunlight). After spraying water, place one seed in each square, then cover with a sheet of wet newspaper. Spray water twice a day so the newspaper does not dry out. After about 15 days, seedlings grow out from under the newspaper (temperature 18°C to 24°C). When the seedlings grow two true leaves, transplant them into a large tray, with a substrate of vermiculite and peat soil, and water with nutrient solution. When the seedlings grow 6 to 7 leaves, they can be planted in the ground.
2. Shallow pot sowing method. Sieve culture soil plus vermiculite and place it into a shallow
pot, 3 cm from the pot rim, then water. After the soil is moist, sow the seeds on the soil surface at 3×3 cm, then cover with sieved soil, not too thick. After sowing, cover the shallow opening with glass and place it in a dark place with a temperature of 18°C to 24°C and humidity of 80% to 90%. After about 10 days, the seeds begin to germinate. The gap in the glass pane can be gradually adjusted until fully opened. When the seedlings grow three or four leaves, they can be transplanted into pots or planted in the ground.
3. Bulb division propagation method. Generally, when repotting amaryllis, break off the surplus bulblets and plant them directly in pots or in the ground.
This method is simple and easy, with a high survival rate. If the divided bulblets are vigorous bulbs of 5 cm or more, they can bloom in the same year. For slightly smaller bulbs, they can bloom in about two years.
4. Tissue culture propagation method. Commonly used
MS medium, with stem discs, dormant bulb tissue, pedicels, and ovaries as explants. After tissue culture, callus tissue is produced, adventitious roots form after 30 days, and adventitious buds form after 3 to 4 months. When the leaves grow to 4 cm, separate them, and after another 2 months the seedlings can be placed in a greenhouse for management.
Question: This amaryllis of mine was given to me by a friend. I really like it. But I have grown it for 2 years and the bulb is not small either. My colleagues all say it should bloom, but it just won't bloom. I fertilize and water it regularly. What is going on?
Answer:
It is probably because it has been taken care of too well. Being slightly drier in autumn and winter would be better.
This thing is very easy to grow. With a Φ above 5 cm, it blooms every year. Usually let it be a bit dry. In autumn, water with fertilizer once every 7-10 days, and try to let it grow fully and grow large. In winter, cut off the leaves and let it go dormant. In spring of the following year, repot it and apply enough base fertilizer, and it will produce beautiful flowers. The one I grow at home even blooms once more in October.
I guess it is caused by too much nitrogen fertilizer and too little phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In addition, after two years of growing, it is time to change the soil and divide the pots.
The natural flowering period of this flower is April-May. If it has passed, then it has passed. But you can still start applying a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer once in mid-June. After that, in addition to normal watering, apply phosphorus fertilizer once every 10 days or so. By late July, the amaryllis still has a chance to bloom.
The key to making amaryllis bloom is winter management. After entering winter, stop watering and let it enter dormancy, so it can bloom in spring. If you fertilize and water in winter, it will cause excessive vegetative growth, the flower bulb cannot develop, and it will not bloom. In short, the fewer leaves in winter, the better.
In winter, let it go into full dormancy. Cut off all the leaves. Wait until spring, then water thoroughly once to wake it up.