Among the popular indoor plants, amaryllis stands out, which is loved by flower growers with large flowers of an unusual handicap and bright colors. Especially valuable is its ability to bloom in the most "gloomy" time - in late autumn. Unpretentious amaryllis, home care for which is completely simple, will suit even beginner gardeners. To grow this "exotic" on your windowsill, it is enough to know a few simple rules for care.

Amaryllis (Amaryllis) - herbaceous perennial bulbous flowers belonging to the genus monocotyledonous, family Amaryllis. The leaves are basal, oblong, linear and smooth, dark green; placed in two rows.

Flower arrows are high, up to 60 cm, powerful; crowned with umbellate inflorescences with 4-6 (sometimes up to 12) flowers. The diameter of the bell flower reaches 20 cm. During the flowering period, which begins before the leaves appear, the plant throws out 2 peduncles. Natural amaryllis rarely blooms at home, so numerous easier-to-care hybrids have been created.

To everyone who grows this indoor flower, it should be remembered that the amaryllis bulb is poisonous. Touching it may cause irritation. All transplant work is carried out exclusively with gloves, and the plant is positioned so that children and pets cannot reach it.

Amaryllis varieties

Modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis are striking in diversity. Breeders are working to increase the size of the flower, obtaining original colors.

• Lovers of bright accents will love red-hued amaryllis. These include the magnificent Grand Diva variety with large (up to 18 cm) double flowers of cherry red color. The pistil and stamens are colored in the same way, so only light spots of stigmas stand out against the background of the flower.
• The Ferrari amaryllis variety, which is distinguished by an unusual, deep red-orange tint of petals, also attracts attention.
• The original Amaryllis Exotic Peacock is a double star with pointed scarlet petals. In the center - white prints, repeating the shape of a petal and smoothly turning into strokes on a scarlet field.
• Another hybrid of domestic amaryllis, Gervase, is attractive with bright scarlet and cherry stripes and strokes, arbitrarily “applied” to the white field of petals.
• No less loved are white and pink amaryllis - tender and graceful. A large-flowered (up to 18 cm in diameter) hybrid of Amaryllis Apple Blossom, the petals of which are painted white with pale pink veins, is distinguished by the original greenish color of the neck.
• Elvas also attracts attention - a long-flowering terry hybrid with white pointed oval-shaped petals, “decorated” with a clear raspberry edging and pink-raspberry specks in the center of the petal.
• Amaryllis Aphrodite is distinguished by its delicate color. This is one of the most large-flowered hybrids - 20 cm double flowers white color outlined with pink edging and covered with delicate pink touches.
• It is difficult to pass by such a hybrid as Double Dream. Its huge, double flowers are an ardent pink with darker veins.
• White lovers should pay attention to the Pikoti variety. This non-double hybrid is attractive with snow-white petals, each of which is “circled” with a scarlet edging, clear and thin.
• An unusual pinkish-coral shade of strokes that densely filled the white field is distinguished by the terry amaryllis Giant Amadeus.

Optimal growing conditions

Like any bulbous indoor plant, amaryllis has a pronounced dormant period, during which the aerial part dies off completely. Accordingly, depending on the phase of development, the agricultural technique of growing at home is completely changing.

	Lighting	Watering	Temperature
Active growth phase	Bright diffused light. The most suitable windows will be western and eastern orientation; on the southern window sills, shading from direct sunlight will be required. On northern window sills, amaryllis will bloom only if there is a 14-hour light.	Watering with partial drying of the earthy coma. That is, between waterings, you need to let the top layer of the earth dry out, in no case allowing the coma to dry completely. Water is used only settled (at least a day in an open container) and heated to 20-25 degrees. When watering, it is important not to wet the bulb and especially the growing point. Spraying is not required.	Does not like sudden changes; the optimal range is 18-24 degrees.
Resting phase	Lighting is not required.	The bulb is not watered; once every 2 weeks, the earth is sprayed with water.	Requires cool content (10-12 degrees).

In addition, the plant is protected from drafts, while avoiding air stagnation, especially at high humidity. If you follow these simple rules, growing amaryllis will not cause trouble.

How to plant amaryllis

The key to successful growing amaryllis at home is proper planting. With the wrong selection of a pot or soil, the bulb will not be able to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, or even begin to rot.

Pot selection

The diameter of a suitable pot directly depends on the size of the amaryllis bulb. She prefers to sit in a cramped space, so the planting container is chosen so that no more than 5 cm remains between the bulb and the walls. At the same time, the amaryllis has a fairly powerful root system, which means that the pot must be deep.

The material from which the pot is made is also important. A narrow and tall plastic container will be too unstable for amaryllis with its long spreading leaves and tall peduncles. Accordingly, a ceramic pot is more suitable. It can be glazed or not: opinions differ on what is best for the plant. In glazed pots, oxygen access to the roots is limited; Pathogenic microorganisms accumulate and intensively develop in numerous pores of unglazed containers.

Soil selection

The most suitable soil for amaryllis is a mixture of equal parts of leaf and sod land with river sand. Some flower growers add humus to the mixture. The soil must be sterilized before use: pour a small amount of water and boil for an hour. It is enough to wash the sand to clean water. Can be used for planting ready soil purchased from the store.

Planting process

Before planting an amaryllis bulb, it is checked for damage: cracks, soft dents, dark spots, or other signs of fungal disease or rot. Damaged areas, if any, are cut to healthy tissue. The place of the cut is sprinkled with foundation or crushed charcoal.

The bulb is cleaned of dead scales. They differ from white or greenish live ones by a darker brownish tint. Before planting, it is immersed in a fungicidal solution for several minutes. It is best to cook it on the basis of fundazole; Copper oxychloride is also suitable. The preparations are diluted in water according to the instructions on the package. If fungicides are not on hand, a saturated solution of potassium permanganate can be used. It is not advisable to use biological preparations for pre-planting treatment (Fitosporin, Trichodermin, Pervikur). After disinfection, the bulbs are thoroughly dried.

Pour 2-3 cm of drainage (expanded clay) into the pot and fill it with soil to half. The bulb is placed in the center of the pot with a blunt end down and fall asleep two-thirds. The soil is compacted, watered. You can plant several amaryllis in a pot. In this case, there should be a gap of at least 10 cm between the bulbs.

How to care for amaryllis

The rules for caring for amaryllis at home vary significantly depending on the growth phase.

During the dormant period

The fact that the plant is preparing to move to the dormant stage can be judged by the yellowing and dying leaves. During this period, they begin to gradually reduce watering and top dressing. As soon as the amaryllis has completely faded and dropped last page stop watering. Usually the plant falls asleep in the horse of October - early November.

A little secret that guarantees lush bloom at home next season: Amaryllis should not be "helped". Many novice flower growers strive to quickly get rid of unattractive withered leaves and cut or cut them off the plant, not knowing that in this way they weaken the bulb. The leaves, dying, give it all the nutrients accumulated during the growth period, which are necessary both for rest and for future awakening. Therefore, the leaves are harvested only after they are completely dry and easily separated.

For good rest the bulb needs 2-3 months. In case of violation of agricultural technology on this tap, it can wake up earlier, which will affect both the further development of the rosette and flowering. More often, the bulb is left in a pot, which is placed in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place. You can dig it out. In this case, the bulb is cleaned and placed in wooden or cardboard boxes filled with peat, coconut fiber or sawdust.

From the moment you move to winter holidays, caring for amaryllis comes down to regular (1 time in 2 weeks) spraying the substrate with a small amount of water from a spray bottle. To wake up, the bulb is transplanted into a fresh substrate, placed in a lighted place and watering is increased.

During the period of active growth and flowering

Amaryllis care after waking up can be divided into two stages: before and after the appearance of the flower arrow. A freshly planted bulb is watered moderately, trying not to overmoisten, until the first sprouts hatch.

After the arrow appears:

1. The plant begins to be watered in the usual way (with drying of the top layer of the earth), avoiding water on the bulb. The lack of moisture during this period can lead to the fact that the flower begins to wither without opening; too much will cause it to rot.
2. Care and cultivation of indoor amaryllis at home involves the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers every 2 weeks. You can use any fertilizer for flowering plants or specialized top dressing for bulbs.
3. Organic fertilizers (manure, humus) are not desirable. In addition to the fact that undecayed residues can cause the death of the bulb, they contain too much nitrogen, and there is practically no phosphorus and potassium needed by the bulb.
4. After the opening of the first bud, fertilizers begin to be applied weekly.

Flowering at home lasts from 2 to 4 weeks; after it ends, leaves begin to appear. Healthy strong bulbs can form 2 flower arrows. If there are more of them, it is better to remove the “extra” ones, since too abundant flowering depletes the bulb. After the buds wither, the peduncle is not cut off until it turns completely yellow - so the nutrients in it pass into the bulb. Caring for an amaryllis flower after flowering, when it forms a rosette, is no different, except that top dressing is reduced to 1 time per month.

Reproduction of amaryllis at home

There are several ways to propagate amaryllis:

• from seeds;
• children;
• dividing the bulb.

Each of them has its own nuances.

seeds

Amaryllis propagate by seed, but this is a technically complex and time-consuming process. It is used mainly to obtain new hybrids; at home, the use of this method is impractical. To see the results of pollination, the seeds "grow" to the size of a bulb ready for flowering within 7-8 years.

To get the seeds for the pestle mother plant With a soft brush, apply pollen taken from another "parent". The box formed at the base of the peduncle will ripen within a month. Seeds immediately (they quickly lose their germination) are sown in a mixture of peat and sand and placed in a container protected from sunlight. Humidify if necessary from a spray bottle. After a few months, the seedlings are seated in separate pots.

dividing the bulb

The division method at home can only be used if the bulb is large enough and absolutely healthy. With a sharp non-kitchen knife, the sleeping onion is cut into several parts so that each part of the bottom with roots remains. Slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, dried. Slices are planted in washed sand. Before the germination of the first leaf, they are watered moderately and kept warm (not lower than 25 degrees). After the appearance of the first pair of leaves, the delenki are transplanted into a substrate common for amaryllis.

child bulbs

The simplest and safest methods include reproduction by children, or daughter bulbs. If the plant is healthy and receives enough nutrition, the mother bulb begins to divide itself. Babies are dropped off only when they are strong enough. For transplantation, use the same land as for the mother plant. When separating and transplanting, it is important to damage as few roots as possible. The place of the "gap" is sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Children cannot be separated if the plant is about to retire. In this case, it is better for them to stay with the main bulb until they wake up. Already separated "daughters" are in no case sent to "sleep" in the first year - they do not have enough strength to wake up. Therefore, the pots continue to be watered and fertilized as usual throughout the winter.

Transfer

For those who take the bulb out of the pot every time it falls asleep, an amaryllis transplant is not needed - formally it is carried out annually. Those who leave her to sleep in a pot need to completely change the soil every 3-4 years and increase the volume of the planting capacity. Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant amaryllis during the active phase: the bulb can grow so fast that the pot becomes small for it.

The transfer algorithm is simple:

1. The plant is removed from the pot along with a lump, the roots are shaken off the ground.
2. Dry or rotten roots are cut with a sharp knife, slices are sprinkled.
3. The bulb is cleaned of rotting scales, "daughters", if any, are separated.
4. The bulb is placed in a suitable pot and fresh soil, watered. Old substrate and drainage cannot be reused.

Even if amaryllis does not need to be transplanted, it is annually replaced with the top layer of soil in which salts collect, replacing it with fresh.

Diseases and pests

Amaryllis is affected by almost all "indoor" pests: spider and onion mites, thrips, mealybugs, scale insects, and aphids are happy to settle on it. If the plant is affected by insects, insecticides are used to get rid of them (Aktara, Spark, Actellik); ticks are removed with the help of acaricides (Neoron, Kleschevit). Springtails or podura may also appear in pots - this means that the plant has been poured, the process of decay has begun in the roots. Reduce watering and treat the soil with fungicides. If the root system recovers, springtails will disappear on their own.

It is more difficult to treat fungal and infectious diseases of the bulb. Amaryllis can suffer from stagonosporosis and various rots. In the first case, small red spots or a border on the scales become noticeable. In the second - soft grayish or brownish spots on the leaves or bulb. In both cases, fungicide treatment is required - foundationazole or copper oxychloride. The main salvation from any disease is the correct agricultural technology.

Why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it bloom

Sometimes amaryllis does not bloom at home for several years.

There may be several reasons for this:

• deep landing;
• a spacious pot - in this case, the plant will “prefer” to spend energy on the formation of daughter bulbs;
• lack of phosphorus and potassium;
• lack of light during germination;
• lack of heat;
• root rot or pests;
• a young bulb that does not yet have enough strength to bloom.

The best way to “make” amaryllis bloom is to thoroughly observe agricultural practices and regularly feed.

Differences Between Amaryllis and Hippeastrum

Amaryllis is often confused with its related hippeastrum. The difference between these plants is insignificant, but still there:

1. Amaryllis usually blooms in August-September, and hippeastrum - in late February.
2. Amaryllis has a pronounced aroma.
3. Hippeastrum flowers are smaller, their number on the peduncle is less, and the flower arrow itself is higher.
4. In amaryllis, leaves appear only after the peduncle.
5. Amaryllis has a pear-shaped bulb with ash-gray scales, while hippeastrum has a round, slightly flattened laterally, whitish or greenish scales.

It blooms exclusively in the second half of winter, it is necessary to adhere to the seasonal rules for the maintenance of this flower. There are few such rules, but still they exist, and this is especially true for the winter period. To understand some of the features of such seasonal, let's step by step trace the entire life cycle plants.

1. The germination of the bulb begins with the appearance on its bottom of plump light color roots.
2. After rooting, active growth of a powerful and strong peduncle begins.
3. When the peduncle reaches a certain length, inflorescences form on its top and their successive (sometimes simultaneous) opening occurs, that is, the plant begins to bloom.
4. At the end of flowering, the peduncle gradually fades, and the amaryllis begins to actively grow foliage.
5. Starting from mid-September and until spring, amaryllis begins the so-called dormant period.

Many indoor plant lovers are not fully familiar with how to properly prepare this flower for winter hibernation. Consider what and how to do.

Read about the nuances of planting and growing amaryllis, as well as the rules for caring for a flower.

Condition during the winter

As mentioned above, within 7-8 months, the amaryllis has a period of active vegetation. During this time, the bulb of the plant gives all its strength, first to the pasture of a powerful and fleshy peduncle, then to a two-three-week flowering, after which all the remaining forces go into the growth of also quite powerful and large leaves.

It is not at all surprising that after such a vegetative "marathon" the plant needs a certain period of time to recuperate.

The dormant period is simply necessary for amaryllis to restore the bulbs to subsequent growth and flowering cycles.

Exactly like this dormant period occurs in amaryllis in the second half of September, when the plant sheds all the extended foliage, slows down the vegetative processes and prepares for wintering.

On its own, a plant cannot completely stop the internal growth processes, so it needs the help of a grower.

How to store?

Once we notice that the foliage of the plant begins to lose its usually pronounced dark green color and wither, the amaryllis must be immediately helped to go into a dormant stage.

Conditions

The temperature regime for wintering amaryllis bulbs should be such as not to allow vegetation processes to start. The temperature should be within + 2 + 15 degrees. one more necessary condition there should be a lack of light and low humidity in the room where the amaryllis will winter.

Step-by-step instruction

If the flower is not helped to enter the dormant stage, its growth and the formation of new leaves will continue, which will greatly weaken the bulb and within 1-2 years the plant will lose its ability to bloom (read about why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it release buds) . To do this, you need to take the following measures:

1. gradually stop or minimize the watering of the flower;
2. when all the leaves turn yellow and sag, they must be completely cut off, and the bulb should be moved to a dark and fairly cool place (pantry, basement, not very heated garage, etc.).

I would like to point out very common mistake amateur flower growers who send amaryllis to rest without removing the bulb from the ground, that is, along with the pot. This is strongly discouraged. After the complete withering of all the foliage on the plant, it must, as already mentioned a little higher, be completely removed.

After that the amaryllis bulb should be carefully removed from the pot along with the planting soil. Then you need to carefully free the rhizomes of the plant from this very planting soil, along the way checking for damaged or dried parts of the root on the bulb and, if any, remove them with small scissors.

After such pre-training the bulb can be sent to rest in a cool and dark place, where it will recover and gain strength for the next vegetation cycle within 3-5 months.

To avoid damage to the dormant bulb by infections or pests, you can before sending the bulb to rest, wash it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dry it. Also, as an additional precaution, you can wrap each onion with napkins or ordinary toilet paper.

1. First of all, it is necessary to isolate the damaged specimens of the amaryllis bulbs from the undamaged ones so that the fungus or infection does not pass to the latter.
2. Onions damaged by the pest should be brought into a warm room and re-treated with a mild manganese solution or specialized products designed to disinfect bulbous plants.
3. After treatment with such disinfectants, it is imperative to let the bulbs dry well.
4. To re-wrap processed amaryllis bulbs, in no case should you use the same paper in which they were wrapped before. You should take fresh clean tissues or clean layers of toilet paper.
5. After all the preparations, amaryllis bulbs should be sent back to storage in a dark and cool room.

Details on why amaryllis leaves turn yellow, pests appear and fungal diseases, as well as how to cure a flower, read.

They are not only a model of beauty among flowers of this kind, but also a very, very unpretentious and easy-to-care plant. With proper maintenance in winter conditions, a bulb planted in mid-February in flower pot, by the end of March will be able to please its owner of extraordinary beauty with flowering.

Plants of the Amaryllis family in the wild grow in the prairies, semi-deserts and deserts of Africa, America, Asia. These are ephemeroid plants. In two months, they manage to grow, bloom, give seeds for further reproduction, and also make a stock nutrients in the roots. By the time the drought begins, the aerial part of these plants dies off, and the bulb, already prepared for a long drought, hides in the hot soil.

The true amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna) is native to the Karoo desert in South Africa.

Amaryllis was named after the beautiful Greek shepherdess over two millennia ago. Belladonna is translated from ancient Greek as a beautiful lady. Amaryllis is a flowering and ornamental perennial plant of the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae).

Amaryllis belladonna (Amaryllis belladonna) blooms in autumn, at about the same time as in the homeland. A peduncle 50-60 cm high grows from the bulb, at the end of which there is an inflorescence. In the amaryllis inflorescence, from four to six large red, pink or white flowers bloom, outwardly similar to a lily. Along with the peduncle, dark green belt-like leaves appear.

After the amaryllis blooms and the flower stalks gradually dry up, do not rush to cut the leaves, and continue to water and feed the plant itself, gradually reducing the number and volume of watering and fertilizing from time to time. Thus amaryllis is prepared for rest. After two months, watering is carried out only occasionally, and then insignificant.

While preparing for the dormant period amaryllis bulb continues to grow slowly, so it does not lose leaves. Signs of dormancy appear in the spring, this period continues until autumn. In August, amaryllis wakes up, the formation of buds begins, and only later does the development of leaves begin.

If at home the alternation of periods of growth with a period of rest, which lasts about three months, is strictly observed, the amaryllis will have lush and long flowering. If the alternation of periods of growth and rest is not sustained, then the bulb is gradually depleted, this can lead to the fact that the flowering of amaryllis will be scarce or even stop blooming, the formation of daughter bulbs will stop.

Basic requirements for home care for amaryllis

Lighting: From direct sunlight to bright diffused light. If the amaryllis seems dark, then it will not bloom.

Location: south, southeast, southwest windows.

Air temperature: the whole year - a ventilated room, in winter, during the growth period, the temperature of the content is +10 +15 0 С; in summer, during the dormant period +18+25 0 С.

earth mixture: turf land, peat, sand, humus in the ratio 2:1:1:1. The substrate for amaryllis should be nutritious, water and breathable with a neutral or alkaline soil pH. A drainage layer is also required.

Ambient humidity: without spraying, in the dormant period of amaryllis - the content is dry. During the growth period, regular watering is required, avoiding excessive moisture.

top dressing: with the beginning of growth, weekly top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer, liquid top dressing-fertilizers, during the dormant period without top dressing.

pruning: Amaryllis does not need pruning.

Transfer: Amaryllis does not need frequent transplants, so when transplanting, you need to select large pots in order to transplant less often. It should be borne in mind that the bulb itself grows, as well as daughter ones are formed, which can be separated during transplantation. Annual transplantation leads to root damage, which in turn is reflected in growth retardation and flowering. Instead of transplanting, you can partially change the soil, or add fresh soil as it settles and the amaryllis bulb is exposed. The recommended transplantation is every 4-6 years, after the complete drying of the flower arrow.

reproduction: daughter bulbs when transplanting or seeds in spring. When propagated by seeds, new plants bloom after five years, when propagated by bulbs - after three years. Therefore, vegetative propagation (by bulbs) of amaryllis is widely used in industrial floriculture.

Diseases: With excessive watering, with an overdose of nitrogen fertilizers or top dressing with fresh manure, various rots of amaryllis bulbs develop, leading to the loss of the plant.

Pests: in a dry room, amaryllis is susceptible to attacks by spider mites, thrips, and scale insects.

For a long time, there was confusion with plants from the Amaryllis family. True African amaryllis is being pushed out various varieties and hybrids of large-flowered hippeastrums. Beginning flower growers need to know that under the name "amaryllis" in flower markets, hippeastrums very similar to them, whose homeland is South America, can be sold.

Amaryllis is a popular houseplant found in the flower collections of many flower growers. Demanded due to its beautiful flowers and easy care. To make the amaryllis feel comfortable in an apartment, you don’t need to try hard. This task will be suitable for beginners as well. If you want to have a plant with beautiful flowers at home, but do not want to do much with it, choose amaryllis, as it is best suited for this purpose.

Conditions for growing amaryllis

In amaryllis, growing conditions differ depending on the vegetation phase. So, at a certain time, the plant actively grows, and at another time, it has a dormant time. Growers need to be aware of the inability of amaryllis to survive in very cold conditions where temperatures hover around freezing. The opposite situation, when the air is very hot and humid, as in the tropics, will also be detrimental to the plant.

Ideal conditions for the growth of amaryllis in different phases of development.

1. Location:

• In the growth phase, this window is in the southeast or southwest. You can put the plant on the south window, if you first shade it from the scorching daylight rays of the sun. Otherwise, the leaves will burn out from intense lighting.
• During dormancy, the plant is placed in a dark place, where the air is slightly cool and well ventilated.

2. Lighting conditions:

• In the growth phase, powerful diffused sunlight should fall on the plant for 14-16 hours every day. Both the leaves and the peduncle usually stretch towards the sun, which means that the pot will constantly have to be rotated so that they grow strictly vertically. You can also equip the plant with special props.
• During the dormant period, accordingly, no additional lighting requirements are put forward.

3. Humidity:

The plant loves moisture very much, so it is recommended to water it regularly with settled water. room temperature, it is possible through the pan, the excess water from which is drained after 6-8 hours. They make sure that the earthen lump is moist, but it is not necessary to bring the amount of moisture to excess. During flowering, more water is needed. If it stagnates, then rotting of the roots, wilting of the leaves, loss of flowers will begin. You can also spray the leaves - this will not harm the flowers. Moreover, it is recommended to moisten the buds before flowering. The optimum humidity should be 60-80%.

During the dormant period, watering the plant at this time is prohibited. The soil is only periodically sprayed. Watering is resumed only when a new peduncle appears and germinates up to 10 cm. In the place where the pot will stand during the dormant period, the humidity should be 60-70%.

4. Ventilation

Amaryllis needs to ensure regular ventilation of the room, but without drafts.

5. Optimum room temperature:

• During the active growing season - 22–24ºС during the daytime and 18ºС at night. It is necessary to ensure that the plant does not suffer from constant temperature fluctuations.
• During the dormant period, both day and night, the temperature should be 10-12ºС.

How to plant amaryllis

Planting amaryllis at home photo

Pot selection

Before planting amaryllis, choose the most successful pot. It should be a heavy and stable vessel. The flower will try to grow a powerful and tall peduncle, as well as a large number of leaves, which means that it can topple itself. In addition, during care, a light pot is more likely to hurt than a massive one.

The size of the vessel is chosen based on the parameters of the bulb. Ideally, it should be the main object in the pot. And this means that it should be up to 3-5 cm from it to all walls. As for the depth of the pot, it should be maximum, since the plant develops a large root system. You can choose a vessel that is wide at the bottom and gradually narrows at the top.

Soil preparation

It is very fashionable to plant several bulbs in one pot so that their simultaneous flowering is even more spectacular. In this case, the distance between them should be at least 2-3 cm.

The next step is to choose the soil. The easiest option is to go to a specialized store and buy ready-made soil for bulbs there. But any experienced grower will abandon this idea and go to prepare the substrate himself. Do not forget to sterilize the soil: for this, it is doused with strong boiling water or kept over hot steam for about half an hour. You can also freeze it in the freezer.

The composition of the substrate, which you can prepare yourself, often looks like one of the following options:

• turf, garden soil and river sand in equal parts and half of the humus;
• turf, garden soil, humus, river sand and peat in equal parts;
• humus, soddy land and sand in a ratio of 1:1:2.

At the bottom, it is necessary to fill up drainage with a thickness of 2-3 cm. To do this, you can take pebbles, gravel, expanded clay, accessible brick chips, small fragments of ceramics. Part of the drainage is mixed with the substrate and spread over the surface of the pot. It also has a large hole for water drainage.

Drainage from above is also covered with sand by 2-3 cm, in order to additionally be safe from root rotting due to water accumulation.

Planting amaryllis step by step

Planting indoor amaryllis photo

To plant a new plant, you need to choose the most beautiful and strong bulbs with a smooth surface, which have fairly good roots. It is necessary to ensure that the bulb does not have cracks, dents, scratches, places of decay and mold damage, spots. If the bulb has an unpleasant sweet smell, it is also not worth choosing.

Amaryllis transplant

How to transplant amaryllis at home

Amaryllis transplantation is carried out after it has faded, waiting for the peduncle to completely wither.

It is not necessary to replant the plant every year, but the operation is carried out no more than once every three years. If the amaryllis grows too fast, you can transplant earlier.

To renew the soil mixture and give the plant more nutrients, replace the top 3-4 centimeters of potted soil with new ones every year.

1. Before transplanting, the plant is watered abundantly for 4 days.
2. On the day of transplantation, the amaryllis is carefully taken out along with the earth and carefully cleaned of it to inspect the condition of the roots. Rotting roots are removed with a sharp knife, and all sections are treated with powder. activated carbon or regular ash.
3. Then all bad scales are removed from the bulb and daughter plants are separated. They are used to plant in new pots. If you understand that the babies are too small to separate (sometimes they are only a few millimeters), you can not do this. But it should be borne in mind that in such cases, amaryllis may stop blooming in order to grow children.

Before an adult plant is planted in another pot, it must be fed. Several sticks of Agricola or other mineral fertilizer are applied under the roots.

Reproduction of amaryllis

Breeders and flower growers use all three possible ways reproduction of amaryllis - dividing the bulb, children and seeds.

Amaryllis seeds photo How to get amaryllis seeds

This is the longest breeding method and the least successful. If the seeds are collected from hybrid plants, varietal characteristics are not preserved, and flowering appears only after 8 years. The only advantage is the slow aging of the bulbs.

Amaryllis seeds at home

To get seeds, you need two amaryllis. With a brush, pollen is taken from one and applied to the pestle of the other. As a result, a box is formed in which the seeds will then ripen. Ripening takes at least a month.

Amaryllis from seed seedling photo

• Seeds are planted immediately, as germination drops sharply over time.
• Moisten the soil well before planting.
• Embedding depth 1-1.5 cm.
• Distance between seeds 3-5 cm
• The pot with seeds is placed in a warm shaded place.
• They expect about a month of germination, and 3 months after that, the seedlings dive into different pots.

dividing the bulb

How to cut amaryllis bulbs photo

This is the most risky method, since you can be left with nothing.

• Choose the healthiest onion and divide it into 4-8 shares, without cutting to the end. Make sure that each of them has 1-2 scales and part of the bottom. Be sure to treat the sections with activated carbon powder or ash.
• The bulb is planted in the usual way and grown at 25-27 ºС.
• On delenki, the first leaf grows first. They wait for the second, and plant the plants already in adult soil for bulbs, which is mixed with an equal amount of sand.

How to cut an amaryllis bulb, the video will tell:

Many growers have successfully used bulb division to propagate amaryllis, it's important to just do it right and not be afraid to take risks.

Reproduction by children

The most successful way to propagate amaryllis. 2-3 years after planting, the bulb will bloom. Daughter bulbs are planted in the same way as new store bulbs, but a slightly larger pot is chosen. This is due to the rapid growth of children.

1. Find small onions on the mother amaryllis and separate them from the adult plant. The next step is to plant them in a pot with drainage and soil, placing the bottom down and lightly pressing into the ground. Only part of the bulb is left above the surface.
2. Then lightly tamp the soil and water it well. Place new amaryllis in a bright and warm place.
3. There is no need to organize a rest period. Feeding and watering are not reduced, and rest is organized for flowers only after flowering.

Amaryllis - though exotic plant, but quite real in everyone's house. If you follow the rules for its care, you can often enjoy its flowers.

Amaryllis care at home

Amaryllis planting and care at home photo

Watering and feeding

During growth, amaryllis is watered carefully. This is done when the height of the peduncle is at least 10 cm. This flower likes to receive a lot of water, but not in a stagnant form. Sometimes it is better to refuse watering than to flood the plant. It is best to add water to the pot every four days, making sure that water does not get on the bulb during watering. It should fall purely on the soil around.

In winter, so much water should not flow to the plant. It is enough not to spray more than once a week.

• Fertilize amaryllis every 12-14 days, starting this process when buds form.
• With intensive flowering, reduce the interval by half. There is no need to specifically select fertilizers. For this, any ready-made funds for indoor flowering - Kemira Lux, Emerald, Bona Forte, Ideal, Ava, Rainbow, Florist, Master Color, Agricola, Living World, Reasil, Bud, Life Force and others.
• Fertilizers with more potassium and phosphorus are preferable than nitrogen.

It is also possible to use natural organic fertilizers - fresh manure is diluted from a ratio of 1.5 cups in 10 liters of water, and bird droppings - a third of a cup per 10 liters.

With the complete death of the leaves, top dressing stops. It is not carried out in the resting phase either.

Amaryllis bloom at home

Amaryllis in the wild enters the flowering phase in early autumn. In indoor floriculture, there are tricks on how to change this period. The simplest is to plant the bulbs at a different time. So, when choosing healthy specimens, they begin to grow immediately after planting, giving mature flower stalks as early as 7-8 weeks. Here you need to observe - if there are more than two peduncles, they are removed so as not to load the bulb abundantly with flowering.

When the first flower appeared and blossomed, some cut the peduncle and put it in a vase. Subject to daily renewal of water, he can hold out there for up to three weeks. You can not cut the peduncle, but it will last the same amount, and it will deplete the bulb much more. To maximize the flowering time, the vase or flower pot is placed in a cooler and darker place.

How to make amaryllis bloom Why amaryllis does not bloom

Why amaryllis does not bloom How to make amaryllis bloom

You must understand which reason you have listed. It must be eliminated and the result expected.

Amaryllis after flowering

1. When the flowers wither, the amount of incoming water and fertilizers is sharply reduced. Completely stop watering and feeding amaryllis when neither the peduncle nor the leaves are left.
2. Remove all dead leaves, but you should not force it. If a partially live leaf is left, it will still feed the plant.
3. When the dormant phase has finally begun, the pot is transferred to the dark. Remember that the roots are still alive, so the soil needs to be irrigated once a week with a spray bottle.

Another care option (but risky) is digging up the bulbs, cleaning them, and putting them in cardboard boxes for storage. But you can disrupt some process and cause the roots to dry out.

Experienced flower growers know the tricks that make their amaryllis flowers bloom twice a year - in early autumn and early spring. To do this, they strictly organize a dormant period for the rest of the bulb and the accumulation of the necessary useful substances. In January, they take out pots with amaryllis from their place of rest, put them in a bright and insulated place, and water them. Monitor soil moisture. All this stimulates a phase of rapid growth.

Diseases and pests of amaryllis

1. Stagonosporosis (red burn)

red amaryllis burn photo

• The bulb is covered with small red spots, the edges of the scales have the same border.
• Amaryllis is soaked for 2 hours in strong potassium permanganate purple, after which the largest foci are cut off and treated with brilliant green. The plant is kept in the air for a week, then planted.

2. Mold and rot

Rot on amaryllis photo

• The surface of the bulb is covered with red-gray spots. Then it becomes softer, smells of a sweetish type. The leaves are covered with red-brown stripes and spots.
• The affected leaves are completely cut off, and the bulb itself is sprayed with 0.05% Bordeaux liquid. You can choose Fundazol and HOM in the dilution indicated by the manufacturer.

3. Spider mite

• It is felt that the leaves are covered with cobwebs. This causes them to wither and dry out.
• Amaryllis is treated with Oberon, Kleschevit, Nisoran, Floromite, Neoron.

4. Onion mite

The defeat of amaryllis with an onion mite photo

• The insect infects the bulb itself, which leads to inhibition of plant development and the absence of flowering. Even if there are flowers, they are deformed. And the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
• Bulbs are removed from the pots and placed in water at 35-40ºС for 5 minutes. After that, they are treated with Keltan and Rogor. There is also a more aggressive method - the bulb is closed in an airtight container with a sulfur checker, which is set on fire. Wait 2 hours and then get it back. To achieve the final effect, keep the amaryllis in the fresh air for another day.

5. Thrips

The defeat of amaryllis thrips photo

• There are many small brown dots on the leaves.
• They try to remove all pests from the leaves, wash the plant and transplant into a sterile pot and soil. Then the amaryllis is treated with Agravertin and Fitoverm.

6. Mealybug

Mealybug on amaryllis photo

Shield on amaryllis photo

• Dense scales are observed from the bottom of the leaves. They can be almost white and even dark brown. Around them, there are secretions of a sticky nature, similar in type to syrup.
• The sponge is impregnated laundry soap and foam. She actively rub the leaves.

9. Aphid

Aphids on amaryllis photo

• Yellowness of leaves.
• All pests are harvested by hand, after which the leaves are wiped with soapy water.

10. Springtail

Springtails on amaryllis photo

• Small white insects are noticeable on the surface of the soil.
• Reduce the flow of moisture, the top layer of soil is replaced with a new one, and treated with insecticides.

Amaryllis varieties and breeding tasks

The shops sell modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis, which are bred selectively. Real Amaryllis belladonna is extremely rare and is valued by avid flower growers.

At the moment, breeders are achieving the following tasks:

• Breeding large double and ordinary flowers. The most beautiful terry-type hybrids are The Snow Queen, Macarena, Celica, Pink Nymph, Merry Christmas, Promise. Of the non-terry varieties, these are Benfica, Moonlight, Matterhorn, Black Pearl, Exotica, Lemon-Lime, Rosalie.
• Search for unique shades and their combinations. In this sense, Clown, Charisma, Estella, Prelude, Santa Cruz, Neon and other varieties are good.
• Working with new forms of flowers. The recent trend in breeding is the breeding of amaryllis with narrow, partially corrugated petals along the edges. This can be seen in the varieties Evergreen, Night Star, Lima, La Paz, Santana.

This does not mean that amaryllis classic varieties are not in demand on the market. Standard cultivars such as Durban (carmine-colored flowers with a white vein in the middle), Pink Gorgeous (pink-white petals), Parker (yellow center and purplish-pink edges), Maxima (bright pink flowers with a strong aroma), Hathor (yellow center and white petals) are no less popular.

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences Photo of plants

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences photo In the photo amaryllis

Amaryllis and hippeastrum are from the Amaryllis family. Only in the first genus there are significantly more plants. At least 90 species grow only in the wild, and with breeding varieties, the hippeastrum family has up to 2000 varieties. They have a lot in common with amaryllis, so even experienced sellers can confuse these plants.

Differences between amaryllis and hippeastrum

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences In the photo, hippeastrum

In order not to repeat, below, each first paragraph - refers to amaryllis, the second - to hippeastrum.

1. Flowering time:

• amaryllis blooms in late summer - early autumn;
• hippeastrum - in late winter or early spring.

2. Place of origin:

• Africa;
• South America respectively.

3. Aroma intensity:

• bright;
• Hardly ever.

4. Flower size:

• in amaryllis 10-12 cm;
• hippeastrum 6-8 cm.

5. The number of flowers in one plant:

• 4-6, can reach 12 pieces;
• 2-4, maybe 6 flowers.

6. Natural coloring of wild plants:

• almost white, pink in different shades, red;
• red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple, green and combinations of these colors.

7. The presence of leaves during flowering:

• no - they germinate only after the peduncle has grown;
• present during flowering.

8. Characteristics of the peduncle:

• a dense tube without voids, the color of which gives off a little purple;
• hollow tube, which is easy to crush when pressed, has green color with a grayish-brown tint.

9. Peduncle length:

• in amaryllis 40-60 cm;
• hippeastrum 60-70 cm.

10. Characteristics of the bulb in shape:

• pear-shaped;
• slightly elongated or round, slightly flattened laterally.

11. Characteristics of scales:

• ash-gray in color, have a small fringe from the upper edge;
• very similar in appearance to the classic edible onion, but have a white or green surface color.

Description of amaryllis

Planting and flowering of amaryllis Amaryllis reproduction and care at home

Amaryllis (lat. Amaryllis) is the most common genus of the amaryllis family (lat. Amaryllidaceae). Initially, botanists attributed to him one species of plant - Amaryllis belladonna (or Amaryllis belladonna). Over time, approaches to taxonomy changed, and two more species of amaryllis were included here - Amaryllis sarniensis and Amaryllis paradisicola.

Amaryllis belladonna comes from southern Africa. Researchers claim that the plant spread from the Olifants River Valley from the Cape Province of South Africa. As for other species, here the geography is wider - South Africa, Japan, Australia, some islands of the English Channel - they can be considered the birthplace of plants.

For the first time, the genus Amaryllis was described by the famous Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, who was engaged in taxonomy. He is credited with the name of this flower. Before his work, there was an opinion that amaryllis is only one of the subspecies of the lily. It was called Lilionarcissus. Linnaeus realized that this was a separate plant, but made a significant error in taxonomy by including a number of varieties of hippeastrum in the genus Amaryllis. To this day, many people confuse these plants.

The name of the plant is first found in the work of Virgil. In his poetic works, you can meet the heroine - the shepherdess Amaryllis or Amaryllida. This name in Greek means "sparkling".

Amaryllis flowers care Amaryllis flower photo

Amaryllis is a bulbous perennial flower with dark green smooth leaves. The green of the plant is so narrow and long that it looks like a belt. The leaves are arranged in two rows.

A mark of the beginning of flowering of amaryllis is the growth of a long hollow tube of 40-60 cm - this is a peduncle. The plant produces up to three peduncles. Leaves will follow. In the wild, this occurs in late summer - early autumn. Each peduncle bears 2-12 flowers, depending on the variety. By type of inflorescence - an umbrella.

Amaryllis grown in the wild can have flowers with white, pink and red petals in various shades. Breeders artificially bred many hybrid varieties yellow, purple, orange, green. A separate amaryllis flower looks like a lily and - a gramophone, being 10-12 centimeters in diameter.

Amaryllis belladonna Amaryllis Belladonna planting and care at home photo

Despite the seeming cuteness of the plant, amaryllis has poisonous parts. The alkaloid lycorine was found in the bulb. If it gets on the skin, it will irritate. All planting operations with the plant should be carried out exclusively with rubber gloves, and then wash your hands with soap and water. It is necessary to keep the flower away from pets and children.

Amaryllis, the care of which is quite simple if you follow simple rules, is a bulbous plant from the family of the same name. A native of South Africa, he was brought to Europe in the 18th century, where he quickly took one of the leading positions among flowering ornamental crops.

Types and varieties of plants

The genus is represented by the only species that is known under two names - Amaryllis Belladonna or Amaryllis Beautiful. A perennial plant with a bulbous root system has xiphoid basal leaves in two rows, framing a fleshy peduncle up to 60 cm tall. When flowering at the end of the arrow, an umbrella inflorescence is formed, consisting of flowers 5-8 cm in diameter with a variety of colors, depending on the variety.

After the appearance of amaryllis in the gardens and on the windowsills of Europeans, breeders do not stop working on the development of new varieties, among which stand out:

• Durban- a large-flowered variety, distinguished by carmine-red bell-shaped flowers with a white throat.
• Parker- a typical representative of a pink color with a yellow base of the petals.
• ice queen- a variety with large flowers, consisting of glossy white petals with a creamy coating around the edges.
• Vera- pink flowers of this variety have a distinctive feature in the form of a mother-of-pearl coating.
• red lion- a beautiful representative of the species with large flowers, painted in intense red.
• La Paz- an original variety with flowers consisting of narrowed green petals with a border in the form of a red coating.

Amaryllis: growing features

The plant, which is highly decorative in combination with undemanding, has a number of features associated with the natural environment that must be considered when cultivating a flower at home:

• enough light;
• moderation of watering;
• correct selection of the pot;
• feeding regularity.

Home Care

Successful cultivation of amaryllis requires adherence to basic care measures.

Lighting and location

Amaryllis needs a stream of soft light, which is possible to provide a flower when placing a pot on the windowsills of the southeast and southwestern directions with additional protection from direct sunlight during the period of greatest solar activity. Curtains can be used as protection.

Important! In the summer season, daylight hours should be at least 16 hours.

Temperature

The temperature regime for the full development of amaryllis depends on the phase of development:

• In the phase of active growth, the optimum temperature varies from 18 to 25°C, depending on the time of day.
• During the dormant period provided temperature regime in the range from 10 to 16°C.

Carefully! When growing a culture, strong temperature changes that adversely affect the plant should not be allowed.

Soil and pot requirements

To obtain a flowering plant, it is necessary to select a container small size. The soil for filling the pot is required with a slightly acidic reaction in the range of 6.0-6.5 points and a loose structure. A nutrient substrate prepared from soddy and leafy soils, sand and humus in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1 is calcined in an oven to destroy pathogens before use.

Watering the flower and air humidity

When watering a flower, which should be carried out after the earthen clod has dried, the lower method of moistening is used: the pot is placed in a pan with water for 20-30 minutes, which helps prevent unwanted water from entering the bulb, which occurs during the upper irrigation method. Amaryllis easily adapts to dry air in the apartment, so it does not require additional spraying.

Advice! To facilitate the breathing of a flower through the leaf plates, you should systematically wipe them from dust.

Top dressing and fertilizer

Amaryllis needs regular feeding during the period of active growth:

• bird droppings, diluted in water in a proportion of 10 g per bucket of liquid;
• mullein at the rate of 250 g per bucket of water;
• a solution of mineral fertilizers with a low nitrogen content, prepared from a bucket of water and 3 g of an agrochemical.

Attention! An excess of nitrogen in the soil can cause a red flower burn.

Flowering and pruning

With the advent of autumn, the flowering of the culture is noted, which, unlike the hippeastrum, occurs after the development of the green mass. In the natural environment, this period, during which flowers of white and pink flowers bloom, falls in autumn. In culture, many varieties with a variety of colors have been bred. After flowering, the shoots die off naturally, and pruning is not required.

Transfer

The amaryllis flower is transplanted every 3-4 years after flowering is completed.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

1. A new container is selected so that the distance between the wall of the pot and the edge of the bulb is 2-3 cm.
2. Expanded clay drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot.
3. The bulb is inspected for diseases and placed in a pot, after which it is sprinkled with a new substrate so that ⅓ of the part remains above the ground.
4. The substrate is compacted and slightly moistened.

rest period

After the end of the flowering phase, the plant begins to prepare for a dormant period, which lasts an average of 2 months: watering and top dressing are reduced. Foliage shedding signals the beginning of active bulb growth. At this time, the pot is moved to a dark room, where the temperature should not exceed 16 ° C. Humidification is carried out as needed, when the earthen clod dries.

Disease and pest control

The flower is affected by diseases in the form of rot if the maintenance regulations are violated - excessive watering, a high concentration of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the substrate. With the intensive development of the disease, the plant may die. To prevent this, it is necessary to strictly comply with agrotechnical requirements. Among the pests noted on amaryllis, spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects stand out, which should be dealt with by spraying the plant with insecticidal preparations according to the instructions indicated on the package.

Reproduction of amaryllis

Amaryllis is bred in two ways: generative and vegetative.

seeds

Due to the laboriousness of the method and the inability to maintain varietal qualities, seed propagation at home is extremely rare.

If, nevertheless, the florist decided, then:

1. Artificial pollination is carried out with a brush.
2. After two months, when the seed pods begin to crack, the seed is collected.
3. Dried seeds are distributed over the surface of light moistened soil in January-February, and sprinkled with a 0.5 cm layer of earth.
4. The container is kept at a temperature of 22-25°C under glass until emergence.
5. After the seedlings have 1 pair of true leaves, the seedlings are planted in separate pots.

Attention! New plants obtained in this way will please the first flowering only after a seven-year period of growth.

babes

With the next transplant, reproduction can be carried out by separating the children:

1. With the help of a sharp instrument, a baby with roots is separated from the mother bulb.
2. Sections are disinfected with an antiseptic in the form of crushed activated carbon or a fungicide solution.
3. A small bulb is planted in a separate pot with a prepared amaryllis substrate and moved to a warm room for rooting. After 1-3 years, mature bulbs will grow that can bloom.

dividing the bulb

The most popular technique in which:

1. A large bulb is selected, freed from scales, after which it is divided into 4 parts.
2. Delenki are immersed in a fungicide solution for disinfection.
3. After half an hour, the parts are buried by ⅓ in a special substrate and kept at a temperature of 22 ° C until rooting.

Why amaryllis does not bloom, flowers and leaves turn pale?

Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, non-compliance with the basic agrotechnical requirements can lead to the loss of decorative flower or the complete absence of inflorescences.

The main reasons are:

• lack of lighting;
• lack of macro- and microelements;
• lack of a resting phase;
• untimely transplant;
• deep embedment of the bulb;
• constant overflows that led to the development of diseases;
• incorrectly selected pot;
• the presence of pests.

Important! If less than three years have passed since the bulb was planted, the absence of a flowering phase is a normal physiological process.

How to distinguish amaryllis from hippeastrum?

Often, hippeastrums from the tropical zones of South America, the genus of which has more than 85 varieties, are mistaken for amaryllis, represented by only one species.

There are a number of parameters that will help the grower not to make a mistake:

• bulb - in amaryllis, the bulb is pear-shaped, while in a tropical flower it is round;
• inflorescence - in amaryllis, umbrellas consist of 6-12 flowers, while in hippeastrum - from 6 pieces maximum;
• flowering - in amaryllis, flowers bloom in autumn, and in hippeastrum - in spring and summer;
• peduncle - the hippeastrum has a hollow arrow.

So, the amaryllis flower is a failure of a beautifully flowering plant that requires minimal but proper care. Fulfillment of all requirements for the content of culture at home will allow the grower to get a healthy plant with beautiful large inflorescences of marvelous beauty.

plant care guide

Once every 2-3 years During active growth 18-22, during the dormant period - about 15 During flowering - when the topsoil dries out, do not water during the dormant period Only buds if the air is too dry Bright diffused light, southwest and southeast windows Poison juice, observance of periods of growth and dormancy

Lighting

During growth, the plant prefers bright diffused light; in summer, direct sunlight is allowed only from 11:00 to 15:00.

For normal development, amaryllis requires 16 hours of daylight.. During dormancy, amaryllis bulbs do not need light.

The best place for the plant will be windows facing southwest and southeast. On the south window, amaryllis will have to be shaded from the midday sun.

During the growth of the peduncle and leaves, the plant must be constantly rotated so that the peduncle does not bend.

Temperature

Temperature regime during active growth:

• Daytime 20–22°C;
• At night not less than 18°C.

During the dormant period, amaryllis bulbs should be kept in a cool place.. The optimum temperature will be around 15 ° C, minimum 10 ° C, and maximum 18 ° C. At low temperatures, the bulb may die, and at high temperatures, it will germinate too quickly, preventing the plant from fully resting.

In summer, it is not advisable to take the flower out of the room, since the differences in day and night temperatures in middle lane are significant. This plant does not like a sharp decrease or increase in temperature, which can lead to a lack of flowering.

For this flower, a dormant period is necessary. But it is not always possible to keep a flower in a cold room. In order for amaryllis to successfully overwinter and release a peduncle in spring, it can be kept at room temperature 20-22ºС, but in relative dryness. In this case, the flower will not grow in winter.

Watering

During flowering, amaryllis needs abundant watering - the soil should be moist, but not waterlogged. Frequency of watering - the top layer of soil between watering should dry slightly. Water the plant with settled water at room temperature.. It is important that water does not get on the bulbs.

When flowering is over, watering is reduced, and after 2 months it is completely stopped.

During this time, the amaryllis loses its leaves, and a dormant period begins, during which the plant does not need to be watered.

After the end of the dormant period, when the peduncle reaches a height of 10 cm (but not earlier!), They switch to normal watering, taking into account the temperature and dryness of the air in the room.

If the air in the room is too dry, it is allowed to spray the buds a little. It is strictly forbidden to spray flowers, leaves, as well as bulbs during the dormant period.

The soil

For amaryllis suitable soil, consisting of sod land (2 parts), peat (1 part), humus (1 part) and sand (1 part). Soil acidity should be pH 6.0-6.5.

You can also use a different soil composition for planting this plant. Here are its ingredients:

• Sod land - 2 parts;
• Leaf land - 2 parts;
• Humus - 1 part;
• Peat - 1 part;
• Washed river sand - 1 part.

Sand can be replaced with baking powder such as perlite or vermiculite. The specified composition of the soil will ensure the outflow of excess water into the pan during irrigation.

Also, in order to prevent stagnation of water in the soil, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the pot. Good drainage is essential to prevent root and bulb rot.

Light and loose soil, slightly acidic or with neutral acidity, is suitable for amaryllis. Such soil mixtures for decorative flowering bulbous plants are always on sale. They are easiest to purchase at flower shops or garden centers.

Fertilizer

During active growth and flowering, top dressing is carried out 1 time in 10 days. To do this, use a complex liquid fertilizer suitable for flowering plants.

At the end of flowering, top dressing is reduced, and after the leaves wither, they stop completely.. Fertilization is resumed only with the appearance of flower stalks from the bulb.

Fertilizing the soil for amaryllis begins when flower stalks appear from the bulb in spring. Use liquid complex fertilizers for flowering plants or special formulations for bulbous plants.

It is important not to overfeed the plants after the formation of leaves and the end of flowering. This species grows leaves after the formation of the peduncle. The plant is fed only with fertilizers for flowering plants, never using formulations for deciduous varieties. This allows you to maximize flowering and reduce the rate of leaf growth.

Humidity

Amaryllis is undemanding to air humidity, so it is not necessary to spray it.

The main thing is that the humidity is not too high - 80% or higher, otherwise it can lead to fungal diseases.

For hygiene and prevention of pest infestation, it is recommended to wipe the leaves regularly or wash them in the shower.

Peculiarities

For the normal development and abundant flowering of amaryllis, it is required to follow special rules for care during the period of growth and dormancy. Amaryllis is also poisonous plant and you need to work with it only with gloves.

Do not forget that amaryllis is a poisonous houseplant. Do not allow juice to come into contact with skin or food. But do not rush to get rid of the plant - when growing it, it is enough just to follow the precautions.

Periods of growth and dormancy

Consider how to care for amaryllis at home in different phases. At home, amaryllis is grown as an ordinary houseplant until late autumn. At this time, it is regularly watered and fed.

After flowering amaryllis, you need to remove the flower stalks. The leaves do not need to be touched - they will be a source of nutrients for the bulb.

In order for amaryllis to bloom in winter, the bulbs need to provide a dormant period.. To do this, from August you need to reduce watering and stop feeding. After three weeks, watering should also be stopped. At the same time, the leaves should turn yellow and wither on their own, after which they should be cut to a height of 5 cm from the bulb.

In September-early October, the bulbs are planted in a pot and cleaned in a dark, dry and cool (13–15 ° C) place. The dormant period will begin when there is not a single green leaf left on the plant and will last 6–8 weeks.

Around November, the pot with the plant is placed in a lighted place and they begin to water it regularly. From this moment, the period of growth begins again.

Keep the soil moist before and after flowering and rotate the plant constantly for even growth. During this period, the optimum temperature will be 13-18 ° C. 4-8 weeks after the resumption of watering, the amaryllis should bloom.

amaryllis bloom

The flowering period of amaryllis falls at the end of autumn or the beginning of winter. A flowering plant throws out a powerful peduncle, at the end of which an inflorescence is located. Usually during flowering, the leaves of the plant are absent. Sometimes 1 pair of leaves grows together with the peduncle.

With optimal care, amaryllis blooms once a year. However, you can get flowers twice a year without harming the plant. For this, adult specimens are suitable, with a bulb diameter of at least 5 cm. They will bloom in the summer, subject to regular feeding in the spring.

To induce the natural flowering of amaryllis in summer time, you need to create an additional period of rest for him. To do this, you need to move it from a lighted place to a shaded one, away from the window.

Watering is reduced by 2-3 weeks. After a 2-week stay in the shade, its leaves gradually die off, and a peduncle grows from the top of the bulb.

After the formation of the peduncle, the plant begins to be watered as usual. Now it can be transferred to the windowsill, where it will soon bloom.

Diseases

Amaryllis can be affected by fungal infections, such as gray mold. Signs of infection: brown spots or stripes on flowers, stems or bulbs, or a grayish velvety coating on leaves.

As a rule, too humid air and waterlogging of the soil lead to the disease.

The causative agents of this disease live in the soil, so a diseased plant must be transplanted. In addition, they are treated with special preparations - fungicides.

The plant can be infested with thrips or aphids. Signs: leaves turn yellow and deform.

Small reddish spots may appear when infested with mites. In pest control, insecticide treatment, which must be carried out several times, will help.

Problems

• Flowers turn pale. Reason: direct Sun rays;
• The flowers darken or even turn black. Cause: damp air and low temperature in room;
• The leaves turn pale and the flowers wilt. Reason: insufficient watering;
• The leaves are turning yellow. Causes: defeat by thrips or aphids, waterlogging of the soil;
• Bulbs shrink. Reasons: a large number of children, lack of lighting, abundant flowering;
• The plant does not bloom. Reasons: improper care, too short dormancy period or lack of it, deep planting of the bulb, damage to the root system. The bulb does not have enough strength to release a peduncle with a lack of heat, light, fertile soil, drainage and sufficient watering. During the dormant period, the bulb accumulates strength for flowering.

reproduction

Amaryllis can be propagated by babies separated from the mother bulb and seeds. Before you transplant amaryllis, you need to choose the appropriate method.

Branch of daughter bulbs

This is the easiest and most common way. Overgrown children are separated from the mother plant during the spring transplant.

First, they are grown in small containers with a sand-perlite mixture or sphagnum, and then transplanted.

At the same time, the composition of the soil, the height of the planting of the bulb, the capacity of the pot should be the same as when transplanting an adult plant. Young bulbs grow quickly and bloom for 2-3 years.

Amaryllis from seeds at home

Growing amaryllis at home is a rather long, laborious and unreliable way. To obtain seeds, pollen is transferred from one plant to another with a brush. Amaryllis seeds ripen for about a month, after which they are planted in the soil and watered abundantly.

Shoots should appear in a month. Grown young plants are planted one at a time in separate small pots. Amaryllis grown from seeds bloom only for 7 years.

Transfer

Amaryllis belongs to perennials, so there is no need for its annual transplant. It will be enough just to replace the top layer of soil. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system. In addition, the bulb must not be covered above the previous soil level.

Usually amaryllis is transplanted every 2-4 years., or when you need to separate the babies from the mother's bulb for reproduction.

The best time to transplant amaryllis at home is 3-5 weeks after flowering has ended.

This is due to the fact that the bulb during flowering greatly decreases in size due to the consumption of nutrients contained in it.

When transplanting, the pot is selected with a diameter equal to the bulb plus 1.5–2.0 cm from all sides- in cramped containers, amaryllis begin to bloom faster and more abundantly.

Dried and withered outer scales are removed from the faded amaryllis, and bad roots are removed from the bulb and children with roots are separated.

If the bulb has no roots at all, it can still be transplanted. Roots will grow in 4-6 weeks. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom - expanded clay, broken shards, gravel, and it is advisable to pour a little sand under the bulb. The soil is taken of the same composition (see above). The bulb is buried in the ground by half or 2/3 of its height.

Description of the plant and species

Amaryllis is a bulbous flowering plant native to South Africa. It has a large pear-shaped bulb, the diameter of which can reach 10 cm.

The leaves of the plant are narrow and long, reaching 30 cm in length. Amaryllis blooms in late autumn or early winter. The flowers are large, there are up to 12 of them on one peduncle. The peduncle of the plant is long, up to 40 cm, juicy and fleshy.

More recently, the Amaryllis Belladonna species was considered the only one of its kind. Today, another species of this genus has been found - Amaryllis Paradisicola.

amaryllis belladonna- Very popular plant in indoor floriculture. Due to its compact size and flowers of amazing beauty, this species is common in the collections of lovers of flowering plants almost everywhere. Wild flowers are pink, red and even purple.

This species gave rise to many varieties that differ in unusual color, size of flowers and shape of petals. There are large-flowered, variegated varieties and varieties with narrow petals. Here are some popular varieties of amaryllis:

• "Exotica" - large-flowered variety;
• "Minerva" - a variety with variegated striped petals;
• "Exotic Star" - narrow-petal variety.

Amaryllis Paradisicola differs from the previous species in a large number of flowers in the inflorescence. There can be up to 21 of them. All flowers of the species have a uniform pink tint and a pleasant aroma. In indoor floriculture is not common.

Now you know everything about caring for amaryllis at home.

When and whether to cut the leaves and roots of the bulb? What are the storage conditions and when will it be ready to bloom again? Who is in the know?

After flowering, remove only flower stalks. Be sure to leave the leaves, feed a couple of times, because the bulb has spent a lot of energy on flowering. Then start reducing watering so that the leaves die off. But not everyone has a period of rest. My amaryllis, bought last winter, flourished splendidly last year, giving out three arrows, tried all summer to lull him, did not want to. He gave birth to three children and now again stands in two arrows with flowers.

Tell me what to do with amaryllis in the fall.

Pay attention to the bulb, if it becomes exhausted after flowering, becomes loose, try to make it rest anyway. And yet, do not plant the bulb in a large pot, in which case it will definitely not bloom. Good luck.

You don't need to cut the roots. And the leaves should ideally dry out on their own. While they are green, nutrients enter the bulb from them. Stop watering and put in a cool place. No need to dig out of the pot

Rest period: The stem is cut only when it is completely dry. Gradually reduce watering, then stop watering altogether. A pot with an onion is placed in a dark, cool place indoors. The dormant period should last 6-8 weeks between February. Then the bulb can be removed from the pot, the "children" are separated and the mother plant is transplanted.

after it has faded, it is necessary first of all to build up a good bot, like min 4 pairs of leaves, before sending it to rest, otherwise you won’t see a trace of flowering, the roots do not cut off healthy, but rather take care of when transplanting

You probably don't have amaryllis. Most likely, this is a hippeastrum hybrid. After flowering, it has a growth period. It is necessary to transplant the plant into a larger pot, water and feed regularly. For the summer it is better to land in open ground. The rest period begins in September-October.

If you forcibly send the bulb to rest, then you can forget about flowering for several years.

water less often leaves will begin to die back by spring increase watering and feed

you don’t need to cut the leaves ... now the bulb needs top dressing - the forces for flowering have been spent ... let the leaves grow, and put them to bed in the fall ...

Amaryllis is a fairly unpretentious bulbous plant that usually blooms in spring.. First, the flower releases in turn several peduncles with a large flower. And then begins to grow large leaves. After some time, the foliage becomes pale and fades. This means that there is a period of rest.

What happens to the plant?

From mid-September until spring, amaryllis has a dormant period when the plant regains strength after a period of active vegetation. By this time, flowering and growth had ceased, and the flower, having shed its powerful foliage, began to prepare for dormancy.

Care

Within 3-5 months, the plant recovers after flowering and gains strength for the subsequent vegetation. it happens in winter. At this time, the plant is not watered, the bulbs are stored in a dark, cool place.

How to store during the winter?

Amaryllis needs to create conditions environment, in which the processes of growth and development do not start, which makes it possible for the bulbs to rest and gain strength for further flowering:

• Temperature +2..+15 degrees.
• Lack of light.
• Low air humidity.

If the bulb is not provided with such a rest, it will be very weakened and will lose its ability to bloom for several years.

Read about why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it give buds.

Detailed step by step instructions

You can notice that the plant is preparing to rest, by wilting and losing the color of the foliage. At this time, organic matter passes from the leaves to the bulb, creating a supply of nutrients. Therefore, do not rush to cut off the yellowing leaves, you need to wait for their natural death.

1. Starting from the end of August, you need to gradually reduce watering to a minimum and stop fertilizing.
2. Carefully cut off yellowed and withered leaves close to the bulb.
3. Carefully inspect the bulb and remove all dead particles, remnants of dried roots and planting soil. On healthy bulbs there should be no traces of rot, mold spots, cracks. Affected bulbs must be isolated from healthy ones.
4. The bulbs need to be disinfected, to do this, keep them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, this will save the plant from infection. For extra protection, wrap each bulb in a tissue paper.
5. Place the bulbs in a cool, dark place, such as a basement or cellar. You should not send them to rest in a pot of soil, as the bulbs must be ventilated. Amaryllis bulbs are not frost-resistant, so they will not tolerate drops in temperature below zero.
6. Leave in these conditions until the end of February, when the plant can be planted for forcing. Check periodically for damage.
7. Expose to light and water the flower should be when the flower arrow appears.

It is told about caring for amaryllis at home, and read about growing it on the street and in the house.

What to do if something went wrong?

• It happens that the amaryllis has faded, but the foliage continues to be green and does not think to turn yellow and dry out. Perhaps the flower confused autumn with spring. In this case, you should not forcibly drive the plant into a state of rest, this can only harm it. Flowering will most likely be next year. In the future, the plant will have to be returned to normal mode.
• If the bulb has lost all roots, but does not rot from the inside, then it can be saved. Clean out all the rot, remove all lesions and treat all cavities with a fungicide, for example, Maxim. Then dry the bulb well and put it away for storage.
• Often, when checking the bulbs, red rot is found on them. This is the most dangerous disease for amaryllis, in which cracks appear on the bulbs and shoots.
  1. If red rot is found at rest, then all affected areas must be removed and treated with a solution of foundationol.
  2. If the disease appeared during the growing season, then you will have to completely change the soil, spilling it with the drug. Plant the bulb, leaving almost all of it on the surface. At the same time, water should not fall on it when watering. Keep the flower until recovery in a cool place and water to a minimum.

Read about diseases and pests, as well as the treatment of amaryllis.

The amaryllis bulb contains lycopene. This is an alkaloid that has a toxic effect on the body, it can cause poisoning. Therefore, all work on cleaning and planting bulbs should be carried out with gloves.

Flowering will be optimal and natural at the end of March. But if you follow the conditions of distillation and provide proper care, then flowering can be achieved at any time of the year.

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In the conditions of a rather cold Russian climate, amaryllis blooming in winter is one of the favorite indoor plants. Its modern varieties come in a wide variety of shades - from pure white to dark crimson, purple and even green, there are varieties with double and pronounced striped flowers.

These bulbous plants are among the best for home forcing, which even the most unprepared lovers can do. In most parts of Russia, amaryllis, which is native to South America, is able to winter only indoors and has a pronounced dormant period from about late October to early February. The main secret of successful forcing is the correct organization of rest for amaryllis.

How to prepare amaryllis for dormancy. At the end of August - September, it is necessary to abandon top dressing and slowly begin to reduce watering until they completely stop at the end of October - November. Amaryllis will begin to shed its leaves gradually, and by the end of autumn they should all die off naturally. It is not worth specifically cutting off yellowing leaves, since when they die, all the organic substances from them pass into the bulb, making the necessary reserve for subsequent flowering. Sometimes one or two unfaded leaves are enough long time. They are carefully bent or cut at the base of the bulb to save storage space - for example, on shelves in a cool pantry, heated greenhouse or conservatory, in a warm garage where the temperature does not drop below zero in winter.

How to store amaryllis in the dormant period. At rest, the bulbs usually keep alive most of the skeletal and largest roots, so they need to be watered occasionally (once every 15-20 days). Pots with resting bulbs are kept in a cool dry place at a temperature of about + 5 ... + 12 ° C, they do not need light. Leave the resting bulbs in pots or in bulk in boxes for at least eight to nine weeks. Remember: hippeastrum and amaryllis bulbs are not frost-resistant and are very afraid of even a short-term drop in temperature to negative values!

When does amaryllis usually bloom? At home, the normal flowering period of amaryllis is mid-February - the first half of March. But it often happens that amaryllis continue to bloom in April and even in May, especially large bulbs that give a second wave of flowering. You are quite capable of regulating this process and making amaryllis bloom, for example, on Valentine's Day or on March 8th. 7 to 10 weeks before the desired flowering time, move pots with rested bulbs to a warmer, brighter room and lightly water them. In the future, the frequency of irrigation should be adjusted depending on the intensity of foliage growth, the temperature and dryness of the surrounding air, and the state of the earthen coma. Following these simple recommendations, you will be rewarded with an annual abundant flowering of your pets.

How and when to transplant amaryllis. It is advisable to transplant amaryllis and change the soil in pots every 1-2 years and preferably in the spring, about 3-5 weeks after flowering. The root system is not cut off during planting and transplanting, but only diseased and dried roots are removed, sprinkling cuts with crushed charcoal. When transplanting, children are carefully separated, which often appear near the bulbs, and planted in separate pots, designating the variety. At proper care children bloom in about the third or fourth year. When transplanting, the diameter of the pot is slightly increased, since amaryllis bloom more readily and much faster in a “cramped” container. You can read more about the correct maintenance and transplantation of amaryllis bulbs in my article.

Recommendations for those who are a little late with the preparation of amaryllis for rest. Most likely, most of the plants themselves "realized" that it was time to rest, when the day at the end of September - October significantly subsided, and it became noticeably colder in the rooms and on the windowsills, especially at night. Such conditions are not suitable for a stormy vegetation, so plants naturally shed some of their foliage in preparation for winter dormancy. If you also intuitively guessed that in cool conditions all plants need to be watered much less often and less plentifully, then you will not have to do anything else. And turning on the central heating will probably finally dry out a couple more yellowing leaves. Then everything is simple: we stop watering the plants and after a few days we put them to rest in some cool and rather dark room. In extreme cases, a shaded corner of the coolest room will do, where your plants will stand for another two to three months, until February or March, until you decide that it is time for them to prepare for flowering. During storage, the leaves continue to die off and your task is to occasionally remove them, as well as the black dried outer scales of the bulbs, in order to keep the plants neat and prevent the bulbs from rotting when they resume watering.

One key note- all this we are talking about plants that have reached 3-4 years old, have already entered or are ready for regular flowering. Younger plants grown from children should not be dried out and forcibly forced to shed their leaves, although in winter they will also have their own dormant period, during which new leaves stop growing and part of last year's growth dies off. During this cool and relatively dark period, young plants simply need to be watered more infrequently and moderately so as not to flood their root system.

Well, if the plant continues to grow rapidly, threw out one or two buds and is going to bloom? It's okay, this option is also quite acceptable, although less desirable. It's just that the plant has confused spring with autumn, especially if you continued to water and feed it intensively. Let the amaryllis bloom naturally, but at the same time reduce the frequency and intensity of watering a little just in case. And watch your plant. It is possible that you have already filled the bulb and this is its “swan song”.

If your plant develops well, its peduncles reach a normal height, the size of the buds and flowers do not cause concern, flowering is long enough - 10-12 days, then you should not worry too much. Just a dormant period this plant comes a little later than usual. But next spring it will bloom, alas, most likely, will no longer be.

Much worse, if a few leaves suddenly completely stopped developing and during the summer did not reach their natural length. This may signal some kind of disease of the plant, the trouble of the bulb itself. Secondary signs of poor bulb condition may be softness, lethargy, lack of elasticity, or the presence of black or brown spots on the surface. It is very bad if you notice the presence of rot on the surface or at the base, excess water in the pan after your long absence, or any insects fluttering around the plant. Sometimes the bulb leans on its side or simply dangles on one or two remaining roots, although normally in amaryllis the root system is well developed and completely wraps around the earthen ball.

In this case, you must urgently carefully remove the bulb along with the earthy clod and inspect it. Depending on the state of the root system and the bulb itself, decide on the need for an urgent transplant, some kind of resuscitation, or only slightly dry if the root system is slightly waterlogged. In general, amaryllis, like all bulbous plants, are able to do without soil for a long time and, in case of emergency, may well lie down for a week or two in a cool dark place until you have the opportunity to come to grips with them and plant them according to all the rules of agricultural technology, which I have already described in my article Beautiful home flower Amaryllis.

If obvious traces of rot or other damage are found on the bulb, the first step is to assess the degree and depth of the lesion. It often happens that the foci are still on the surface of the bulb and it is enough to carefully remove them with a clean clerical knife or scalpel to a depth of 2-3 scales, or remove the affected scales along the entire diameter. Then the bulb must be treated with an effective fungicide, for example, Maxim, or at least a maroon solution of potassium permanganate or brilliant green, and then dried for 1-2 weeks in the shade or on a cool pantry shelf, checking periodically. This usually allows you to save amaryllis from further development of diseases and rot. When the problem is localized and defeated, the bulb is planted in fresh soil so that the affected area is slightly above the soil level.

If the problem still remains, then resuscitation continues until it is possible to stop the focus of the spread of the disease. If the rot has affected the bottom of the bulb or struck several roots, part of the bottom, together with the affected roots, is carefully cut out and the wound is treated with a fungicide. And don't rush to board! Dry the bulb well to prevent the disease from returning.

An even more difficult situation is created if the bulb has lost almost all roots. As long as it does not rot from the inside, it is quite possible to save it! Treat the entire bulb with the fungicide after removing all lesions. Next, thoroughly clean all affected areas and cavities and treat again with a disinfectant solution. Dry the bulb and store it in the pantry until February - March, until the life processes that accompany the exit from dormancy begin to awaken in it. It is even better if you plant it in a pot later - at the end of March or April. Then for sure. I recommend first planting the amaryllis in a 0.5 liter clear disposable plastic cup, in slightly damp vermiculite with a pinch of some kind of root stimulant. In such a container it is convenient to observe the development of the roots. Vermiculite needs to be moistened extremely rarely, because a plastic glass practically does not evaporate moisture, and on top of it, almost the entire hole is covered with an onion.

Before planting, it is also advisable to treat the bulb itself with a root formation stimulator or hold it for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, which has both a bactericidal and a stimulating role. The newly planted plant should be placed in a bright and moderately warm place without direct sunlight. I have had cases where some bulbs did not want to give roots for 6-8 months! True, this rarely happens. Therefore, do not despair, but wait patiently and you will be rewarded! If the bulb turns green and elastic in the light, it means that it will definitely survive and, sooner or later, will give new roots, which means that it will bloom again sometime!

* The commercial name Amaryllis refers to representatives of two species - Amaryllis belladonna and Hippeastrum garden. (Ed.)

Among the popular indoor plants, amaryllis stands out, which is loved by flower growers with large flowers of an unusual handicap and bright colors. Especially valuable is its ability to bloom in the most "gloomy" time - in late autumn. Unpretentious amaryllis, home care for which is completely simple, will suit even beginner gardeners. To grow this "exotic" on your windowsill, it is enough to know a few simple rules for care.

Amaryllis (Amaryllis) - herbaceous perennial bulbous flowers belonging to the genus monocotyledonous, family Amaryllis. The leaves are basal, oblong, linear and smooth, dark green; placed in two rows.

Flower arrows are high, up to 60 cm, powerful; crowned with umbellate inflorescences with 4-6 (sometimes up to 12) flowers. The diameter of the bell flower reaches 20 cm. During the flowering period, which begins before the leaves appear, the plant throws out 2 peduncles. Natural amaryllis rarely blooms at home, so numerous easier-to-care hybrids have been created.

Everyone who grows this indoor flower should remember that the amaryllis bulb is poisonous. Touching it may cause irritation. All transplant work is carried out exclusively with gloves, and the plant is positioned so that children and pets cannot reach it.

Amaryllis varieties

Modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis are striking in diversity. Breeders are working to increase the size of the flower, obtaining original colors.

• Lovers of bright accents will love red-hued amaryllis. These include the magnificent Grand Diva variety with large (up to 18 cm) double flowers of cherry red color. The pistil and stamens are colored in the same way, so only light spots of stigmas stand out against the background of the flower.
• The Ferrari amaryllis variety, which is distinguished by an unusual, deep red-orange tint of petals, also attracts attention.
• The original Amaryllis Exotic Peacock is a double star with pointed scarlet petals. In the center - white prints, repeating the shape of a petal and smoothly turning into strokes on a scarlet field.
• Another hybrid of domestic amaryllis, Gervase, is attractive with bright scarlet and cherry stripes and strokes, arbitrarily “applied” to the white field of petals.
• No less loved are white and pink amaryllis - tender and graceful. A large-flowered (up to 18 cm in diameter) hybrid of Amaryllis Apple Blossom, the petals of which are painted white with pale pink veins, is distinguished by the original greenish color of the neck.
• Elvas also attracts attention - a long-flowering terry hybrid with white pointed oval-shaped petals, “decorated” with a clear raspberry edging and pink-raspberry specks in the center of the petal.
• Amaryllis Aphrodite is distinguished by its delicate color. This is one of the most large-flowered hybrids - 20 cm double white flowers are outlined in pink edging and covered with elegant pink touches.
• It is difficult to pass by such a hybrid as Double Dream. Its huge, double flowers are an ardent pink with darker veins.
• White lovers should pay attention to the Pikoti variety. This non-double hybrid is attractive with snow-white petals, each of which is “circled” with a scarlet edging, clear and thin.
• An unusual pinkish-coral shade of strokes that densely filled the white field is distinguished by the terry amaryllis Giant Amadeus.

Optimal growing conditions

Like any bulbous houseplant, amaryllis has a pronounced dormant period, during which the aerial part dies off completely. Accordingly, depending on the phase of development, the agricultural technique of growing at home is completely changing.

	Lighting	Watering	Temperature
Active growth phase	Bright diffused light. The most suitable windows will be western and eastern orientation; on the southern window sills, shading from direct sunlight will be required. On northern window sills, amaryllis will bloom only if there is a 14-hour light.	Watering with partial drying of the earthy coma. That is, between waterings, you need to let the top layer of the earth dry out, in no case allowing the coma to dry completely. Water is used only settled (at least a day in an open container) and heated to 20-25 degrees. When watering, it is important not to wet the bulb and especially the growing point. Spraying is not required.	Does not like sudden changes; the optimal range is 18-24 degrees.
Resting phase	Lighting is not required.	The bulb is not watered; once every 2 weeks, the earth is sprayed with water.	Requires cool content (10-12 degrees).

In addition, the plant is protected from drafts, while avoiding air stagnation, especially at high humidity. If you follow these simple rules, growing amaryllis will not cause trouble.

How to plant amaryllis

The key to successful growing amaryllis at home is proper planting. With the wrong selection of a pot or soil, the bulb will not be able to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, or even begin to rot.

Pot selection

The diameter of a suitable pot directly depends on the size of the amaryllis bulb. She prefers to sit in a cramped space, so the planting container is chosen so that no more than 5 cm remains between the bulb and the walls. At the same time, the amaryllis has a fairly powerful root system, which means that the pot must be deep.

The material from which the pot is made is also important. A narrow and tall plastic container will be too unstable for amaryllis with its long spreading leaves and tall peduncles. Accordingly, a ceramic pot is more suitable. It can be glazed or not: opinions differ on what is best for the plant. In glazed pots, oxygen access to the roots is limited; Pathogenic microorganisms accumulate and intensively develop in numerous pores of unglazed containers.

Soil selection

The most suitable soil for amaryllis is a mixture of equal parts of leaf and sod land with river sand. Some flower growers add humus to the mixture. The soil must be sterilized before use: pour a small amount of water and boil for an hour. It is enough to wash the sand to clean water. You can use ready-made soil purchased at the store for planting.

Planting process

Before planting an amaryllis bulb, it is checked for damage: cracks, soft dents, dark spots, or other signs of fungal disease or rot. Damaged areas, if any, are cut to healthy tissue. The place of the cut is sprinkled with foundationazole or crushed charcoal.

The bulb is cleaned of dead scales. They differ from white or greenish live ones by a darker brownish tint. Before planting, it is immersed in a fungicidal solution for several minutes. It is best to cook it on the basis of fundazole; Copper oxychloride is also suitable. The preparations are diluted in water according to the instructions on the package. If fungicides are not on hand, a saturated solution of potassium permanganate can be used. It is not advisable to use biological preparations for pre-planting treatment (Fitosporin, Trichodermin, Pervikur). After disinfection, the bulbs are thoroughly dried.

Pour 2-3 cm of drainage (expanded clay) into the pot and fill it with soil to half. The bulb is placed in the center of the pot with a blunt end down and fall asleep two-thirds. The soil is compacted, watered. You can plant several amaryllis in a pot. In this case, there should be a gap of at least 10 cm between the bulbs.

How to care for amaryllis

The rules for caring for amaryllis at home vary significantly depending on the growth phase.

During the dormant period

The fact that the plant is preparing to move to the dormant stage can be judged by the yellowing and dying leaves. During this period, they begin to gradually reduce watering and top dressing. As soon as the amaryllis has completely faded and dropped the last leaf, watering is stopped. Usually the plant falls asleep in the horse of October - early November.

A little secret that guarantees lush flowering at home next season: the amaryllis should not be “helped”. Many novice flower growers strive to quickly get rid of unattractive withered leaves and cut or cut them off the plant, not knowing that in this way they weaken the bulb. The leaves, dying, give it all the nutrients accumulated during the growth period, which are necessary both for rest and for future awakening. Therefore, the leaves are harvested only after they are completely dry and easily separated.

For a good rest, the bulb needs 2-3 months. In case of violation of agricultural technology on this tap, it can wake up earlier, which will affect both the further development of the rosette and flowering. More often, the bulb is left in a pot, which is placed in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place. You can dig it out. In this case, the bulb is cleaned and placed in wooden or cardboard boxes filled with peat, coconut fiber or sawdust.

From the moment you move to winter holidays, caring for amaryllis comes down to regular (1 time in 2 weeks) spraying the substrate with a small amount of water from a spray bottle. To wake up, the bulb is transplanted into a fresh substrate, placed in a lighted place and watering is increased.

During the period of active growth and flowering

Amaryllis care after waking up can be divided into two stages: before and after the appearance of the flower arrow. A freshly planted bulb is watered moderately, trying not to overmoisten, until the first sprouts hatch.

After the arrow appears:

1. The plant begins to be watered in the usual way (with drying of the top layer of the earth), avoiding water on the bulb. The lack of moisture during this period can lead to the fact that the flower begins to wither without opening; too much will cause it to rot.
2. Care and cultivation of indoor amaryllis at home involves the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers every 2 weeks. You can use any fertilizer for flowering plants or specialized top dressing for bulbs.
3. Organic fertilizers (manure, humus) are not desirable. In addition to the fact that undecayed residues can cause the death of the bulb, they contain too much nitrogen, and there is practically no phosphorus and potassium needed by the bulb.
4. After the opening of the first bud, fertilizers begin to be applied weekly.

Flowering at home lasts from 2 to 4 weeks; after it ends, leaves begin to appear. Healthy strong bulbs can form 2 flower arrows. If there are more of them, it is better to remove the “extra” ones, since too abundant flowering depletes the bulb. After the buds wither, the peduncle is not cut off until it turns completely yellow - so the nutrients in it pass into the bulb. Caring for an amaryllis flower after flowering, when it forms a rosette, is no different, except that top dressing is reduced to 1 time per month.

Reproduction of amaryllis at home

There are several ways to propagate amaryllis:

• from seeds;
• children;
• dividing the bulb.

Each of them has its own nuances.

seeds

Amaryllis propagate by seed, but this is a technically complex and time-consuming process. It is used mainly to obtain new hybrids; at home, the use of this method is impractical. To see the results of pollination, the seeds "grow" to the size of a bulb ready for flowering within 7-8 years.

To obtain seeds, pollen taken from another “parent” is applied to the pistil of the mother plant with a soft brush. The box formed at the base of the peduncle will ripen within a month. Seeds immediately (they quickly lose their germination) are sown in a mixture of peat and sand and placed in a container protected from sunlight. Humidify if necessary from a spray bottle. After a few months, the seedlings are seated in separate pots.

dividing the bulb

The division method at home can only be used if the bulb is large enough and absolutely healthy. With a sharp non-kitchen knife, the sleeping onion is cut into several parts so that each part of the bottom with roots remains. Slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, dried. Slices are planted in washed sand. Before the germination of the first leaf, they are watered moderately and kept warm (not lower than 25 degrees). After the appearance of the first pair of leaves, the delenki are transplanted into a substrate common for amaryllis.

child bulbs

The simplest and safest methods include reproduction by children, or daughter bulbs. If the plant is healthy and receives enough nutrition, the mother bulb begins to divide itself. Babies are dropped off only when they are strong enough. For transplantation, use the same land as for the mother plant. When separating and transplanting, it is important to damage as few roots as possible. The place of the "gap" is sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Children cannot be separated if the plant is about to retire. In this case, it is better for them to stay with the main bulb until they wake up. Already separated "daughters" are in no case sent to "sleep" in the first year - they do not have enough strength to wake up. Therefore, the pots continue to be watered and fertilized as usual throughout the winter.

Transfer

For those who take the bulb out of the pot every time it falls asleep, an amaryllis transplant is not needed - formally it is carried out annually. Those who leave her to sleep in a pot need to completely change the soil every 3-4 years and increase the volume of the planting capacity. Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant amaryllis during the active phase: the bulb can grow so fast that the pot becomes small for it.

The transfer algorithm is simple:

1. The plant is removed from the pot along with a lump, the roots are shaken off the ground.
2. Dry or rotten roots are cut with a sharp knife, slices are sprinkled.
3. The bulb is cleaned of rotting scales, "daughters", if any, are separated.
4. The bulb is placed in a suitable pot and fresh soil, watered. Old substrate and drainage cannot be reused.

Even if amaryllis does not need to be transplanted, it is annually replaced with the top layer of soil in which salts collect, replacing it with fresh.

Diseases and pests

Amaryllis is affected by almost all "indoor" pests: spider and onion mites, thrips, mealybugs, scale insects, and aphids are happy to settle on it. If the plant is affected by insects, insecticides are used to get rid of them (Aktara, Spark, Actellik); ticks are removed with the help of acaricides (Neoron, Kleschevit). Springtails or podura may also appear in pots - this means that the plant has been poured, the process of decay has begun in the roots. Reduce watering and treat the soil with fungicides. If the root system recovers, springtails will disappear on their own.

It is more difficult to treat fungal and infectious diseases of the bulb. Amaryllis can suffer from stagonosporosis and various rots. In the first case, small red spots or a border on the scales become noticeable. In the second - soft grayish or brownish spots on the leaves or bulb. In both cases, fungicide treatment is required - foundationazole or copper oxychloride. The main salvation from any disease is the correct agricultural technology.

Why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it bloom

Sometimes amaryllis does not bloom at home for several years.

There may be several reasons for this:

• deep landing;
• a spacious pot - in this case, the plant will “prefer” to spend energy on the formation of daughter bulbs;
• lack of phosphorus and potassium;
• lack of light during germination;
• lack of heat;
• root rot or pests;
• a young bulb that does not yet have enough strength to bloom.

The best way to “make” amaryllis bloom is to thoroughly observe agricultural practices and regularly feed.

Differences Between Amaryllis and Hippeastrum

Amaryllis is often confused with its related hippeastrum. The difference between these plants is insignificant, but still there:

1. Amaryllis usually blooms in August-September, and hippeastrum - in late February.
2. Amaryllis has a pronounced aroma.
3. Hippeastrum flowers are smaller, their number on the peduncle is less, and the flower arrow itself is higher.
4. In amaryllis, leaves appear only after the peduncle.
5. Amaryllis has a pear-shaped bulb with ash-gray scales, while hippeastrum has a round, slightly flattened laterally, whitish or greenish scales.

Amaryllis is a bulbous indoor plant with a high peduncle, reaching a height of up to 50 centimeters and consisting of 3-6 large inflorescences. Amaryllis flowers come in a variety of hues and fascinate flower growers with their extraordinary beauty.

In order for the plant to grow and develop well, a number of rules regarding its maintenance should be observed. Strictly following them, even a beginner will be able to grow this unusually beautiful flower without much difficulty.

Types and varieties of amaryllis

- is a flower belonging to the family of monocotyledonous bulbous plants. The diameter of the bulbs can reach from 5 to 10 centimeters. Amaryllis leaf plates are narrow, long, bright green. They appear in early autumn under normal conditions, and in cold climates in March. Leaves die off in May.

Peduncle plant throws out in August. Twelve buds of white, red or pink shade appear on it, which turn into large beautiful flowers. The flowering time of amaryllis lasts about two weeks.

- in nature, the plant grows in Brazil. Its height is up to 60 centimeters. The bulb has an oblong shape and a diameter of up to 10 centimeters. Peduncle tall, grey-green. Often, two inflorescences are formed on it, resembling an orchid. The flowers are large, apple-green or cherry-brown striped. Leaf plates are narrow, long green.

- the height of the plant reaches 50 centimeters. Inflorescences are large orange, but can be red, pink, white and cherry. The bulb has a diameter of up to 12 centimeters. Leaf plates are long, lilac type.

- is a perennial bulbous plant. The bulb has a rounded or rounded conical shape. Lily type leaf plates have a dark green tint. The peduncle reaches a length of 35 to 80 centimeters. The inflorescences are large, tubular, with a red, cherry, pink or orange color.

The plant reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On the peduncle bloom from 4 to 6 large, raspberry-colored flowers. Leaf plates of a dark green shade, lily type. The flowering time of the plant is May and December.

- the bulb of the plant has a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters. From it grow two peduncles up to 50 centimeters long with 5 white inflorescences with red stripes and specks. Leaf plates are long, green, lilac type.

- Amaryllis of this variety reaches a height of 50 centimeters. Large inflorescences appear on the peduncle in the amount of three pieces. The flowering of the plant begins from 10 weeks after planting in the substrate. The inflorescences are creamy with pink stripes. The edges of the petals have wavy edges. The leaf plates of the belt of a prominent type are distinguished by glossiness and a dark green tint.

- the length of the peduncle of this variety reaches 60 centimeters. 3 large inflorescences of a snow-white hue with wavy petals and a pleasant aroma appear on it. The bulb of the plant has an oval or rounded shape with a diameter of up to 10 centimeters. Leaf plates are long, glossy green.

- the bulb of the plant has a rounded shape and a diameter of up to 12 centimeters. A peduncle of medium thickness grows from it, on which large inflorescences of a white-pink hue with a pleasant aroma and rounded petals are formed. The leaves are green, glossy, long, prominent belt type.

In height, the culture reaches 60 centimeters. On the peduncle appear from 2 to four large flowers of a red hue with wavy petals. The flowering period of amaryllis lasts from late summer to mid-autumn.

- the peduncle of the plant reaches a height of 60 centimeters. It blooms from two to four luxurious, large flowers with a large number of white petals with orange stripes. At good care the plant flowers twice a year.

- the bulb of this plant variety reaches a diameter of 8 to 12 centimeters. A peduncle grows from it, on which from 3 to 5 large red inflorescences with a light pleasant aroma are formed. The leaf plates of the amaryllis of this variety are long, bright green, belt type.

- this variety is distinguished by dense linear-lingual, long leaf plates of a dark green hue and luxurious, lush peach-colored flowers resembling peonies. The inflorescences are not only beautiful, but also smell very pleasant. Plant height reaches 60 centimeters. From one bulb grows up to two peduncles with 4-6 buds.

- a variety of this amaryllis reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On the peduncle, from 2 to 6 large inflorescences of a white hue with wavy petals and the aroma of expensive French perfumes are formed. Amaryllis blooms in late summer. Lily type leaf plates reach up to 30 centimeters in length and have a dark green tint.

The plant reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On a long peduncle, from 4 to six large inflorescences are formed with double petals of orange, red and white. The leaf plates of amaryllis are long, belt-like, dark green. The bulbs are large, their diameter is from 12 to 15 centimeters.

- is a bulbous perennial. The bulb has a rounded or rounded-conical shape. Dark green belt-type leaf plates reach up to 70 centimeters in length. Large flowers of various shades with a delicate, pleasant aroma bloom on a long peduncle.

- the height of the peduncle of the plant reaches 70 centimeters. It blooms up to 4 large, luxurious cream-colored inflorescences with a pleasant aroma. Flowering time occurs at the end of summer and lasts up to one month. Leaf plates have a dark green tint and glossiness. They die off at the end of autumn with the onset of a dormant period in amaryllis.

- the bulbs of the plant reach a diameter of up to 20 centimeters. The leaf plates of amaryllis are long, green, lily type. The peduncle grows up to 60 centimeters long. It blooms up to 4 large inflorescences of a pink hue with wavy petals. Flowering time from May to June.

Amaryllis home care

This luxurious flower is characterized by unpretentious care. However, in order for him to please with his unusual colors, you should follow the rules for caring for him, trying to create for him such a microclimate as in a natural environment. If the plant feels comfortable, then it will bloom twice or even thrice a year.

Humidity is not of great importance for the crop, but to avoid pest attacks, the leaf plates should be wiped with a sponge and sprayed once a week. Such manipulations should be abandoned at the time of flowering of amaryllis. Do not spray bulbs that are at rest.

Amaryllis likes diffused bright sunlight, so it should be grown in a southeast or southwest window. So that the peduncle does not reach for the sun, the pot needs to be turned from time to time.

The most comfortable temperature for a plant is considered to be from 18 to 25 degrees. When the bulbs are in a dormant period, the temperature should be reduced to 10-12 degrees.

Hippeastrum is also a member of the Amaryllis family. It is grown when caring at home without much hassle, if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Watering amaryllis

In summer, amaryllis should be watered only when the substrate dries. When the plant has a dormant period, watering is reduced, spending them a few days after the soil dries.

If the bulbs were moved to the basement, then watering should still be reduced in order to prevent acidification of the soil. It should be noted that water should be added under the bulb, and not on it.

soil for amaryllis

The soil that suits amaryllis can be made independently.

An ideal soil option for a plant would be a mixture of leaf and sod soil, humus, peat and sand in equal proportions.

Amaryllis transplant

Usually a plant transplant is required once a year. This frequency will allow the grower to study the condition of the flower bulb.

It is extremely important to carry out a transplant according to the rules, since non-compliance with them can lead to a lack of flowering of the plant. For planting, you should not pick up a pot that is too spacious, otherwise the amaryllis simply will not bloom. The ideal distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should not be more than three centimeters.

When transplanting the bulb into the ground, it should be buried in the ground with a mixture of only half, leaving the second half and the top above the ground. Also, one should not forget about the drainage layer, which can be formed from fine expanded clay.

Fertilizer for amaryllis

It is necessary to fertilize the plant only during the flowering and growth period. Top dressing is carried out once every ten days.

Mullein mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10 should be taken as a fertilizer.

amaryllis bloom

Flowering time depends on the plant variety. Some plants bloom in summer, some in autumn, and there are those that bloom in winter. To prolong flowering, it is necessary to keep the flowerpot with amaryllis in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.

After the first inflorescence opens, the peduncle can be cut off and placed in a container of water. There are no differences in the duration of flowering in water and on the bulb. However, due to cutting, it is possible to reduce the depletion of the bulb and stimulate the appearance of a new peduncle.

The inflorescences of the plant are large with a pleasant aroma. Their petals have wavy or straight edges. The color scheme can vary from white and cream to red and pink with stripes and flecks. Amaryllis blooms for 15-20 days.

During flowering, the plant needs light and abundant watering. The earthling must be moist, but at the same time it is necessary to ensure that the water does not stagnate in the pot, otherwise the bulb will begin to rot.

Amaryllis pruning

After the plant has faded, the leaf plates and shoots die off on their own, they do not need to be cut.

Caring for amaryllis in winter

Usually, the dormant period of the plant begins in the cold season and lasts for two months. You can understand that the plant hibernates by dropping the leaf plates and dying off the peduncle. At this point, watering should be reduced to a minimum and stop fertilizing.

Then the pot, along with the bulb, must be transferred to the basement, where the temperature should not exceed 16 degrees. Ideally, the temperature should be 10-12 degrees. Moisten the soil in which the bulb is located should be as it dries completely.

After the release of amaryllis from hibernation, care for the plant is carried out in the same way as during the growing season.

Amaryllis from seeds at home

This method is quite laborious, besides, it does not allow to preserve the varietal qualities of the crop, for this reason it is rarely used for home breeding. However, if the grower nevertheless decided to try, he needs to do the following.

Perform artificial pollination of flowers with a brush. Two months after the cracking of the seed pods, it is necessary to collect the seeds. Dry them and spread them on a light, airtight moistened soil and sprinkle a thin layer of earth mixture on top. Planting seeds should be carried out from January to February.

The box with seeds should be kept in a warm place under the film until seedlings appear. After the young plants have leaves, they should be seated in separate pots. Such amaryllis will bloom only after seven years.

Reproduction of amaryllis by children

When transplanting an adult plant, it can be propagated with the help of children. For this purpose, children with roots should be separated from the bulb using a knife. Sections must be treated with charcoal.

A small bulb should be planted in a separate container with the earth with a mixture for amaryllis and put in heat for the rooting period. Three years after planting young plant will start to bloom.

Amaryllis reproduction by dividing the bulb

This method is the most popular and in demand among flower growers. To propagate a plant using bulbous division, you should take an onion, peel it from scales and divide it into four parts.

Then each of them must be immersed in a fungicide solution for disinfection. After half an hour, each part of the bulb should be planted in the substrate, plunging them 1/3 into the ground. Until full rooting, the bulbs should be kept in a warm place.

Reproduction of amaryllis scales

To use this method of reproduction, you should take the bulb, divide it into several parts, separating the scales. Then they must be sprinkled with crushed charcoal and planted in a substrate for growing amaryllis.

Three months later, young bulbs will begin to form. Help to speed up their appearance mineral fertilizers and keeping in warm conditions.

Amaryllis diseases

With improper care of the plant, it is exposed to a number of diseases and pests.

The most common amaryllis diseases are:

fungus - upon discovery red spots on leaf blades, bulb or inflorescences or completely reddened leaves , the plant must be urgently treated with "Fundazol" and reduce watering.

Pale leaf plates - loss of bright green decorative coloring of leaves, occurs due to stagnation of moisture in the soil. To cope with this problem, transplanting amaryllis into a breathable soil with a good layer of drainage will help.

Anthracnose - at the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaves the plant should be treated with Actellik fungicide, as well as reduce watering and spraying frequency.

Amaryllis pests

Of the pests for the plant, the following insects are dangerous:

spider mite - you can notice the appearance of this dangerous insect by the appearance of cobwebs on leaf plates . You can get rid of it by spraying the flower with the Kleshchevit insecticide.

onion mite - this insect feeds on the amaryllis bulb, as a result of which the plant grows poorly and ceases to bloom. If it blooms, then the flowers turn out to be deformed, and the leaf plates turn yellow and fall off. Pest control should be done in the following way. The amaryllis bulb should be dug out of the pot and dipped in water for two minutes. hot water with a temperature of 40 degrees, and then treat it with the preparation "Keltan".

amaryllis mealybug - feeds on the bulb, leading to its fading and appearance of a dark plaque on the scales . To destroy the worm, the bulb should be treated with the Aktara insecticide.

Aphid - the insect feeds on the juice of the leaves, causing them to turn yellow . It can be destroyed by treating the plant (peduncle and foliage) with a solution of 20% ethyl alcohol.

thrips - these pests affect leaf plates, leading to the appearance of multiple dark dots on them . To get rid of pests, you should disinfect the plant, transplant it into a new pot and soil, and then treat it with Fitoverm insecticide

Shchitovka - when a shield appears leaves are covered with sticky juice and dark spots which are actually insects. You can get rid of them by treating the plant with Actellik.

To prevent the occurrence of all of the above diseases, it is enough to properly care for amaryllis and such problems will bypass the flower.

Possible Difficulties When Growing Amaryllis

Many flower growers face a number of problems when growing this unusually beautiful plant, which include:

• No flowering - amaryllis may stop blooming due to a too loose pot, a strong deepening of the bulb in the ground, a lack of fertilizer, a small amount of light and heat, rotting of the root system, lack of a dormant period, youthfulness of the bulbs, and pest damage.
• Yellowing leaves - causes damage to aphids in the plant.
• Leaf reddening - the defeat of amaryllis by an ailment of fungal etiology leads to reddening of the leaf plates.
• Leaf drooping - such a problem occurs as a result of a violation of the irrigation regime and excessive soil moisture.

After the cause of the loss of decorativeness by the plant is identified and eliminated, amaryllis will regain its former luxury and beauty in the shortest possible time.

Amaryllis signs and superstitions

Large and beautiful inflorescences of this exotic plant can decorate any interior and bring positive energy into the home atmosphere. Amaryllis translated into Russian means proud and impregnable. Popularly, this beautiful flower is called the “naked girl” due to the fact that often the peduncle with inflorescences appears much earlier than the dark green leaf plates.

There is an opinion that it is better to grow amaryllis in the open field, and not in a pot on the windowsill, as it can harm not only pets, but also humans. What exactly is its value?

The plant of this family is poisonous. It contains a substance such as lycorine, which, if ingested, causes severe poisoning and vomiting. Therefore, when growing this flower, it should be kept away from animals and small children in order to avoid trouble.

Amaryllis Feng Shui

According to this ancient Eastern philosophy, amaryllis is a representative of the fire element. It is especially pronounced in plants with red flowers. This exotic flower brings joy and material well-being to the house, and health and harmony to the inhabitants of the house.

It is better to place amaryllis in that part of the house that is hidden from prying eyes. Most of all, the plant is impressed by the kitchen. Here it must be placed on the windowsill so that the amaryllis begins to saturate the surrounding space with positive energy.

By its nature, the flower is a loner and does not tolerate other plants next to it. The only exception is aloe and fern, which can create a wonderful energy tandem with it.

Amaryllis magic

The most important magical possibility of a flower is the fulfillment of desires. To fulfill your innermost dream, you should wait until the amaryllis releases a peduncle with buds. Then you need to choose one of the unblown flowers, touch it and make a wish.

The plant will help in the fulfillment of dreams regarding love, health, travel and personal growth. After the wish is made, you should thank the flower and continue to care for it.

If the bud on which the wish was made blooms before the rest, this means that the universe has heard the grower's request and will soon fulfill it.

Conclusion

Amaryllis is an exotic that is quite easy to grow at home. It is enough to observe simple rules plant care and it will constantly delight you with luxurious flowers, filling the air with a pleasant aroma.

In our latitudes, the flowering period of amaryllis begins in August-September. After flowering, amaryllis leaves naturally dry out. In order for this to happen faster, you need to gradually reduce the frequency of watering. The peduncle must be cut off before the onset of the dormant period. After a dormant period, amaryllis and hippeastrums begin to grow leaves again, and the peduncle and buds are laid.

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Preparing amaryllis for a dormant period

The dormant period for amaryllis is the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. In hippeastrums, a dormant period occurs after the plant has faded, because hippeastrums can be driven out at any time of the year, and not just at the end of summer or early autumn. Early forcing in the fall or late is possible - then the hippeastrum blooms at the end of winter or early spring. Some varieties bloom even in summer.

But whenever your amaryllis or hippeastrum blooms, it needs a dormant period. So far, only one evergreen species of hippeastrum is known - Hippeastrum Papilio, for which there is no need for a dormant period. The remaining varieties of amaryllis and hippeastrum should rest. If you planted amaryllis or hippeastrum for the summer in the ground, then you need to dig its bulb out of the ground before frost and store it in a cool, dark, dry place.

Leaves are a source of nutrients

However, the bulb after the flowering of amaryllis is not dug immediately, you must first allow the leaves to do an important job - to supply the bulb with nutrients.

In the period preceding dormancy, it is necessary to prepare the bulb and allow it to recover after flowering. The leaves should dry naturally, while giving all the strength to the bulb. From mid-September, the frequency of watering amaryllis (or hippeastrum) is reduced. When the leaves turn completely yellow and die off, the plant will go dormant on its own.

Wintering of amaryllis and hippeastrums

The main dormant period for amaryllis is 2-3 autumn months. If the plant was planted in open ground for the summer, then after flowering, amaryllis must be dug up and transplanted into a pot even before frost.

Hippeastrum can be left in the ground for the winter. In general, it is enough to transplant these flowers every 3-4 years. And in order for the hippeastrum in the garden to easily endure frost, it must be covered with a dense layer of peat or other mulch.

But if you decide to take the hippeastrum into the house for the winter, the main thing is to provide its bulb with a cool temperature in the range of 10-18 ° C.

Temperature conditions for amaryllis (hippeastrum)

At rest, amaryllis and hippeastrum bulbs should be kept in a cool room. It is best if the temperature is around 15°C, but a temperature of 10°C is also considered acceptable, and the upper figure is 18°C. If it is cooler, the bulb may get sick, and if it drops below 5 ° C, it may die.

Therefore, if you live in an area where the soil freezes below 5 ° C in winter, it is better to dig up the bulbs for the winter. This is especially true for amaryllis. More heat than 18ºC during the dormant period may cause the bulb to germinate too quickly.

This is also not very good, since the plant did not have time to rest, namely, complete rest guarantees the laying of a healthy flower arrow.

During dormancy, you only need to water the bulb so that it does not dry out - once a month and a half. Moreover, water must be poured into the pan so that in conditions of cool air and excess water, the bulb does not rot.

You will know that the recovery period is over when the flower arrow appears at the amaryllis bulb. But active watering and top dressing should be started only after this arrow stretches to 10 cm. From this moment, a new growth cycle of amaryllis or hippeastrum begins. Now you need to learn how to care for amaryllis at home and in the garden, depending on where it will grow.

It blooms exclusively in the second half of winter, it is necessary to adhere to the seasonal rules for the maintenance of this flower. There are few such rules, but still they exist, and this is especially true for the winter period. To understand some of the features of such seasonal plants, let's follow the entire life cycle of a plant step by step.

1. Bulb germination begins with the appearance of plump, light-colored roots on its bottom.
2. After rooting, active growth of a powerful and strong peduncle begins.
3. When the peduncle reaches a certain length, inflorescences form on its top and their successive (sometimes simultaneous) opening occurs, that is, the plant begins to bloom.
4. At the end of flowering, the peduncle gradually fades, and the amaryllis begins to actively grow foliage.
5. Starting from mid-September and until spring, amaryllis begins the so-called dormant period.

Many indoor plant lovers are not fully familiar with how to properly prepare this flower for winter hibernation. Consider what and how to do.

Read about the nuances of planting and growing amaryllis, as well as the rules for caring for a flower.

Condition during the winter

As mentioned above, within 7-8 months, the amaryllis has a period of active vegetation. During this time, the bulb of the plant gives all its strength, first to the pasture of a powerful and fleshy peduncle, then to a two-three-week flowering, after which all the remaining forces go into the growth of also quite powerful and large leaves.

It is not at all surprising that after such a vegetative "marathon" the plant needs a certain period of time to recuperate.

The dormant period is simply necessary for amaryllis to restore the bulbs to subsequent growth and flowering cycles.

Exactly like this dormant period occurs in amaryllis in the second half of September, when the plant sheds all the extended foliage, slows down the vegetative processes and prepares for wintering.

On its own, a plant cannot completely stop the internal growth processes, so it needs the help of a grower.

How to store?

Once we notice that the foliage of the plant begins to lose its usually pronounced dark green color and wither, the amaryllis must be immediately helped to go into a dormant stage.

Conditions

The temperature regime for wintering amaryllis bulbs should be such as not to allow vegetation processes to start. The temperature should be within + 2 + 15 degrees. Another necessary condition should be the lack of light and low humidity in the room where the amaryllis will winter.

Step-by-step instruction

If the flower is not helped to enter the dormant stage, its growth and the formation of new leaves will continue, which will greatly weaken the bulb and within 1-2 years the plant will lose its ability to bloom (read about why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it release buds) . To do this, you need to take the following measures:

1. gradually stop or minimize the watering of the flower;
2. when all the leaves turn yellow and sag, they must be completely cut off, and the bulb should be moved to a dark and fairly cool place (pantry, basement, not very heated garage, etc.).

I would like to note a very common mistake of amateur flower growers who send amaryllis to rest without removing the bulb from the ground, that is, along with the pot. This is strongly discouraged. After the complete withering of all the foliage on the plant, it must, as already mentioned a little higher, be completely removed.

After that the amaryllis bulb should be carefully removed from the pot along with the planting soil. Then you need to carefully free the rhizomes of the plant from this very planting soil, along the way checking for damaged or dried parts of the root on the bulb and, if any, remove them with small scissors.

After such preliminary preparation, the bulb can be sent to rest in a cool and dark place, where it will recover and gain strength for the next vegetation cycle within 3-5 months.

To avoid damage to the dormant bulb by infections or pests, you can before sending the bulb to rest, wash it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dry it. Also, as an additional precaution, you can wrap each onion with napkins or ordinary toilet paper.

1. First of all, it is necessary to isolate the damaged specimens of the amaryllis bulbs from the undamaged ones so that the fungus or infection does not pass to the latter.
2. Onions damaged by the pest should be brought into a warm room and re-treated with a mild manganese solution or specialized products designed to disinfect bulbous plants.
3. After treatment with such disinfectants, it is imperative to let the bulbs dry well.
4. To re-wrap processed amaryllis bulbs, in no case should you use the same paper in which they were wrapped before. You should take fresh clean tissues or clean layers of toilet paper.
5. After all the preparations, amaryllis bulbs should be sent back to storage in a dark and cool room.

Read in detail about why amaryllis leaves turn yellow, pests and fungal diseases appear, as well as how to cure a flower, read.

They are not only a model of beauty among flowers of this kind, but also a very, very unpretentious and easy-to-care plant. With proper maintenance in winter conditions, the bulb, planted in mid-February in a flower pot, by the end of March will be able to please its owner of extraordinary beauty with flowering.

Amaryllis (lat. Amaryllis)- a genus of monocotyledonous plants of the Amaryllis family, which until 1998 was considered monotypic, but now this genus, according to information The Plant List includes four types. Some of the amaryllis that used to belong to this genus have been transferred to the genus Hippeastrum. In nature, amaryllis is found in the semi-deserts and deserts of Africa, Asia and America, as well as in the American prairies. In room culture, only amaryllis belladonna is grown from South Africa. The specific name of the plant - Belladonna - was given in honor of the beautiful shepherdess, sung by the great Virgil. The name is quite justified: amaryllis is not only a decorative and deciduous, but also a flowering plant.

Homemade amaryllis - description

Homemade amaryllis is a bulbous crop with a leafless peduncle and dense green leaves arranged in two rows, sometimes reaching a length of 50 and a width of 2-3 cm. The leaves are formed in autumn or in early spring and die off by early summer. An amaryllis bulb with a diameter of 5 to 10 cm closer to autumn produces one or two peduncles 30 to 60 cm high, each of which blooms from 2 to 12 funnel-shaped six-petal flowers with a diameter of 6 to 10 cm white, pink, red or purple.

Amaryllis at home is often confused with hippeastrum, but these plants differ:

• Amaryllis leaves die off before flowers begin to open, while Hippeastrum leaves die off either during or after flowering;
• there can be no more than 6 flowers on hippeastrum, they are larger and odorless, and up to 12 fragrant small flowers can form on amaryllis;
• amaryllis is grown exclusively at home, and hippeastrum can be grown in the garden in summer.

How to care for amaryllis

How to care for amaryllis at home? The amaryllis flower prefers to be located on the southern, southwestern or southeastern window sills, but it needs diffused light, which means that in the middle of the day from direct rays it needs to be shaded with thin tulle or gauze. To keep the peduncle strictly vertical, the flower pot needs to be rotated around the axis by 180 º from time to time.

A comfortable temperature for amaryllis is not higher than 25 ºC and not lower than 16 ºC. In summer, the temperature of your apartment is quite suitable for growth, but in winter you will have to look for a place for it away from heating appliances.

Watering amaryllis

Indoor amaryllis needs to be watered evenly throughout its active growth period, however, until the plant reaches a height of 7 cm and forms leaves, watering should be moderate. But when the amaryllis shoots out and begins to form buds, the soil in the pot should be slightly damp at all times. If there is not enough moisture, the flowers may turn out faded and deformed. By September, water consumption and the frequency of watering are gradually reduced to prepare amaryllis for a dormant period. Keep in mind that excess moisture in cool weather can lead to amaryllis being affected by fungal diseases. For irrigation, use filtered or settled for two days. tap water room temperature, which is poured not under the plant, but along the inner wall of the pot so that water does not fall on the bulb.

Spraying amaryllis is not recommended, even during periods of extreme heat, because drops of water can fall on the bulb and cause it to rot. To achieve the required humidity, you can spray the air around the amaryllis with a fine mist sprayer, or place containers of water around the plant.

Top dressing amaryllis

Cultivation of amaryllis involves the introduction of fertilizers into its substrate. Top dressing is done during the period of active growth once every two weeks in the form of a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for flowering plants. Since September, fertilization is stopped and resumed only from the beginning of a new growing season.

Amaryllis transplant

The plant does not need frequent transplants, however, over time, the mother bulb becomes overgrown with children, which will have to be separated. During transplantation, you need to inspect the bulb, shorten its roots a little and release from the children. Therefore, it is easier to transplant young amaryllis annually, while each subsequent pot should be 2-3 cm larger than the previous one in diameter. Transplantation is carried out only after the flower arrow has completely dried. Adult plants need such a procedure less often - once every 4-6 years, but sometimes it is better to simply replace the top layer of the substrate in their pot.

Before planting, the pot is treated with alcohol or a solution of foundationol, a layer of drainage 2-3 cm thick is laid on the bottom, and a layer of soil mixture is placed on it, which can be purchased at a flower shop, or you can cook it yourself by mixing two parts of soddy soil, one part of lowland peat, one part of last year's humus and one part of sand. The acidity of the soil should be neutral. Amaryllis is installed on the soil layer and the voids in the pot are filled with the remnants of the soil mixture. After transplanting, amaryllis is watered.

Amaryllis after flowering

IN good conditions the plant blooms a month after planting the bulb. The flowering of amaryllis lasts from two to three weeks, but you can extend this holiday if you cut off the first of the two peduncles, lower the temperature of the content to 18 ºC and place the plant in partial shade.

When flowering is over, do not rush to cut off the flower spike, remove only faded flowers: now all the nutrients will begin to accumulate in the bulb. Move the amaryllis to a cool, shady spot and start preparing the plant for dormancy by stopping fertilizing and gradually reducing watering. The peduncle can be cut off when it becomes completely yellow and soft. Yellowed amaryllis leaves are also cut off. And what about the onion? You can dig it up and put it in storage, or you can place a pot of amaryllis in a dark, cool place where the bulb will restore the strength spent on the growth, development and flowering of the ground part last season. If the amaryllis does not rest in winter, the depleted bulb may not produce flowers next season.

Reproduction of amaryllis

Amaryllis reproduces by seed and vegetatively - by children. When growing amaryllis from flower seeds, you will not wait until after seven years, in addition, to obtain seed you will have to pollinate the amaryllis with a brush, transferring pollen from the stamens to the pistil, then wait for the seeds to ripen, collect them, sow them in a loose, moist substrate and grow in a warm and bright place. If you like experiments and are not afraid of difficulties, then this job is for you.

It is much easier to propagate amaryllis with the help of children, which are formed with healthy, strong bulbs. Babies reveal themselves by releasing long leaves. You can separate them from the bulb when transplanting, or you can dig them up by filling the void in the pot with soil. Children stand for half an hour in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and are seated in small cups for rooting. As the children grow, they are transplanted into a larger bowl. Amaryllis will bloom from daughter bulbs in five years. And remember: if you want to get a strong bulb and a large peduncle, do not let the plant bloom for the first time.

Pests and diseases of amaryllis

Amaryllis diseases

Amaryllis, alas, is very prone to fungal diseases, and if the watering of the plant is not balanced, it is quite possible that you will have to treat it for diseases such as anthracnose, stagonosporosis, gray mold and fusarium.

Anthracnose manifested by dark spots with brown streaks on the leaves of amaryllis. Leaves damaged by the fungus must be cut and destroyed, and the plant and the soil in which it grows should be treated with a fungicide solution 3-4 times with a weekly break.

sign stagonosporosis- red spots on the stems and leaves of the plant. The disease affects even the bulb, and as a result, the amaryllis dies. Stagonosporosis progresses against the background of sudden changes in temperature and excessive watering. Unfortunately, fungicide treatment rarely gives positive results, and the affected flower usually dies.

Gray rot covers the leaves and stems of amaryllis with brown spots. The reason, as a rule, is excessive moisture of the substrate. Only an immediate transplant of amaryllis into fresh soil and a revision of the irrigation regime can save the plant.

Fusarium, or root rot, affects the vascular system of amaryllis and leads to its withering. Too wet soil and temperature differences provoke infection activity. Unfortunately, to define the problem on early stage almost impossible, but as soon as you are convinced of your suspicions, remove the amaryllis from other plants so that the disease does not spread, and treat it several times with an interval of 7-10 days with Fundazol or another drug of similar action.

Amaryllis pests

Amaryllis also suffers from harmful insects. Most often it is affected by false scale insects, mealybugs, aphids, thrips and onion mites.

Aphid feeds on amaryllis juice, sucking it out of leaves and stems. Affected leaves turn yellow and curl, the stems are bent. If there are few aphids, wash the amaryllis with a solution of green potassium soap, but if this does not help, you will have to resort to insecticides - Aktellik, Aktara, Antitlin or similar preparations.

Determine what amaryllis is suffering from onion mite, very difficult, because the pest infects the bulb in the ground. A sign of the presence of a pest is the rotting of the ground organs of the plant. You can only fight onion mites with preventive measures: pickle bulbs before planting in Keltan or potassium permanganate and prevent amaryllis from being kept at too high a temperature.

Why amaryllis does not bloom

Sometimes amaryllis at home refuses to bloom. There are several reasons for this behaviour:

• insufficient lighting;
• nutrient deficiency in the soil;
• you deeply buried the bulb when planting;
• it is likely that the plant has diseased roots;
• you did not let the plant rest after flowering;
• the mother bulb is overgrown with children and requires their separation and transplantation.

Types and varieties of amaryllis

As we already wrote, only the amaryllis belladonna species is grown in room culture, which is represented by such popular varieties:

• Durban - amaryllis with large bell-shaped flowers of carmine-red color and a white spot at the base of the petals;
• Parker - a variety with pink flowers and yellow spot at the base of the petals;
• Ice Queen - double amaryllis with large shimmering white glossy flowers with a barely noticeable cream tint;
• Vera - a variety with light pink flowers of medium size, shimmering with mother of pearl;
• Red Lion - amaryllis with large flowers of rich red color;
• Grandior - this variety has flowers with narrow petals, painted in pink, gradually turning from a light shade to a more saturated one. Zev - yellowish-green;
Forward

In the conditions of a rather cold Russian climate, amaryllis blooming in winter is one of the favorite indoor plants. Its modern varieties come in a wide variety of shades - from pure white to dark crimson, purple and even green, there are varieties with double and pronounced striped flowers.

These bulbous plants are among the best for home forcing, which even the most unprepared lovers can do. In most parts of Russia, amaryllis, which is native to South America, is able to winter only indoors and has a pronounced dormant period from about late October to early February. The main secret of successful forcing is the correct organization of rest for amaryllis.

How to prepare amaryllis for dormancy. At the end of August - September, it is necessary to abandon top dressing and slowly begin to reduce watering until they completely stop at the end of October - November. Amaryllis will begin to shed its leaves gradually, and by the end of autumn they should all die off naturally. It is not worth specifically cutting off yellowing leaves, since when they die, all the organic substances from them pass into the bulb, making the necessary reserve for subsequent flowering. Sometimes one or two unfaded leaves remain for quite a long time. They are carefully bent or cut at the base of the bulb to save storage space - for example, on shelves in a cool pantry, heated greenhouse or conservatory, in a warm garage where the temperature does not drop below zero in winter.

How to store amaryllis in the dormant period. At rest, the bulbs usually keep alive most of the skeletal and largest roots, so they need to be watered occasionally (once every 15-20 days). Pots with resting bulbs are kept in a cool dry place at a temperature of about + 5 ... + 12 ° C, they do not need light. Leave the resting bulbs in pots or in bulk in boxes for at least eight to nine weeks. Remember: hippeastrum and amaryllis bulbs are not frost-resistant and are very afraid of even a short-term drop in temperature to negative values!

When does amaryllis usually bloom? At home, the normal flowering period of amaryllis is mid-February - the first half of March. But it often happens that amaryllis continue to bloom in April and even in May, especially large bulbs that give a second wave of flowering. You are quite capable of regulating this process and making amaryllis bloom, for example, on Valentine's Day or on March 8th. 7 to 10 weeks before the desired flowering time, move pots with rested bulbs to a warmer, brighter room and lightly water them. In the future, the frequency of irrigation should be adjusted depending on the intensity of foliage growth, the temperature and dryness of the surrounding air, and the state of the earthen coma. Following these simple recommendations, you will be rewarded with an annual abundant flowering of your pets.

How and when to transplant amaryllis. It is advisable to transplant amaryllis and change the soil in pots every 1-2 years and preferably in the spring, about 3-5 weeks after flowering. The root system is not cut off during planting and transplanting, but only diseased and dried roots are removed, sprinkling cuts with crushed charcoal. When transplanting, children are carefully separated, which often appear near the bulbs, and planted in separate pots, designating the variety. With proper care, children bloom in about the third or fourth year. When transplanting, the diameter of the pot is slightly increased, since amaryllis bloom more readily and much faster in a “cramped” container. You can read more about the correct maintenance and transplantation of amaryllis bulbs in my article.

Recommendations for those who are a little late with the preparation of amaryllis for rest. Most likely, most of the plants themselves "realized" that it was time to rest, when the day at the end of September - October significantly subsided, and it became noticeably colder in the rooms and on the windowsills, especially at night. Such conditions are not suitable for a stormy vegetation, so plants naturally shed some of their foliage in preparation for winter dormancy. If you also intuitively guessed that in cool conditions all plants need to be watered much less often and less plentifully, then you will not have to do anything else. And turning on the central heating will probably finally dry out a couple more yellowing leaves. Then everything is simple: we stop watering the plants and after a few days we put them to rest in some cool and rather dark room. In extreme cases, a shaded corner of the coolest room will do, where your plants will stand for another two to three months, until February or March, until you decide that it is time for them to prepare for flowering. During storage, the leaves continue to die off and your task is to occasionally remove them, as well as the black dried outer scales of the bulbs, in order to keep the plants neat and prevent the bulbs from rotting when they resume watering.

One key note- all this we are talking about plants that have reached 3-4 years old, have already entered or are ready for regular flowering. Younger plants grown from children should not be dried out and forcibly forced to shed their leaves, although in winter they will also have their own dormant period, during which new leaves stop growing and part of last year's growth dies off. During this cool and relatively dark period, young plants simply need to be watered more infrequently and moderately so as not to flood their root system.

Well, if the plant continues to grow rapidly, threw out one or two buds and is going to bloom? It's okay, this option is also quite acceptable, although less desirable. It's just that the plant has confused spring with autumn, especially if you continued to water and feed it intensively. Let the amaryllis bloom naturally, but at the same time reduce the frequency and intensity of watering a little just in case. And watch your plant. It is possible that you have already filled the bulb and this is its “swan song”.

If your plant develops well, its peduncles reach a normal height, the size of the buds and flowers do not cause concern, flowering is long enough - 10-12 days, then you should not worry too much. It's just that the dormant period for this plant will come a little later than usual. But next spring it will bloom, alas, most likely, will no longer be.

Much worse, if a few leaves suddenly completely stopped developing and during the summer did not reach their natural length. This may signal some kind of disease of the plant, the trouble of the bulb itself. Secondary signs of poor bulb condition may be softness, lethargy, lack of elasticity, or the presence of black or brown spots on the surface. It is very bad if you notice the presence of rot on the surface or at the base, excess water in the pan after your long absence, or any insects fluttering around the plant. Sometimes the bulb leans on its side or simply dangles on one or two remaining roots, although normally in amaryllis the root system is well developed and completely wraps around the earthen ball.

In this case, you must urgently carefully remove the bulb along with the earthy clod and inspect it. Depending on the state of the root system and the bulb itself, decide on the need for an urgent transplant, some kind of resuscitation, or only slightly dry if the root system is slightly waterlogged. In general, amaryllis, like all bulbous plants, are able to do without soil for a long time and, in case of emergency, may well lie down for a week or two in a cool dark place until you have the opportunity to come to grips with them and plant them according to all the rules of agricultural technology, which I have already described in my article Beautiful home flower Amaryllis.

If obvious traces of rot or other damage are found on the bulb, the first step is to assess the degree and depth of the lesion. It often happens that the foci are still on the surface of the bulb and it is enough to carefully remove them with a clean clerical knife or scalpel to a depth of 2-3 scales, or remove the affected scales along the entire diameter. Then the bulb must be treated with an effective fungicide, for example, Maxim, or at least a maroon solution of potassium permanganate or brilliant green, and then dried for 1-2 weeks in the shade or on a cool pantry shelf, checking periodically. This usually allows you to save amaryllis from further development of diseases and rot. When the problem is localized and defeated, the bulb is planted in fresh soil so that the affected area is slightly above the soil level.

If the problem still remains, then resuscitation continues until it is possible to stop the focus of the spread of the disease. If the rot has affected the bottom of the bulb or struck several roots, part of the bottom, together with the affected roots, is carefully cut out and the wound is treated with a fungicide. And don't rush to board! Dry the bulb well to prevent the disease from returning.

An even more difficult situation is created if the bulb has lost almost all roots. As long as it does not rot from the inside, it is quite possible to save it! Treat the entire bulb with the fungicide after removing all lesions. Next, thoroughly clean all affected areas and cavities and treat again with a disinfectant solution. Dry the bulb and store it in the pantry until February - March, until the life processes that accompany the exit from dormancy begin to awaken in it. It is even better if you plant it in a pot later - at the end of March or April. Then for sure. I recommend first planting the amaryllis in a 0.5 liter clear disposable plastic cup, in slightly damp vermiculite with a pinch of some kind of root stimulant. In such a container it is convenient to observe the development of the roots. Vermiculite needs to be moistened extremely rarely, because a plastic glass practically does not evaporate moisture, and on top of it, almost the entire hole is covered with an onion.

Before planting, it is also advisable to treat the bulb itself with a root formation stimulator or hold it for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, which has both a bactericidal and a stimulating role. The newly planted plant should be placed in a bright and moderately warm place without direct sunlight. I have had cases where some bulbs did not want to give roots for 6-8 months! True, this rarely happens. Therefore, do not despair, but wait patiently and you will be rewarded! If the bulb turns green and elastic in the light, it means that it will definitely survive and, sooner or later, will give new roots, which means that it will bloom again sometime!

* The commercial name Amaryllis refers to representatives of two species - Amaryllis belladonna and Hippeastrum garden. (Ed.)

Amaryllis is a bulbous indoor plant with a high peduncle, reaching a height of up to 50 centimeters and consisting of 3-6 large inflorescences. Amaryllis flowers come in a variety of hues and fascinate flower growers with their extraordinary beauty.

In order for the plant to grow and develop well, a number of rules regarding its maintenance should be observed. Strictly following them, even a beginner will be able to grow this unusually beautiful flower without much difficulty.

Types and varieties of amaryllis

- is a flower belonging to the family of monocotyledonous bulbous plants. The diameter of the bulbs can reach from 5 to 10 centimeters. Amaryllis leaf plates are narrow, long, bright green. They appear in early autumn under normal conditions, and in cold climates in March. Leaves die off in May.

Peduncle plant throws out in August. Twelve buds of white, red or pink shade appear on it, which turn into large beautiful flowers. The flowering time of amaryllis lasts about two weeks.

- in nature, the plant grows in Brazil. Its height is up to 60 centimeters. The bulb has an oblong shape and a diameter of up to 10 centimeters. Peduncle tall, grey-green. Often, two inflorescences are formed on it, resembling an orchid. The flowers are large, apple-green or cherry-brown striped. Leaf plates are narrow, long green.

- the height of the plant reaches 50 centimeters. Inflorescences are large orange, but can be red, pink, white and cherry. The bulb has a diameter of up to 12 centimeters. Leaf plates are long, lilac type.

- is a perennial bulbous plant. The bulb has a rounded or rounded conical shape. Lily type leaf plates have a dark green tint. The peduncle reaches a length of 35 to 80 centimeters. The inflorescences are large, tubular, with a red, cherry, pink or orange color.

The plant reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On the peduncle bloom from 4 to 6 large, raspberry-colored flowers. Leaf plates of a dark green shade, lily type. The flowering time of the plant is May and December.

- the bulb of the plant has a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters. From it grow two peduncles up to 50 centimeters long with 5 white inflorescences with red stripes and specks. Leaf plates are long, green, lilac type.

- Amaryllis of this variety reaches a height of 50 centimeters. Large inflorescences appear on the peduncle in the amount of three pieces. The flowering of the plant begins from 10 weeks after planting in the substrate. The inflorescences are creamy with pink stripes. The edges of the petals have wavy edges. The leaf plates of the belt of a prominent type are distinguished by glossiness and a dark green tint.

- the length of the peduncle of this variety reaches 60 centimeters. 3 large inflorescences of a snow-white hue with wavy petals and a pleasant aroma appear on it. The bulb of the plant has an oval or rounded shape with a diameter of up to 10 centimeters. Leaf plates are long, glossy green.

- the bulb of the plant has a rounded shape and a diameter of up to 12 centimeters. A peduncle of medium thickness grows from it, on which large inflorescences of a white-pink hue with a pleasant aroma and rounded petals are formed. The leaves are green, glossy, long, prominent belt type.

In height, the culture reaches 60 centimeters. On the peduncle appear from 2 to four large flowers of a red hue with wavy petals. The flowering period of amaryllis lasts from late summer to mid-autumn.

- the peduncle of the plant reaches a height of 60 centimeters. It blooms from two to four luxurious, large flowers with a large number of white petals with orange stripes. With good care, the plant blooms twice a year.

- the bulb of this plant variety reaches a diameter of 8 to 12 centimeters. A peduncle grows from it, on which from 3 to 5 large red inflorescences with a light pleasant aroma are formed. The leaf plates of the amaryllis of this variety are long, bright green, belt type.

- this variety is distinguished by dense linear-lingual, long leaf plates of a dark green hue and luxurious, lush peach-colored flowers resembling peonies. The inflorescences are not only beautiful, but also smell very pleasant. Plant height reaches 60 centimeters. From one bulb grows up to two peduncles with 4-6 buds.

- a variety of this amaryllis reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On the peduncle, from 2 to 6 large inflorescences of a white hue with wavy petals and the aroma of expensive French perfumes are formed. Amaryllis blooms in late summer. Lily type leaf plates reach up to 30 centimeters in length and have a dark green tint.

The plant reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters. On a long peduncle, from 4 to six large inflorescences are formed with double petals of orange, red and white. The leaf plates of amaryllis are long, belt-like, dark green. The bulbs are large, their diameter is from 12 to 15 centimeters.

- is a bulbous perennial. The bulb has a rounded or rounded-conical shape. Dark green belt-type leaf plates reach up to 70 centimeters in length. Large flowers of various shades with a delicate, pleasant aroma bloom on a long peduncle.

- the height of the peduncle of the plant reaches 70 centimeters. It blooms up to 4 large, luxurious cream-colored inflorescences with a pleasant aroma. Flowering time occurs at the end of summer and lasts up to one month. Leaf plates have a dark green tint and glossiness. They die off at the end of autumn with the onset of a dormant period in amaryllis.

- the bulbs of the plant reach a diameter of up to 20 centimeters. The leaf plates of amaryllis are long, green, lily type. The peduncle grows up to 60 centimeters long. It blooms up to 4 large inflorescences of a pink hue with wavy petals. Flowering time from May to June.

Amaryllis home care

This luxurious flower is characterized by unpretentious care. However, in order for him to please with his unusual colors, you should follow the rules for caring for him, trying to create for him such a microclimate as in a natural environment. If the plant feels comfortable, then it will bloom twice or even thrice a year.

Humidity is not of great importance for the crop, but to avoid pest attacks, the leaf plates should be wiped with a sponge and sprayed once a week. Such manipulations should be abandoned at the time of flowering of amaryllis. Do not spray bulbs that are at rest.

Amaryllis likes diffused bright sunlight, so it should be grown in a southeast or southwest window. So that the peduncle does not reach for the sun, the pot needs to be turned from time to time.

The most comfortable temperature for a plant is considered to be from 18 to 25 degrees. When the bulbs are in a dormant period, the temperature should be reduced to 10-12 degrees.

Hippeastrum is also a member of the Amaryllis family. It is grown when caring at home without much hassle, if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Watering amaryllis

In summer, amaryllis should be watered only when the substrate dries. When the plant has a dormant period, watering is reduced, spending them a few days after the soil dries.

If the bulbs were moved to the basement, then watering should still be reduced in order to prevent acidification of the soil. It should be noted that water should be added under the bulb, and not on it.

soil for amaryllis

The soil that suits amaryllis can be made independently.

An ideal soil option for a plant would be a mixture of leaf and sod soil, humus, peat and sand in equal proportions.

Amaryllis transplant

Usually a plant transplant is required once a year. This frequency will allow the grower to study the condition of the flower bulb.

It is extremely important to carry out a transplant according to the rules, since non-compliance with them can lead to a lack of flowering of the plant. For planting, you should not pick up a pot that is too spacious, otherwise the amaryllis simply will not bloom. The ideal distance between the walls of the pot and the bulb should not be more than three centimeters.

When transplanting the bulb into the ground, it should be buried in the ground with a mixture of only half, leaving the second half and the top above the ground. Also, one should not forget about the drainage layer, which can be formed from fine expanded clay.

Fertilizer for amaryllis

It is necessary to fertilize the plant only during the flowering and growth period. Top dressing is carried out once every ten days.

Mullein mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10 should be taken as a fertilizer.

amaryllis bloom

Flowering time depends on the plant variety. Some plants bloom in summer, some in autumn, and there are those that bloom in winter. To prolong flowering, it is necessary to keep the flowerpot with amaryllis in a cool place, out of direct sunlight.

After the first inflorescence opens, the peduncle can be cut off and placed in a container of water. There are no differences in the duration of flowering in water and on the bulb. However, due to cutting, it is possible to reduce the depletion of the bulb and stimulate the appearance of a new peduncle.

The inflorescences of the plant are large with a pleasant aroma. Their petals have wavy or straight edges. The color scheme can vary from white and cream to red and pink with stripes and flecks. Amaryllis blooms for 15-20 days.

During flowering, the plant needs light and abundant watering. The earthling must be moist, but at the same time it is necessary to ensure that the water does not stagnate in the pot, otherwise the bulb will begin to rot.

Amaryllis pruning

After the plant has faded, the leaf plates and shoots die off on their own, they do not need to be cut.

Caring for amaryllis in winter

Usually, the dormant period of the plant begins in the cold season and lasts for two months. You can understand that the plant hibernates by dropping the leaf plates and dying off the peduncle. At this point, watering should be reduced to a minimum and stop fertilizing.

Then the pot, along with the bulb, must be transferred to the basement, where the temperature should not exceed 16 degrees. Ideally, the temperature should be 10-12 degrees. Moisten the soil in which the bulb is located should be as it dries completely.

After the release of amaryllis from hibernation, care for the plant is carried out in the same way as during the growing season.

This method is quite laborious, besides, it does not allow to preserve the varietal qualities of the crop, for this reason it is rarely used for home breeding. However, if the grower nevertheless decided to try, he needs to do the following.

Perform artificial pollination of flowers with a brush. Two months after the cracking of the seed pods, it is necessary to collect the seeds. Dry them and spread them on a light, airtight moistened soil and sprinkle a thin layer of earth mixture on top. Planting seeds should be carried out from January to February.

The box with seeds should be kept in a warm place under the film until seedlings appear. After the young plants have leaves, they should be seated in separate pots. Such amaryllis will bloom only after seven years.

Reproduction of amaryllis by children

When transplanting an adult plant, it can be propagated with the help of children. For this purpose, children with roots should be separated from the bulb using a knife. Sections must be treated with charcoal.

A small bulb should be planted in a separate container with the earth with a mixture for amaryllis and put in heat for the rooting period. Three years after planting, the young plant will begin to bloom.

Amaryllis reproduction by dividing the bulb

This method is the most popular and in demand among flower growers. To propagate a plant using bulbous division, you should take an onion, peel it from scales and divide it into four parts.

Then each of them must be immersed in a fungicide solution for disinfection. After half an hour, each part of the bulb should be planted in the substrate, plunging them 1/3 into the ground. Until full rooting, the bulbs should be kept in a warm place.

Reproduction of amaryllis scales

To use this method of reproduction, you should take the bulb, divide it into several parts, separating the scales. Then they must be sprinkled with crushed charcoal and planted in a substrate for growing amaryllis.

Three months later, young bulbs will begin to form. Mineral fertilizers and maintenance in warm conditions will help speed up their appearance.

Amaryllis diseases

With improper care of the plant, it is exposed to a number of diseases and pests.

The most common amaryllis diseases are:

fungus - upon discovery red spots on leaf blades, bulb or inflorescences or completely reddened leaves , the plant must be urgently treated with "Fundazol" and reduce watering.

Pale leaf plates - loss of bright green decorative coloring of leaves, occurs due to stagnation of moisture in the soil. To cope with this problem, transplanting amaryllis into a breathable soil with a good layer of drainage will help.

Anthracnose - at the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaves the plant should be treated with Actellik fungicide, as well as reduce watering and spraying frequency.

Amaryllis pests

Of the pests for the plant, the following insects are dangerous:

spider mite - you can notice the appearance of this dangerous insect by the appearance of cobwebs on leaf plates . You can get rid of it by spraying the flower with the Kleshchevit insecticide.

onion mite - this insect feeds on the amaryllis bulb, as a result of which the plant grows poorly and ceases to bloom. If it blooms, then the flowers turn out to be deformed, and the leaf plates turn yellow and fall off. Pest control should be done in the following way. The amaryllis bulb should be dug out of the pot and dipped in hot water with a temperature of 40 degrees for two minutes, after which it should be treated with the Keltan preparation.

amaryllis mealybug - feeds on the bulb, leading to its fading and appearance of a dark plaque on the scales . To destroy the worm, the bulb should be treated with the Aktara insecticide.

Aphid - the insect feeds on the juice of the leaves, causing them to turn yellow . It can be destroyed by treating the plant (peduncle and foliage) with a solution of 20% ethyl alcohol.

thrips - these pests affect leaf plates, leading to the appearance of multiple dark dots on them . To get rid of pests, you should disinfect the plant, transplant it into a new pot and soil, and then treat it with Fitoverm insecticide

Shchitovka - when a shield appears leaves are covered with sticky juice and dark spots which are actually insects. You can get rid of them by treating the plant with Actellik.

To prevent the occurrence of all of the above diseases, it is enough to properly care for amaryllis and such problems will bypass the flower.

Possible Difficulties When Growing Amaryllis

Many flower growers face a number of problems when growing this unusually beautiful plant, which include:

• No flowering - amaryllis may stop blooming due to a too loose pot, a strong deepening of the bulb in the ground, a lack of fertilizer, a small amount of light and heat, rotting of the root system, lack of a dormant period, youthfulness of the bulbs, and pest damage.
• Yellowing leaves - causes damage to aphids in the plant.
• Leaf reddening - the defeat of amaryllis by an ailment of fungal etiology leads to reddening of the leaf plates.
• Leaf drooping - such a problem occurs as a result of a violation of the irrigation regime and excessive soil moisture.

After the cause of the loss of decorativeness by the plant is identified and eliminated, amaryllis will regain its former luxury and beauty in the shortest possible time.

Amaryllis signs and superstitions

Large and beautiful inflorescences of this exotic plant can decorate any interior and bring positive energy into the home atmosphere. Amaryllis translated into Russian means proud and impregnable. Popularly, this beautiful flower is called the “naked girl” due to the fact that often the peduncle with inflorescences appears much earlier than the dark green leaf plates.

There is an opinion that it is better to grow amaryllis in the open field, and not in a pot on the windowsill, as it can harm not only pets, but also humans. What exactly is its value?

The plant of this family is poisonous. It contains a substance such as lycorine, which, if ingested, causes severe poisoning and vomiting. Therefore, when growing this flower, it should be kept away from animals and small children in order to avoid trouble.

Amaryllis Feng Shui

According to this ancient Eastern philosophy, amaryllis is a representative of the fire element. It is especially pronounced in plants with red flowers. This exotic flower brings joy and material well-being to the house, and health and harmony to the inhabitants of the house.

It is better to place amaryllis in that part of the house that is hidden from prying eyes. Most of all, the plant is impressed by the kitchen. Here it must be placed on the windowsill so that the amaryllis begins to saturate the surrounding space with positive energy.

By its nature, the flower is a loner and does not tolerate other plants next to it. The only exception is aloe and fern, which can create a wonderful energy tandem with it.

Amaryllis magic

The most important magical possibility of a flower is the fulfillment of desires. To fulfill your innermost dream, you should wait until the amaryllis releases a peduncle with buds. Then you need to choose one of the unblown flowers, touch it and make a wish.

The plant will help in the fulfillment of dreams regarding love, health, travel and personal growth. After the wish is made, you should thank the flower and continue to care for it.

If the bud on which the wish was made blooms before the rest, this means that the universe has heard the grower's request and will soon fulfill it.

Conclusion

Amaryllis is an exotic that is quite easy to grow at home. It is enough to follow the simple rules for caring for the plant and it will constantly delight you with luxurious flowers, filling the air with a pleasant aroma.

(Amaryllidáceae) was bred by the Swedish botanist, mineralogist, zoologist and physician Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and includes 4 plant species.

At home, amaryllis belladonna is most often grown, which was cultivated in 1700.

Amaryllis bulbs were first introduced to England, then to Australia, and then to America. It was in Australia at the beginning of the 19th century that hybrid plants with different colors of flowers were bred.

Rest and flowering period:

The dormant period must be done from December to April, since these periods are more natural for this plant and are as close to natural as possible. In this case, Amaryllis is less depleted and tolerates flowering more easily.

In late August and early September, it is necessary to begin to reduce watering and fertilization. By the end of October - November, all watering should be stopped. With the beginning of the reduction in watering, Amaryllis will begin to shed its leaves and absorb all the nutrients from them into the bulb. Therefore, do not cut off the leaves until they are completely dry. With a complete cessation of watering, Amaryllis should drop all pouring.

During the dormant period, the plant must be watered once a month, as it retains some of the roots. It does not need lighting, so it can be rearranged in a dark, cool and always dry place. The storage temperature should not fall below 10 ºC, as the bulbs are not frost resistant.

Amaryllis usually blooms in early March. In order to stimulate it, it is necessary to rearrange the pot in a warm and well-lit place and begin to gradually increase the amount of watering, adjusting it relative to the intensity of growth. Depending on the species, foliage or flower may appear first - either of these options is normal, but flower stalks still appear more often.

After the end of flowering, the peduncle is cut off at a height of 3-4 cm from the base of the bulbs.

Some Amaryllis owners cut the peduncle from the bulb immediately after the flower opens and put it in water, since the flowering time in the vase and on the plant is almost the same, but this way you prevent unnecessary depletion of the bulb and stimulate the appearance of a new peduncle. The water in the flower vase must be changed daily.

After flowering, the plant continues to be regularly watered and fertilized, as Amaryllis begins to actively grow foliage. The more foliage grows during spring and summer, the better it will be for the bulb, they will help stock up on energy for the dormant period and new flowering. With each new leaf, if the conditions for maintaining irrigation and fertilizer are observed, the amaryllis bulb lays flower buds or daughter bulbs, while they can start growing.

About caring for Amaryllis:

Temperature:Optimum temperature for amaryllis in summer it is 18-25 ºC, and in winter the temperature should not fall below 10 ºC. Amaryllis belongs to heat-loving plants, but it is not recommended to place the plant next to batteries or heaters in winter period. In summer, the plant may suffer from the cold air of the air conditioner, so it should not be placed in critical proximity to them. The plant needs to provide a decrease in night temperature compared to daytime. In the summer, Amaryllis can be taken out to a balcony or terrace, while protecting it from direct sunlight, wind and precipitation.

Lighting: Amaryllis needs bright light and a southeast or southwest window sill works well. The plant needs shading only in the summer at noon and immediately after transplanting or planting. In winter, it is not worth shading. The plant must be rotated regularly in order for the leaves to develop evenly.

Watering: For Amaryllis, watering should be regular as needed. The substrate of the plant between watering should have time to dry slightly. It is necessary to water with warm, soft, settled water, trying so that the ode does not fall on the bulb. Water from the pan after watering must be drained.

Air humidity: Amaryllis is picky about air humidity. For him, the daily procedure should be spraying the leaves of the plant with soft settled water in the morning and evening, especially if the plant is kept in a room with dry air. Regular spraying will preserve the decorative effect and improve the well-being of the plant. In order to increase the humidity, you can use pallets with wet expanded clay. In this case, the bottom of the amaryllis pot should not touch the water. It is necessary to clean the leaves from dust.

fertilizers: It is necessary to fertilize Amaryllis every 2 weeks in spring and summer, as there are few nutrients in stony soil, and frequent watering does not allow them to accumulate. Fertilizers must be applied through the pallet, immersing the plant in a container of fertilizer for 20 minutes, and then letting the excess drain. Further, for top dressing, complex fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants are used.

The soil: For Amaryllis, the soil must be nutritious and well-drained. For it, they take a universal substrate or soil for decorative leafy plants, to which charcoal, coconut soil, sphagnum moss, perlite and humus are added to increase nutritional value. Good drainage at the bottom of the pot is essential.

Transfer: Amaryllis is rarely transplanted, only as needed, in the middle of summer. The pot is selected not wide, but deep (the bulb has a long root system), making sure that the distance between the bulb and the wall of the pot does not exceed 3 cm. (1.5 months). In a tight pot, the plant blooms faster, but if you want to achieve the appearance of daughter bulbs, then the pot must be taken wider.

Reproduction of Amaryllis:

The plant reproduces by division and daughter bulbs.

Most often, amaryllis is propagated by daughter bulbs, which are formed at the bottom of an adult bulb. Onions with a size of 3 cm or more and having small roots are subject to separation. Reproduction is carried out during transplantation.

Bulbs with a size of at least 6 cm are taken for propagation by division. If necessary, a part of the soil substrate is removed so that only the roots of the plant are in the ground and the entire bulb is cleaned of scales. The upper part of the bulb is cut off along the border of the foliage, capturing a little of the surface of the bulb. Then the bulb is cut into 4 vertical equal parts, the cuts should reach the surface of the substrate. Between the slices it is necessary to insert metal knitting needles or wooden size 5-6 mm. The optimum temperature for reproduction is 22-25 ºC. For a divided bulb, care should be the same as for an ordinary plant. When the first daughter bulbs appear, it is necessary to carry out the first fertilization, after that, fertilizers are applied at the same frequency as for an ordinary plant. In the spring, plant the resulting group of mono bulbs in separate pots. Usually it is from 5 to 7 bulbs.

Amaryllis. Growing problems:

• No bloom: the bulb is deeply buried, no dormant period, no dormant period, a large number of daughter bulbs, insufficient nutrients in the soil, insufficient lighting, the presence of any problems with the root system of the plant.
• Shrinking bulb: too abundant flowering, a large number of daughter bulbs, insufficient lighting.

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Amaryllis is a popular houseplant found in the flower collections of many flower growers. Demanded due to its beautiful flowers and easy care. To make the amaryllis feel comfortable in an apartment, you don’t need to try hard. This task will be suitable for beginners as well. If you want to have a plant with beautiful flowers at home, but do not want to do much with it, choose amaryllis, as it is best suited for this purpose.

Conditions for growing amaryllis

In amaryllis, growing conditions differ depending on the vegetation phase. So, at a certain time, the plant actively grows, and at another time, it has a dormant time. Growers need to be aware of the inability of amaryllis to survive in very cold conditions where temperatures hover around freezing. The opposite situation, when the air is very hot and humid, as in the tropics, will also be detrimental to the plant.

Ideal conditions for the growth of amaryllis in different phases of development.

1. Location:

• In the growth phase, this window is in the southeast or southwest. You can put the plant on the south window, if you first shade it from the scorching daylight rays of the sun. Otherwise, the leaves will burn out from intense lighting.
• During dormancy, the plant is placed in a dark place, where the air is slightly cool and well ventilated.

2. Lighting conditions:

• In the growth phase, powerful diffused sunlight should fall on the plant for 14-16 hours every day. Both the leaves and the peduncle usually stretch towards the sun, which means that the pot will constantly have to be rotated so that they grow strictly vertically. You can also equip the plant with special props.
• During the dormant period, accordingly, no additional lighting requirements are put forward.

3. Humidity:

The plant loves moisture very much, so it is recommended to water it with regularly settled water at room temperature, it is possible through a pan, excess water from which is drained after 6-8 hours. They make sure that the earthen lump is moist, but it is not necessary to bring the amount of moisture to excess. During flowering, more water is needed. If it stagnates, then rotting of the roots, wilting of the leaves, loss of flowers will begin. You can also spray the leaves - this will not harm the flowers. Moreover, it is recommended to moisten the buds before flowering. The optimum humidity should be 60-80%.

During the dormant period, watering the plant at this time is prohibited. The soil is only periodically sprayed. Watering is resumed only when a new peduncle appears and germinates up to 10 cm. In the place where the pot will stand during the dormant period, the humidity should be 60-70%.

4. Ventilation

Amaryllis needs to ensure regular ventilation of the room, but without drafts.

5. Optimum room temperature:

• During the active growing season - 22–24ºС during the daytime and 18ºС at night. It is necessary to ensure that the plant does not suffer from constant temperature fluctuations.
• During the dormant period, both day and night, the temperature should be 10-12ºС.

How to plant amaryllis

Pot selection

Before planting amaryllis, choose the most successful pot. It should be a heavy and stable vessel. The flower will try to grow a powerful and tall peduncle, as well as a large number of leaves, which means that it can topple itself. In addition, during care, a light pot is more likely to hurt than a massive one.

The size of the vessel is chosen based on the parameters of the bulb. Ideally, it should be the main object in the pot. And this means that it should be up to 3-5 cm from it to all walls. As for the depth of the pot, it should be maximum, since the plant develops a large root system. You can choose a vessel that is wide at the bottom and gradually narrows at the top.

Soil preparation

It is very fashionable to plant several bulbs in one pot so that their simultaneous flowering is even more spectacular. In this case, the distance between them should be at least 2-3 cm.

The next step is to choose the soil. The easiest option is to go to a specialized store and buy ready-made soil for bulbs there. But any experienced grower will abandon this idea and go to prepare the substrate himself. Do not forget to sterilize the soil: for this, it is doused with strong boiling water or kept over hot steam for about half an hour. You can also freeze it in the freezer.

The composition of the substrate, which you can prepare yourself, often looks like one of the following options:

• turf, garden soil and river sand in equal parts and half of the humus;
• turf, garden soil, humus, river sand and peat in equal parts;
• humus, soddy land and sand in a ratio of 1:1:2.

At the bottom, it is necessary to fill up drainage with a thickness of 2-3 cm. To do this, you can take pebbles, gravel, expanded clay, accessible brick chips, small fragments of ceramics. Part of the drainage is mixed with the substrate and spread over the surface of the pot. It also has a large hole for water drainage.

Drainage from above is also covered with sand by 2-3 cm, in order to additionally be safe from root rotting due to water accumulation.

Planting amaryllis step by step

To plant a new plant, you need to choose the most beautiful and with a smooth surface, which have fairly good roots. It is necessary to ensure that the bulb does not have cracks, dents, scratches, places of decay and mold damage, spots. If the bulb has an unpleasant sweet smell, it is also not worth choosing.

Amaryllis transplant

How to transplant amaryllis at home

Amaryllis transplantation is carried out after it has faded, waiting for the peduncle to completely wither.

It is not necessary to replant the plant every year, but the operation is carried out no more than once every three years. If the amaryllis grows too fast, you can transplant earlier.

To renew the soil mixture and give the plant more nutrients, replace the top 3-4 centimeters of potted soil with new ones every year.

1. Before transplanting, the plant is watered abundantly for 4 days.
2. On the day of transplantation, the amaryllis is carefully taken out along with the earth and carefully cleaned of it to inspect the condition of the roots. Rotting roots are removed with a sharp knife, and all sections are treated with activated carbon powder or ordinary ash.
3. Then all bad scales are removed from the bulb and daughter plants are separated. They are used to plant in new pots. If you understand that the babies are too small to separate (sometimes they are only a few millimeters), you can not do this. But it should be borne in mind that in such cases, amaryllis may stop blooming in order to grow children.

Before an adult plant is planted in another pot, it must be fed. Several sticks of Agricola or other mineral fertilizer are applied under the roots.

Reproduction of amaryllis

Breeders and flower growers use all three possible methods of amaryllis propagation - dividing the bulb, children and seeds.

Amaryllis from seeds at home

This is the longest breeding method and the least successful. If the seeds are collected from hybrid plants, varietal characteristics are not preserved, and flowering appears only after 8 years. The only advantage is the slow aging of the bulbs.

To get seeds, you need two amaryllis. With a brush, pollen is taken from one and applied to the pestle of the other. As a result, a box is formed in which the seeds will then ripen. Ripening takes at least a month.

• Seeds are planted immediately, as germination drops sharply over time.
• Moisten the soil well before planting.
• Embedding depth 1-1.5 cm.
• Distance between seeds 3-5 cm
• The pot with seeds is placed in a warm shaded place.
• They expect about a month of germination, and 3 months after that, the seedlings dive into different pots.

dividing the bulb

This is the most risky method, since you can be left with nothing.

• Choose the healthiest onion and divide it into 4-8 shares, without cutting to the end. Make sure that each of them has 1-2 scales and part of the bottom. Be sure to treat the sections with activated carbon powder or ash.
• The bulb is planted in the usual way and grown at 25-27 ºС.
• On delenki, the first leaf grows first. They wait for the second, and plant the plants already in adult soil for bulbs, which is mixed with an equal amount of sand.

How to cut an amaryllis bulb, the video will tell:

Many growers have successfully used bulb division to propagate amaryllis, it's important to just do it right and not be afraid to take risks.

Reproduction by children

The most successful amaryllis. 2-3 years after planting, the bulb will bloom. Daughter bulbs are planted in the same way as new store bulbs, but a slightly larger pot is chosen. This is due to the rapid growth of children.

1. Find small onions on the mother amaryllis and separate them from the adult plant. The next step is to plant them in a pot with drainage and soil, placing the bottom down and lightly pressing into the ground. Only part of the bulb is left above the surface.
2. Then lightly tamp the soil and water it well. Place new amaryllis in a bright and warm place.
3. There is no need to organize a rest period. Feeding and watering are not reduced, and rest is organized for flowers only after flowering.

Amaryllis - although an exotic plant, but quite real in everyone's house. If you follow the rules for its care, you can often enjoy its flowers.

Amaryllis care at home

Watering and feeding

During growth, amaryllis is watered carefully. This is done when the height of the peduncle is at least 10 cm. This flower likes to receive a lot of water, but not in a stagnant form. Sometimes it is better to refuse watering than to flood the plant. It is best to add water to the pot every four days, making sure that water does not get on the bulb during watering. It should fall purely on the soil around.

In winter, so much water should not flow to the plant. It is enough not to spray more than once a week.

• Fertilize amaryllis every 12-14 days, starting this process when buds form.
• With intensive flowering, reduce the interval by half. There is no need to specifically select fertilizers. For this, any ready-made products for indoor flowering will fit - Kemira Lux, Emerald, Bona Forte, Ideal, Ava, Rainbow, Florist, Master Color, Agricola, Living World, Reasil, Bud, Life Force and others.
• Fertilizers with more potassium and phosphorus are preferable than nitrogen.

It is also possible to use natural organic fertilizers - fresh manure is diluted from a ratio of 1.5 cups in 10 liters of water, and bird droppings - a third of a cup per 10 liters.

With the complete death of the leaves, top dressing stops. It is not carried out in the resting phase either.

Amaryllis bloom at home

Amaryllis in the wild enters the flowering phase in early autumn. In indoor floriculture, there are tricks on how to change this period. The simplest is to plant the bulbs at a different time. So, when choosing healthy specimens, they begin to grow immediately after planting, giving mature flower stalks as early as 7-8 weeks. Here you need to observe - if there are more than two peduncles, they are removed so as not to load the bulb abundantly with flowering.

When the first flower appeared and blossomed, some cut the peduncle and put it in a vase. Subject to daily renewal of water, he can hold out there for up to three weeks. You can not cut the peduncle, but it will last the same amount, and it will deplete the bulb much more. To maximize the flowering time, the vase or flower pot is placed in a cooler and darker place.

How to make amaryllis bloom Why amaryllis does not bloom

You must understand which reason you have listed. It must be eliminated and the result expected.

Amaryllis after flowering

1. When the flowers wither, the amount of incoming water and fertilizers is sharply reduced. Completely stop watering and feeding amaryllis when neither the peduncle nor the leaves are left.
2. Remove all dead leaves, but you should not force it. If a partially live leaf is left, it will still feed the plant.
3. When the dormant phase has finally begun, the pot is transferred to the dark. Remember that the roots are still alive, so the soil needs to be irrigated once a week with a spray bottle.

Another care option (but risky) is digging up the bulbs, cleaning them, and putting them in cardboard boxes for storage. But you can disrupt some process and cause the roots to dry out.

Experienced flower growers know the tricks, because of which their amaryllis is twice a year - in early autumn and early spring. For this, a dormant period is strictly organized to rest the bulb and accumulate the necessary nutrients. In January, they take out pots with amaryllis from their place of rest, put them in a bright and insulated place, and water them. Monitor soil moisture. All this stimulates a phase of rapid growth.

Diseases and pests of amaryllis

1. Stagonosporosis (red burn)

• The bulb is covered with small red spots, the edges of the scales have the same border.
• Amaryllis is soaked for 2 hours in strong purple potassium permanganate, after which the largest foci are cut off and treated with brilliant green. The plant is kept in the air for a week, then planted.

2. Mold and rot

• The surface of the bulb is covered with red-gray spots. Then it becomes softer, smells of a sweetish type. The leaves are covered with red-brown stripes and spots.
• The affected leaves are completely cut off, and the bulb itself is sprayed with 0.05% Bordeaux liquid. You can choose Fundazol and HOM in the dilution indicated by the manufacturer.

3. Spider mite

• It is felt that the leaves are covered with cobwebs. This causes them to wither and dry out.
• Amaryllis is treated with Oberon, Kleschevit, Nisoran, Floromite, Neoron.

4. Onion mite

• The insect infects the bulb itself, which leads to inhibition of plant development and the absence of flowering. Even if there are flowers, they are deformed. And the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
• Bulbs are removed from the pots and placed in water at 35-40ºС for 5 minutes. After that, they are treated with Keltan and Rogor. There is also a more aggressive method - the bulb is closed in an airtight container with a sulfur checker, which is set on fire. Wait 2 hours and then get it back. To achieve the final effect, keep the amaryllis in the fresh air for another day.

5. Thrips

• There are many small brown dots on the leaves.
• They try to remove all pests from the leaves, wash the plant and transplant into a sterile pot and soil. Then the amaryllis is treated with Agravertin and Fitoverm.

6. Mealybug

• Dense scales are observed from the bottom of the leaves. They can be almost white and even dark brown. Around them, there are secretions of a sticky nature, similar in type to syrup.
• The sponge is impregnated with laundry soap and foamed. She actively rub the leaves.

9. Aphid

• Yellowness of leaves.
• All pests are harvested by hand, after which the leaves are wiped with soapy water.

10. Springtail

Springtails on amaryllis photo

• Small white insects are noticeable on the surface of the soil.
• Reduce the flow of moisture, the top layer of soil is replaced with a new one, and treated with insecticides.

Amaryllis varieties and breeding tasks

The shops sell modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis, which are bred selectively. Real Amaryllis belladonna is extremely rare and is valued by avid flower growers.

At the moment, breeders are achieving the following tasks:

• Breeding large double and ordinary flowers. The most beautiful terry-type hybrids are the Snow Queen, Macarena, Celica, Pink Nymph, Merry Christmas, Promise. Of the non-terry varieties, these are Benfica, Moonlight, Matterhorn, Black Pearl, Exotica, Lemon-Lime, Rosalie.
• Search for unique shades and their combinations. In this sense, Clown, Charisma, Estella, Prelude, Santa Cruz, Neon and other varieties are good.
• Working with new forms of flowers. The recent trend in breeding is the breeding of amaryllis with narrow, partially corrugated petals along the edges. This can be seen in the varieties Evergreen, Night Star, Lima, La Paz, Santana.

This does not mean that classic amaryllis is not in demand on the market. Standard cultivars such as Durban (carmine-colored flowers with a white vein in the middle), Pink Gorgeous (pink-white petals), Parker (yellow center and purplish-pink edges), Maxima (bright pink flowers with a strong aroma), Hathor (yellow center and white petals) are no less popular.

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences Photo of plants

Amaryllis and hippeastrum are from the Amaryllis family. Only in the first genus there are significantly more plants. At least 90 species grow only in the wild, and with breeding varieties, the hippeastrum family has up to 2000 varieties. They have a lot in common with amaryllis, so even experienced sellers can confuse these plants.

Differences between amaryllis and hippeastrum

In order not to repeat, below, each first paragraph - refers to amaryllis, the second - to hippeastrum.

1. Flowering time:

• amaryllis blooms in late summer - early autumn;
• hippeastrum - in late winter or early spring.

2. Place of origin:

• Africa;
• South America respectively.

3. Aroma intensity:

• bright;
• Hardly ever.

4. Flower size:

• in amaryllis 10-12 cm;
• hippeastrum 6-8 cm.

5. The number of flowers in one plant:

• 4-6, can reach 12 pieces;
• 2-4, maybe 6 flowers.

6. Natural coloring of wild plants:

• almost white, pink in different shades, red;
• red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple, green and combinations of these colors.

7. The presence of leaves during flowering:

• no - they germinate only after the peduncle has grown;
• present during flowering.

8. Characteristics of the peduncle:

• a dense tube without voids, the color of which gives off a little purple;
• a hollow tube that is easy to crush when pressed, has a green color with a grayish-brown tint.

9. Peduncle length:

• in amaryllis 40-60 cm;
• hippeastrum 60-70 cm.

10. Characteristics of the bulb in shape:

• pear-shaped;
• slightly elongated or round, slightly flattened laterally.

11. Characteristics of scales:

• ash-gray in color, have a small fringe from the upper edge;
• very similar in appearance to the classic edible onion, but have a white or green surface color.

Description of amaryllis

Amaryllis (lat. Amaryllis) is the most common genus of the amaryllis family (lat. Amaryllidaceae). Initially, botanists attributed to him one species of plant - Amaryllis belladonna (or Amaryllis belladonna). Over time, approaches to taxonomy changed, and two more species of amaryllis were included here - Amaryllis sarniensis and Amaryllis paradisicola.

Amaryllis belladonna comes from southern Africa. Researchers claim that the plant spread from the Olifants River Valley from the Cape Province of South Africa. As for other species, here the geography is wider - South Africa, Japan, Australia, some islands of the English Channel - they can be considered the birthplace of plants.

For the first time, the genus Amaryllis was described by the famous Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, who was engaged in taxonomy. He is credited with the name of this flower. Before his work, there was an opinion that amaryllis is only one of the subspecies of the lily. It was called Lilionarcissus. Linnaeus realized that this was a separate plant, but made a significant error in taxonomy by including a number of varieties of hippeastrum in the genus Amaryllis. To this day, many people confuse these plants.

The name of the plant is first found in the work of Virgil. In his poetic works, you can meet the heroine - the shepherdess Amaryllis or Amaryllida. This name in Greek means "sparkling".

Amaryllis is a bulbous perennial flower with dark green smooth leaves. The green of the plant is so narrow and long that it looks like a belt. The leaves are arranged in two rows.

A mark of the beginning of flowering of amaryllis is the growth of a long hollow tube of 40-60 cm - this is a peduncle. The plant produces up to three peduncles. Leaves will follow. In the wild, this occurs in late summer - early autumn. Each peduncle bears 2-12 flowers, depending on the variety. By type of inflorescence - an umbrella.

Amaryllis grown in the wild can have flowers with white, pink and red petals in various shades. Breeders artificially bred many hybrid varieties of yellow, purple, orange, green. A separate amaryllis flower looks like a lily and - a gramophone, being 10-12 centimeters in diameter.

Despite the seeming cuteness of the plant, amaryllis has poisonous parts. The alkaloid lycorine was found in the bulb. If it gets on the skin, it will irritate. All planting operations with the plant should be carried out exclusively with rubber gloves, and then wash your hands with soap and water. It is necessary to keep the flower away from pets and children.

Lovely home flower Amaryllis*

Amaryllis* (Amaryllis, Hippeastrum)- one of our favorite indoor plants, especially in a rather cold Russian climate, with almost a six-month period of snow and lack of access to such natural gardening and country work on your favorite garden plot! Modern cultivars of amaryllis come in a wide range of colors and are usually crowned with large bell-shaped flowers ranging from pure white to deep crimson, purple and even green. There are varieties with double and pronounced striped flowers. The birthplace of this unusual flower is South America.

(*The commercial name Amaryllis refers to representatives of two species - Amaryllis belladonna and Hippeastrum garden. Here we are talking about hippeastrums, see the description on the page Hippeastrum (Ed.)

source http://www.greeninfo.ru/indoor_plants/amaryllis.html/Article/_/aID/4671

Amaryllis is a bulbous plant with linear, fairly long oblong leaves. In culture, hybrid amaryllis and hippeastrums are more common. Amaryllis are among the best forcing plants, as they are easily forced out at room conditions, even by the most unprepared amateurs. As a rule, each bulb produces one or two long flower arrows with 4-6 huge flowers, reaching 20 cm in diameter, and sometimes more. It happens that well-developed bulbs give a third arrow, but I usually remove it at the very early stage of its development, because I think that the third flowering is very much inferior in beauty and abundance of flowering to the previous two and, most importantly, greatly weakens the mother bulb, which is fraught with a lack of flowering next year.

Amaryllis under normal conditions bloom in late winter or early spring. Some species and varieties may bloom in summer or autumn. With the help of distillation, with some little knowledge and skills, in principle, amaryllis can be made to bloom at any time of the year that is convenient for you. The height of flower stalks averages 0.4-0.7 m and strongly depends on the characteristics of a particular variety. The same applies to the size of each individual flower.

What is the difference between amaryllis and hippeastrum?

In fact, popularly loved flowers are representatives of two different genera (hippeastrum and amaryllis) or their hybrids. By the nature of flowering, planting and caring for them, these two plants differ little from each other. In the first and simplest approximation, their difference is only in the size of the flower, the height of the peduncles and the size of the bulbs. Most often, in hippeastrums, all this is larger. Other differences for us flower growers are of little significance, therefore, for simplicity, we will use the common name for these plants - amaryllis. By the way, hippeastrum in translation means "big knight's star."

How to plant amaryllis?

Depending on the size of the bulb, amaryllis is planted in an individual (rather heavy) pot 15-20 cm in size or in a small group, at a distance of 10 cm from each other, in a slightly larger container or container. Avoid light pots that can tip over during amaryllis flowering or from minor gusts of wind with a sufficiently large foliage and flower stalks windage. With a blunt end (usually with the remains of roots), the bulbs are buried in well-drained, humus-rich soil. Thoroughly pack the soil mixture around the bulbs so that about half or at least a third of the bulb remains above the soil surface. In the lower part of the earthy coma, almost above the very drainage, you can horizontally put one or one and a half sticks of any complex prolonged-action fertilizer you have tested, after dividing them in half.

After planting or transplanting, a pot of amaryllis is placed on a bright window in a fairly warm place and watered with water at room temperature. For planting, an earth mixture is used, consisting of approximately equal parts of sod, leaf, humus earth and sand. When transplanting, the roots are shaken off the old earth, and the roots that have rotted in an old pot or dried up during long-term storage are removed.

Before planting, it is highly desirable to first remove all the dried outer scales of the bulbs that are black or dark brown in color for several reasons. Firstly, by peeling the bulb to lively and elastic white or light green tissues and placing your plant in the light, you thereby stimulate the production of chlorophyll in them and, as it were, stimulate or start all the necessary life processes in a plant that is often sleeping or resting, if we are talking about a planned transplant of this plant. Secondly, if we are talking about newly acquired specimens, behind the dead covering shells, there can be anything - small hidden foci of rot, and pathogenic spores, and even young children pecked in growth. Therefore, I strongly advise you to first carefully remove all external dark and even light, but already lost their elasticity, outer shells before planting, and separate all sufficiently large and viable children. Further, it will be useful to treat your bulbs almost to the very neck for half an hour with some kind of fungicide or at least a dark solution of potassium permanganate. Then, having dried them well for several hours, or even days, you can start planting the prepared plants. Places that make you suspicious can be pre-treated with Maxim, Fitosporin, or at least ordinary brilliant green. But they also need to be dried well before planting!

Very small, slightly pecked babies are removed or left on the bulb, depending on your further goals and preferences in relation to this variety or specifically in relation to this instance or a particular bulb. They can be left if you need to quickly propagate this variety or removed if abundant and long flowering is more important to you. It must be remembered that the presence of children can lead in some varieties to a delay or even a prolonged absence of flowering. The intensive education of children is facilitated by a very spacious container in which they grow. The plant, as it were, understands - why strain and try to multiply through flowering and seed setting, if it is possible to multiply its offspring vegetatively more naturally and faster.

Therefore, pots for planting amaryllis are taken mainly of small diameter, the distance between the wall and the bulb, which should be only 1.5-2 cm! Maybe even less! As mentioned above, in a spacious container, the plant forms many children and does not bloom for a long time. At the same time, well-developed amaryllis roots need a lot of space, so the pot should be deep enough and wide at the bottom. Good drainage is also essential, since the bulk of the roots are located in this part of the pot. Expanded clay or fine gravel can be used as drainage. It is desirable to use ceramic pots, without enamel. This contributes to better ventilation and aeration of the root system.

Mature plants are transplanted about every 2 years, younger plants are transplanted as needed and the bulbs grow. Upper layer land, if possible, in all plants is replaced annually.

Which window is best to put it on?

Amaryllis are photophilous plants, they feel very good on the southeast and southwest windows. You can also put on the southern windows, but in the daytime it is better to shade the pots from direct sunlight. As the leaves and flower arrow grow, the plant must be periodically rotated slightly so that the stem stretching towards the light returns to a vertical position.

How to water amaryllis?

Water the newly planted plant very sparingly so as not to flood the bulb and roots until the new leaves or flower are starting to grow and are about 5-7 cm tall. Depending on the variety, Amaryllis may be either leaf or flower first - either is normal, but flower stalks are more common. After the leaves or arrow of the flower have begun to grow, you should keep the soil sufficiently moist. But it must be borne in mind that with a strong excess of moisture, thick roots that have not yet taken root and not properly rooted, or even the bulb itself, can rot, especially if before that it had areas affected by rotting. In the absence of leaves and cold weather or a window sill, moisture from pots, especially plastic ones, evaporates slowly, which can cause roots and bulbs to rot.

When will my amaryllis bloom?

A powerful, well-developed bulb starts growing or throws out flower stalks almost immediately after planting. And already within seven to eight weeks, depending on the variety and variety of amaryllis, you will receive one or two powerful peduncles, each of which will have three to five, and sometimes six beautiful flowers. To prolong their flowering, keep the pot in a cool enough place and not in a direct sunlight. If a third flower arrow suddenly appears, then it is better to break it off immediately at the base and not allow the bulb to bloom a third time, since three-fold flowering greatly depletes the bulb. The peduncle immediately after the opening of the first flower can be safely cut off and placed in water in a narrow high vase, it is advisable to renew the water every day. The duration of flowering of each peduncle in the cut and on the bulb is almost the same, but at the same time you significantly reduce the exhaustion of the bulbs and often stimulate the appearance of a new peduncle.

In summer, plants are watered abundantly (but not often!) as needed, and fed once every two weeks. On sunny days, only pots shade, you can spray the foliage in the evening or in the morning. In the daytime, it is better not to do this, since water droplets can become microlenses and corny burn the leaves, concentrating the sun's rays on them. Amaryllis can be taken out on open air- a balcony, an outdoor window sill, or even planted in a garden, protecting the mouth of the bulb from heavy rainfall and excessive moisture in the earthen coma.

What does amaryllis need for regular flowering?

You can help the amaryllis bloom again next year. All you need is a little extra care for this plant and it will pay you back. After the end of flowering, flower stalks should be removed immediately, cutting them off at a height of approximately 3-4 cm from its base. Continue to water the plant periodically as the top layer of the earthy coma dries. Amaryllis should also be fed regularly, about once every two weeks or ten days, preferably with liquid fertilizer for bulbous plants. Amaryllis respond very well to liquid complex fertilizer "Emerald". The more leaves the amaryllis produces during the spring and summer, the better. They will help the plant stock up on the necessary energy for the next flowering. At the same time, under conditions favorable for the plant, either a flower bud or a baby embryo is laid behind every fourth leaf. And depending on the size of the pot, care of the plant and some other external conditions, they may well start to grow and reward you with either a beautiful flower or a new plant.

When can amaryllis be expelled?

Amaryllis is very much appreciated precisely because the time of their flowering, by correctly adjusting the dormant period, can be timed to almost any desired time. But still it is better to do it from December to April for two reasons. These terms are more natural for this plant. In this case, the bulbs are less depleted and better endure this event, which, in other words, passes for them with the least loss. In this case, your collection will bloom beautifully and almost continuously every year, and the bulbs will normally recover in the spring and summer. In industrial conditions, forcing for cutting is carried out almost all year round.

How to prepare amaryllis for dormancy?

At the end of August - September, stop feeding and begin to reduce the amount of watering until they stop completely at the end of October - November. By this time, the amaryllis will begin to gradually shed its leaves, and the nutrients from them will gradually pass into the bulb. Due to a significant decrease in irrigation and natural light, in October - November, all leaves should naturally die off. It is not necessary to specially cut off the leaves that have not yet withered, since when they die, all the organic substances from them pass into the bulb, making the necessary supply of nutrients for subsequent abundant flowering. But sometimes there is still one or two leaves that have not withered on the bulb for quite a long time. If they do not interfere with your further storage of the amaryllis pot, you can leave them. Often they are carefully bent or cut at the base of the bulb to save space when stored, for example, on shelving in a cool pantry or a warm enough garage that does not drop below freezing in winter.

How to store amaryllis in the dormant period?

At rest, the bulbs usually retain living roots, at least the skeletal and largest ones, so they need to be watered occasionally (every 15-20 days). Bulbs do not need light during dormancy, so they can be placed in a dark, cool and necessarily dry place. Pots with resting bulbs are kept at a temperature of about + 5- + 12 ° С. Leave the resting bulbs in pots or in bulk in boxes for at least eight to nine weeks. Remember: the bulbs of hippeastrums and amaryllis are not frost-resistant and are very afraid of even a short-term drop in temperature to negative values.

When does amaryllis usually bloom?

At home, the normal flowering period of amaryllis is mid-February - the first half of March. Very often, amaryllis bloom precisely on Valentine's Day or on the holiday of March 8, which for many years replaced Valentine's Day with us. 7 to 10 weeks before the desired flowering period, move pots with rested bulbs to a warmer and brighter room, as described above. The abundance of watering should be adjusted depending on the intensity of foliage growth, the temperature and dryness of the surrounding air, as well as the humidity of the earthen coma. By following these simple guidelines, you will be rewarded with regular blooms for your amaryllis every year.

How and when should amaryllis be transplanted?

It is desirable to replant and change the soil in pots every 1-2 years. The root system is not cut off during planting and transplanting, but only diseased and dried roots are removed, sprinkling cuts with crushed charcoal. When transplanting, carefully separate the babies that often appear near the bulbs and, if necessary, plant them in separate pots, designating the variety. Babies usually bloom around the third year after separation and transplantation. When transplanting, the diameter of the dishes is only slightly increased, since in a “cramped” dish, amaryllis bloom more readily and much faster.

It is better to transplant plants in the spring, about 3-5 weeks after flowering. This is due to the fact that faded bulbs are greatly depleted and reduced in diameter, since flowering occurs almost exclusively due to the reserves of the bulb itself. Faded plants are carefully cleaned of withered and dried outer scales and transplanted into smaller pots with a new nutrient substrate. The sizes of pots for amaryllis were discussed above. In summer, they are kept in the same way as young plants, regularly feeding.

As the diameter of the bulb increases, it can be transferred to a slightly larger container. But this must be done very carefully so as not to greatly damage the earthen lump and roots. At this moment, you can insert mineral nutrient sticks (fertilizers) of prolonged action into the lower part of the earthy coma. Do okay developing plant the root system densely and evenly permeates the entire earthen ball and does not allow it to fall apart. If this is not so, then you need to understand what prevents the plant from developing normally and accepting everything. necessary measures to eliminate these adverse factors.

How to propagate amaryllis?

Amaryllis is propagated by seeds and baby bulbs. Seed propagation is practiced only for selection and hybridization; for amateur floriculture, this method of propagation is considered very costly and ineffective. Let me share a little of my sad experience. In my school years, I wanted to understand what would happen when crossing red and white amaryllis. At the same time, I received seeds on both white and red specimens. There were quite a lot of seeds in all seed boxes. Germination was good and almost all planted seeds from both amaryllis germinated. There were about a hundred seedlings, I simply did not plant more, due to lack of space. Gradually growing up, they began to take up more and more space, and I had to compact them or distribute them to friends. Having reached adulthood, they all bloomed, but I never got any outstanding or at least white-pink colors. Almost all colors were red. After interviewing all the friends with whom I shared the seedlings, I realized that their colors almost completely repeated mine. This whole experiment took me about 5 years. Perhaps I was just unlucky, but that was the end of my desire to become an amaryllis "breeder".

modern varieties.

improvement or search for new varieties with classic large double and non-double flowers. I would like to note such terry varieties as Celica, Double Roma, Double Dragon, Ice Queen, Pink Nymph, Merry Christmas, Macarena, Promise etc. Among the non-double monochrome forms, for my taste, very interesting varieties Black Pearl, Ampulo, Benfica, Exotica, Faro, Lemon Lime, Moonlight, Matterhorn, Rosalie, White Baby and etc.;

search for fundamentally new two- or multi-color colors, or giving new shades to existing ones. I would note such modern varieties as Charisma, Gervesa, Temptatia, Prelude, misty, clown, neon, Estella, Santa Cruz, papillio, Pizazz and etc.;

the search for new flower forms, for example, the so-called narrow-petal varieties of amaryllis or "spiders", from the English "spider" - a spider. This group includes varieties Spotty, Santana, Grandeur, Night Star, Chico, Lima, Evergreen, La Paz etc. All of them look very nice in group compositions, but single flowers, in my opinion, lose a lot to large-flowered hybrids.

Amaryllis outdoors.

In the southern regions of the Russian Federation, amaryllis can also be grown in open ground, but, be sure to remember that it is afraid of negative temperatures. If there is a threat of frost, amaryllis bulbs should be brought into temperature-controlled rooms in advance. Bulbs should be planted outdoors mainly in sunny places or partial shade only after the threat of return frosts has disappeared.

In most regions of the Russian Federation, in winter, amaryllis hibernates only as a houseplant with a pronounced dormant period from about the end of October to the beginning of February.