Sonata Hippeastrum Care

Sunlight

• An indoor Sonata amaryllis thrives in front of an east-facing window where it is exposed to direct morning sunlight. It also does well when placed next to a south- or west-facing window or in front of a south- or west-facing window with a sheer curtain between the window and the plant. A room temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Dappled or partial shade is best for an outdoor Sonata amaryllis.

Water

• A Sonata amaryllis bulb should be watered sparingly, if at all, until it grows roots. Excessively wet soil around the bulb before it develops a root system causes rot or red blotch fungal disease. After the bulb has roots and begins to bloom, water it when the top of its soil begins to dry. The water should be poured on the soil, not on the bulb. An outdoor bulb should be watered similarly. The plant's individual flowers should be removed when they fade. The stems can be cut off at their base after all the flowers fade.

Fertilizer

• After an indoor Sonata amaryllis begins growing foliage, give it 10-10-10 or 12-12-12, water-soluble, houseplant fertilizer every two weeks. The fertilizer needs to be diluted first, however; the usual dilution rate is 1 teaspoon of fertilizer per 1 gallon of water. Outdoor plants should be given 5-10-10 or 6-12-12, outdoor plant fertilizer. Spread 1/4 to 1/2 pound of that fertilizer over 25 square feet of planting area, and water the site so the fertilizer gets into the soil. Fertilizer should be applied when the Sonata amaryllis begins to grow and again when its flower stem reaches a height of 6 to 8 inches. It should be fertilized again after its flowers fade and the stems are removed. Don't fertilizer the plant during winter.

Winter Care

• An outdoor Sonata amaryllis bulb should be brought indoors in fall before the first frost in USDA zones 7 and below. In USDA zone 8, the bulb can be left in the ground but needs to be covered with a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch for winter. An indoor plant and one that was brought inside from outdoors must be kept cool for two to three months to rest before it blooms again. Either place the plant in a bright area with a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and water it when its soil becomes dry, or place it in a dark area that is 41 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and do not water the plant.

Diseases and Pests

• Sonata amaryllis can catch mosaic virus, which causes pale yellow streaks on the leaves as well as stunted growth and reduced blooming. Red blotch fungal disease causes red splotches on the foliage and flower stems. The flower stems become brittle, and the foliage becomes distorted. No cure exists for either disease. Bulb maggots, mealybugs, mites, scale insects and thrips attack the plant, too. Bulb maggots eat into the center of the bulb, causing yellow, distorted or wilted leaves and eventual death of the plant. An affected bulb must be thrown away. Mealybugs, mites and thrips can be washed off with a strong spray of water. Mealybugs also can be wiped off with a cotton ball that was dipped in rubbing alcohol. Scale insects can be wiped off with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol or brushed off with a toothbrush. Mealybugs, mites and thrips also can be killed with insecticidal soap, commonly sold in spray bottles and already diluted so ready for use. Spray the entire plant with insecticidal soap.