How to Make an Amarylis Rebloom

The large, stately flowers of the amaryllis provide an attractive accent during the winter and early spring months. Usually sold around the winter holidays, potted amaryllis are forced to bloom in greenhouses under manipulated conditions. You can mimic those conditions in your own home to enjoy amaryllis blooms for many years to come. It is not difficult to get an amaryllis to rebloom, but it does take care and timing. The effort is well worth the results.

Sharp knife
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the flower stalk close to the top of the bulb with a sharp knife after all the blooms have faded. Do not cut the leaves or emerging flower stalks. It is normal for sap to run out of the cut flower stalk.
- 2
  Move your potted amaryllis to the sunniest location available, preferably a greenhouse or south-facing window. Fertilize the plant monthly with an all-purpose liquid fertilizer. Keep the soil consistently moist, but not wet.
- 3
  Move your amaryllis outside, if possible, when all danger of frost is past. Place in a sunny spot and water the plant daily. Older leaves may die, but new ones will grow. Apply a slow-release fertilizer or apply liquid fertilizer every two weeks.
- 4
  Stop feeding your amaryllis in late September. Bring it indoors before the first frost. Keep the entire pot in cool storage in a garage or basement, or in a refrigerator if you have room. Do not store your amaryllis near ripening fruit, because it releases a gas that can damage developing flowers.
- 5
  Begin to water your amaryllis when the new bloom stalk emerges. Water thoroughly initially, then allow the soil to dry between waterings. Blooming will take up to eight weeks. Move your amaryllis to a south-facing window until it is in full bloom, then move it to a lower-light, cooler location to preserve the bloom.

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