The amaryllis does not have to be disposed of after flowering. Because if you overwinter the plants properly, they will delight you with a lush second bloom every year.
When it comes to overwintering the plants, you have to consider a few factors. Last but not least, it is important to take into account the natural growth conditions of the amaryllis. Hobby gardeners have to rethink this, because wintering is actually becoming "oversummer". In the following, we would like to explain exactly how you should proceed.
What special features should be considered when overwintering the Amaryllis?
No Christmas without amaryllis? The plants are in full bloom between November and January, while most native plants hibernate in a cool place and have slowed down. This is because the amaryllis is a winter plant. Your rest break falls in the summer. If you don't give the plants the rest they need, you will wait in vain for them to flower next winter. However, if you follow the instructions below, you will be able to look forward to lush flowering.
➜ Hibernation time:
Wintering starts when the rest of the plants are mostly in full bloom and consistently need water and nutrients. So say early August. From this point on, you should no longer water the amaryllis. This then leads to the retraction of the sheets. They will then turn yellow, dry up and can eventually be removed.
➜ Care during winter:
In the resting phase that is now beginning, the amaryllis needs neither water nor nutrients. The good thing: the flower was created during the growth phase in spring and early summer.
You can pot the amaryllis for the winter or summer. To do this, remove the soil and then simply wrap the bare bulb in newspaper. A hanging summer dormancy is also possible.
➜ Place for wintering:
During the dormant phase, a dark and cool place is ideal. Most plant lovers therefore store their amaryllis in the basement.
The tropical plants need it warmer than is usual for native plants in the winter quarters. Therefore, in the winter quarters ofAmaryllis do best at temperatures around 15 degrees. However, the plants can also tolerate an ambient temperature of ten degrees for a short time. However, the temperature should not drop below this. In the summery basement, however, the climatic conditions are usually ideal in order to offer the plants a perfect place to rest.
How to end dormancy on Amaryllis
In early to mid-November, it's time to wake the amaryllis from 'hibernation' to bloom for Christmas. The bulbs should then be given fresh soil and placed in a sufficiently large plant pot. Alternatively, you can also dip the flower bulbs in wax and then arrange the amaryllis on a tray or in a glass bowl, for example.
If you have decided to plant, the bulb will only be watered once. The plant pot is then set up bright and warm. The first shoots should appear after about two weeks. Now you can water the plant as usual.
First, only the leaves should show. But plant lovers shouldn't give up now. If the plants have received their dormant phase as described, the thick flower buds will also become visible after six to eight weeks.