Amaryllis

I mentioned a while back that I'd bought some amaryllis bulbs, complete with ceramic pots, in Tesco's clear out sale for the knock down price of 79p each. I think Frogesque bought some too. Well my first one has bloomed and I'm really chuffed with the results. Picture to follow.

 

I've been playing around with my digi camera and Photoshop. I don't know the name of this beauty but I'm sure with all the expertise on this site someone will know.

 

That's lovely Petal, well done

Yours is well ahead of mine (Apple Blossom - sorry, don't know what yours is) Mine has been kept in a cool porch (although it's in bud) My friend's Amaryrillis is a bit more forward as its under a sunny kitchen window and about 1 ft. tall at the moment.

There's still some poorley looking things on sale in the DIY shops round here but I wouldn't risk buying them now unless they were about 50p.

 

petal

That's not bad for 79p is it. The real coup would be to get them to flower again next year, something I've never managed.
But then, I can't even overwinter Hibiscus. So I'm only allowed one big �£10 one, and that has to do for the season. :(

Nik

 

Last year's bulb has flowered again this year. I just gave it a little water with the rest of the house plants until the leaves started to go yellow, then started to water it again when it started to sprout. The first of the four flowers opened up today.

 

I've got another two to look forward to and both my daughters have one each. They're all in bud and one is showing red and the other white. I'll certainly try and get them to flower again next year. If not I'll wait for the sales again

 

Here's a pic of my friend's Amaryllis which has just come into flower. The cold spell has really slowed mine down.

 

Petal , the pink and white beauty looks like Apple Blossom to me.

 

this is one I got for half-price in Homebase back in November - photobucket says it's rotated it, but it doesn't look like it in the preview, so apologies!

 

fantastic...all of them!

I found some advice regarding "reblooming"...
(source: solutions.uiuc.edu)

Amaryllis -- Reblooming

After the flowers bloom, cut the flower stalk an inch or so above the bulb. Set the plant in a sunny window and water normally. Leaves should develop.

In May when temperatures warm, set (bury) the plant and pot in the flower garden. Choose a protected location where light is filtered. Morning sunshine is satisfactory. Don't be upset if leaves flop over. They soon will become erect.

Continue watering the plant. Feed with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. Bulb size should be increasing.

In September, bring pot and bulb indoors. Place in a dark location for six to eight weeks. The leaves will wilt and die; remove them close to the bulb. Keep the bulb on the cool side, approximately 50-60 degrees F. DO NOT WATER.

After the rest period, repot the bulb in a fresh soil. If the bulb is too large for the previous pot, move up one size. An ideal soil mixture contains one part houseplant soil, one part peat moss and one part vermiculite or perlite. Set the bulb so that the top half is exposed. Firm the soil around the bulb but don't pack.

Water the soil well and place in a warm sunny location. Let the bulb sit; keep the soil moist but not damp. Ideal forcing temperatures are between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm temperatures promote long, weak, spindly growth. The flower stalk may flop over.

Bulbs failing to bloom usually have not been allowed to stay dormant long enough. Storage and forcing temperatures may also be too high.

 

Petal,

Yours is "Apple Blossom"

ttfn

 

Thank you Miraflores! i was just going to post asking the question you have answerd!

 

They are Hippies, which have hollow stems, Amaryllis have solid stems.

feed them like crazy now when they are flowering, keep feeding them when in leaf then give them a rest.

Let them totaly dry out and leave them dead looking bulb. they don't like being re potted, just keep the bulb well fed when it is doing its work.

 

you are welcome, mef750...