WOW Time!

Written by Lynn Pitts

Article appeared in our 27-5 Issue - December 2010

Are you being dragged into winter?

It’s hard to embrace these cooler days but the fact is, these are the important months for Bakersfield gardens...if not Bakersfield gardeners. The moisture and low temps are really good for almost all of our plants. So say “Hello, Jack Frost” as we head into a new year: 2011. I’m wondering if we’ll say “twenty-eleven,” “two-zero-one-one,” or maybe “two-oh-uno-uno?”

Each year, there seems to be a “plant of the season” in a fantastic color or shape. This is not an official designation but refers to a plant that you suddenly notice everywhere in Christmas decorations. It used to be masses of pebble-filled containers of sweet-smelling paper white narcissus forced into early indoor bloom. This year, the Royals are the rage. I mean the giant or Royal Dutch amaryllis bulbs (Hippeastrum). There are selections like never before; not just reds, whites, and pinks, but salmon, near-orange, striped, double-flowered varieties with picotee edges, and even green-colored flowers. When I first saw the fresh, plump bulbs at a nursery, I piously resisted purchasing more than four. I came to rue that decision as I realized what a stunning grouping several additional bulbs would make on my mantle. I went back for more. They were gone and every other place I stopped at had sold out. So whoever bought my amaryllis, I hope you are taking good care of them. I will definitely be first in line next year and will whack anyone who gets in my way with my purse. Of course, I will be disguised as a tall willowy blonde, so you won’t know it’s me.

For those who did buy or were gifted with amaryllis bulbs for the holiday season, you’ll understand when I say they’re hard plants not to love. Their plump bulbs shoot up tall stalks topped with gorgeous, colorful blooms, right when we need those the most—during the winter doldrums. After they’re done flowering, however, what do we do with them? For most of us, Mrs. P included, the answer has always been to toss them into the trash and buy new ones next year. It occurred to me that this wasteful attitude is so “twenty-ten” and wrong on many levels. Oh, say you, who has time to take care of one more thing after year-end festivities? Dumping bulbs may sound like the easy way out, but bringing these plants back into bloom is simpler than one might think.

After asking around and hearing various re-plays of “supervised neglect,” an oxymoron with no real instruction, I remembered a friend whose husband spends a lot of time in Holland and nominated him as my amaryllis sleuth. Look, after shelling out good money for fat bulbs, it seems a shame to leave their fate to chance.

Here’s what my detective discovered on bringing these bulbs full circle.

Remove faded flowers

As with most bulbous plants, you should remove the flower stalks after the flower fades. This directs the plant’s energy to vegetative growth rather than seed production. Amaryllis are native to South Africa, so give them warm temperatures and strong light at this stage. Continue to grow amaryllis inside in a south-facing window after flowering. Plants can be moved outdoors and placed in direct sun once the nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees and the daytime temperatures are consistently warm. You might even set them in your garage if you have a bright window. Remember to water the bulbs when the soil is barely moist to the touch. During the hottest days of summer, potted plants can dry out in a day.

Encourage dormancy

Amaryllis differ from some other common bulbs in a major way: they do not need a stretch of cold weather in order to trigger flower formation. But like many bulbs, they do need a period of dormancy, or what my friend said was “a ripening period.” For the best flowering, allow the leaves to grow and energize for four to six months before encouraging plants into dormancy. To trigger the process, stop watering your amaryllis and, if outside, tip the container on its side to prevent it from catching the sprinklers.

Snip off dead leaves

After a few weeks, remove the leaves when they’re completely withered. Put the tipped pot in direct sun to bake, which gives the bulb a needed warming treatment. Unlike many other bulbs, amaryllis do not require dark conditions during dormancy. If the nighttime temperatures fall below 50 degrees, bring the bulb inside. These bulbs need two to three months of dormancy. If the rest period happens to fall when outdoor temperatures are cool, pots can be left to dry and stored in a warm, dry place indoors.

Awaken the dormant bulb

It’s easy to awaken the bulb from dormancy: simply water once to initiate growth, and keep an eye on the soil. When it dries out, water again but with a light hand, especially until the new growth starts to emerge. If you plan to repot your bulb, here’s how:

When you repot your amaryllis, be sure to use well-draining potting soil. Pick the right pot by choosing a container that is one to two inches wider than the bulb and is deep enough to accommodate the bulb’s brittle root system. Use a terra-cotta, ceramic, or other heavy container that will act as a sturdy anchor for the large flower stalks. Plastic pots don’t have the heft. Don’t plant too deep. Only 2/3 of the bulb should be below the soil surface. The succulent part where the leaves emerge (the neck) is susceptible to rot if left sitting in wet soil. They say amaryllis require no feeding, but many professional growers add a balanced liquid fertilizer at 1/2 strength once the leaves start to grow. A dose of food will promote green growth and the extra nutrients can help bulk up bulbs that noticeably shrink each year, which makes sense to me.

Place plant in bright light

Once the amaryllis is up and growing, place it in the sunniest window you have. Conversely, I have had good luck growing amaryllis near a lamp that tends to stay on most of the time on dark days. Continue to water moderately to encourage strong growth, but avoid over-watering, which can be lethal to these plants. Once the flower starts to unfurl, move the plants to a spot with less light to prolong the bloom time. You can grow any side bulbs that the main plant produced, but they may take a few years before they put on a good show.

Here’s a checklist for you to snip out if you’d like to coax your bulbs into bloom for next year’s holidays. Follow this time line:

Late June: Stop watering, and place the pot on its side so that the bulb does not receive any more water. It is essential that the bulb goes completely dormant by the end of the summer.

Early August: When all the foliage has withered, cut it off and store the potted bulb in a dry place.

Early October: Repot or refresh the soil in the container, then water just enough to keep the soil from drying out completely.

Late October: When the top of the flower stalk begins to emerge, move the pot to a location with a southern exposure and increase watering. Continue watering and, finally, enjoy the great blooms.

A lovely “uno-uno” idea is to give potted kumquat, tangerine, or orange plants (hopefully laden with fruit) to friends, family, and especially new business owners during the Chinese New Year. This type of gift symbolizes prosperity, wealth, and abundance in the months to come. The Year of the Rabbit in 2011 will fall on February 3rd. Because this sign of the Chinese Zodiac is associated with home and family, it’s not too big a stretch to imagine it will be a warm and fuzzy year ahead. Gung Hay Fat Choy to all!

Lynn Pitts, better known as Mrs. P., is a native Californian, master gardener in four counties including Kern, a garden writer, and professional botanical artist. She has been featured on “The Art of Gardening,” on PBS, and has conducted flower workshops throughout California for botanical gardens and arboretums.

Article appeared in our 27-5 Issue - December 2010