Amaryllis Lily (Any Color) – Plant

If gardening is a new interest, you’ve chosen the right place to begin. Amaryllis deliver huge, brilliant flowers, in abundance and in lots of jazzy color combinations. Some are even fragrant. They are also – surprisingly – among the easiest plants to grow. The amaryllis offered here don’t need any special cooling or conditioning and will come back year after year with a bit of care. Let the fun begin!

Outdoor Beds

Many people don’t think of outdoor garden sites when they consider amaryllis. But for enormous blooms, year after year, these plants really shine. Showcase 5 – 7 bulbs on either side of your front door for a display that guarantees tremendous curb appeal and prompts a satisfied smile when you step out of the car.

Find a location where the soil drains well. If there are still water puddles 5-6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site. Or amend the soil with the addition of organic material to raise the level 2-3″ to improve the drainage. Peat moss, compost, ground bark or decomposed manure all work well and are widely available. Amaryllis must not sit in soggy soil or the bulbs will rot.Site your amaryllis where they will receive full sun. Amaryllis will grow in light shade but tend to develop stronger stems and better proportions in brighter light.

Dig holes and plant the bulbs with an inch of the bulb above the soil surface. This is sometimes referred to as planting “up to the shoulders” of the bulb. The top of the bulb is the part that looks a little like the stem area of an onion and the bottom has a flat plate, often with a few roots attached.

After planting, water well, gently soaking the soil and settling it around the bulb. Then ease off on the water; your bulb doesn’t need moisture when there isn’t yet growth to support. Amaryllis may be planted from September through April in warm weather climates. While occasionally flower stalks will develop in the fall, easpecially during the first season, mid spring is the typical time for flowering.