Pruning Amaryllis

Amaryllis plants rise from large bulbs and produce a sturdy vertical stem with large flowers. They are often taken indoors for winter color in most of the United States and are suitable for outdoor growing only in tropical Florida. The plants are low maintenance and require well drained soil, dappled light and organic rich growing medium. Amaryllis do not need traditional pruning but they should have their flowers cut off after bloom to prevent the formation of seeds. The seeds will sap the plant of energy that it would normally store in the bulb for the following seasons bloom. This results in fewer and smaller flowers.

Hand pruners
Shovel
Soil knife

Instructions

- 1
  Cut off the flower stems after the last of the flowers have bloomed. Remove them from the base of the plant, as close to the center of the Amaryllis as possible.
- 2
  Leave the foliage to continue to gather solar energy to store in the bulb. Allow the foliage to persist until it begins to yellow and die back.
- 3
  Prune off the foliage on the plant. Take it off with pruners to the base of the plant. Dig up the bulb to divide the offsets and replant it, or overwinter the bulb in cold climates.
- 4
  Use a soil knife to cut off the small offset bulbs. Brush off the dirt from these and the main bulb and let them dry for a week in a dark, dry location. Use the pruner to cut off the dry roots.
- 5
  Put the bulbs in a paper bag wrapped in sphagnum moss and store them in a cool, dry place until you wish to plant them again. Plant them between September and January outside in South Florida or indoors elsewhere.

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