AMARYLLIS JUST NEEDS A LITTLE TLC By Ken Beattie
I
for one enjoy the barrage of festive plants that hit the garden centres and floral departments nowadays in early November. Among the most reliable of the festive offerings is the Amaryllis. This behemoth bulb hails from South Africa but for the last couple of decades it has been popularized in many other countries. The content of many fundraising efforts, the boxed bulb, is a sure fire and usually foolproof bloomer, redeeming many a black thumbed recipient. The kits typically contain a moderately sized bulb, soiless medium and a pot so that even the most novice of gardener, upon following the instructions, should enjoy success. Better garden centres will carry bulk bins full to brimming with enormous Amaryllis bulbs in a vast array of colour options. Safe to say that the bigger the bulb, the more blooms you’ll enjoy, so purchasing softball sized bulbs will afford you several stems that will proudly support four to five flowers each. One suggestion for using smaller, gift packaged bulbs is to plant several of them in one container, the results are spectacular. Amaryllis bulbs, hailing from a tropical climate, like to be warm. As simple as this statement is, remarkably, many bulbs are left in the car while someone finishes shopping or stored in the garage hidden from the intended recipient. Oddly, these bulbs tend not to bloom! If you must store your Amaryllis, keep it dark and at room temperature and no moisture. Once the bulb gets even a hint of water, it will start to grow. Container size is also important. The rule that I use is to select a pot (with drainage holes) that will allow me to place a finger snugly between the bulb and the edge of the container. The reasoning behind this is that a pot that is too large is typically kept too moist for the bulb and rot can set in. The Amaryllis doesn’t need a great deal of nutrient as the flower bud is already formed and the bulb itself is the food storage unit to support the blossoms. Given this fact, fertilizer is not required at least at
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Ken Beattie, affectionately known as Canada’s Favourite Gardener, is a graduate of the prestigious Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture and is currently Director of Horticulture for Assiniboine Park, one of North America’s largest urban parks, in Winnipeg. As a TV host, radio contributor and author, his easy exuberance and playful personality are well-known to enthusiasts from Saskatchewan to the Philippines.