Hippeastrum storage in winter. Amaryllis after flowering Hippeastrum is it possible to plant open ground

2012-07-21

Until now, at the sight of an opening hippeastrum flower, something joyfully trembles inside me. This feeling of celebration comes from childhood. "Home lilies" - that's what the hippeastrums were called then ... I learned to be friends with them for a long time. The first bulb presented to me pleased with flowering after 7 years. But it is precisely thanks to the stubborn reluctance of that bright red "savage" to bloom that winter is now for me - the season of blooming hippeastrums.

Healthy bulbs are not often seen, so every new bulb (and I usually order them and receive them by mail) I carefully check for rot and remove everything that causes even the slightest suspicion of rotting. If I see red strokes on the scales (the so-called red burn is a fungal disease), I remove them to healthy ones. Then I soak the bulbs for two hours in a solution of Oxychoma or Homycin (I breed according to the instructions) and let them dry for three days, while I sprinkle the slices (where I had to remove something) with crushed activated charcoal. Further, if the bulb looks healthy, I soak it for two hours in a warm, bright pink solution of potassium permanganate (warm water also helps the bulb wake up after a dormant period). And I plant in a slightly moistened, disinfected soil. Last year, for the prevention of diseases and rot, I tried the Glyokpadin biofungicide: I put a tablet of the drug in each pot before planting. Since the period of its protective action is about 1.5 months, after it I use Alirin B and Gamair for watering. The result pleased - not a single patient for the entire season.

Slowly I conjure over them

When planting the bulb, I deepen it by one third of the height. If planted deeper, flowering may not occur and the bulb itself is very crushed. The size of the pot is very important: its diameter should be 2-3 cm larger than the diameter of the bulb, and it’s good if the pot is high - I always put a layer of expanded clay on the bottom. While the hippeastrum (and I along with it) is waiting for the flower arrow, I leave it on the desktop in the kitchen - under supervision. When a sharp peduncle appears from a pot-bellied, cheerful bulb, I move the pot to the windowsill, closer to the light. I start watering after the flower arrow grows to 8-10 cm, for the first time - with warm water through the pan, then - in small portions along the edge of the pot. When the first flower blooms, I move the pot to the most prominent place. And admire. Because it's very important rule in the care of any plant - to contemplate and admire.

So that the peduncle does not bend as it grows, regularly turn the pot in different directions to the light.

Meanwhile, they are gluttons

To support the bulb during flowering, once every 10 days I add liquid fertilizer for flowering to the water for irrigation. And when the plant has faded, be sure to let the peduncle dry on its own, this adds strength to the bulb. I rearrange the faded hippeastrums to the lightest window sill, where they are restored until May. I water without fanaticism, but I don’t let the soil dry out and feed it with liquid “Biohumus” twice a month. In May, I plant all hippeastrums in the country, in open ground: I choose a sunny area for them and for the first month I again feed twice with liquid fertilizer, and then until September - with Biohumus. The bulbs remain in the open field until October, our Kabardino-Balkarian climate allows this. But in September I build a film shelter over them so that they do not get wet from the rains. This year, when planting bulbs in flower pots added to the bottom 1 tbsp. l. (as I read, for more lush flowering). The experience turned out to be unsuccessful: the vigorously growing arrows suddenly froze in growth for a moment and bloomed without reaching the prescribed height. The second arrows bloomed as usual - tall and beautiful. When I transplanted the bulbs into open ground in May, I found that the ash at the bottom of the pot had turned to stone, and the roots were tightly braided around it (apparently, when they grew, they rested against this block, so the plant froze).

I wish I had a second fridge...

I usually dig out hippeastrum bulbs in mid-October, as soon as the temperature starts to drop below + 13 ° C. I wash the dug bulbs in warm water and soak them in a solution of Oxychoma or Homycin. After that, I plant the children and growing seedlings in pots, which I immediately put on the windowsill. I clean the adult bulbs in a dark corner and wait until the leaves on them turn yellow, after which I carefully cut them off and put the bulbs in a box with dry peat at the bottom. I store a tightly closed box in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment. Of course, this method is not ideal, it is better to choose a drier place: due to the high humidity in the refrigerator, the bulbs have to be constantly checked and periodically replaced with peat, and the number of bulbs increases annually. This year, as an experiment, I will send some of them to the cellar, after wrapping them in sphagnum ... Unless, of course, my husband gives me a personal refrigerator for flowers ...

To make it bloom for the holiday

Exactly 45 days before the cherished date, I plant bulbs that have rested for two months in a cool place. By the way, when you drive out a newly acquired bulb, you cannot guarantee the sharpening result: some varieties are slow-witted. Yes, and some old acquaintances like to play pranks. Well, if the bulb grows too fast, you need to move it to a cool place, this will slow down the haste. Accordingly, a “deeply thoughtful” bulb can be easily stimulated by rearranging to a warmer place. But there are also special cases. Once my husband gave me a blooming hippeastrum, and now it blooms every year ... on my husband's birthday! When I try to drive him out by another date, he either slows down in development (once landed for Christmas, so he sat without leaves and peduncle for two months in dry soil!), Or blooms in just two weeks, if only to be in time exactly to his favorite day. I had to reconcile. And my husband's hippeastrum, of course, is one of his favorites.

Favorite varieties of hippeastrum

For easily driven out, I would include varieties 'Exotic Star' (all arrows bloom at the same time, but only two flowers bloom on each), 'Charisma', 'Christmas Gift', 'Ice Queen', 'Dancing Queen'. Stably shoots out two flower arrows ‘Lady Jane’ – by the way, this beauty is amazingly hardy: she came to me almost half rotten, but in just one season she fully recovered. But ‘Benfica’, ‘Double Dragon’ and ‘Cherry Nymph’ can be capricious and bloom later than necessary. Or am I just not very good at red varieties? All the same 'Exotic Star' is very unpretentious and steadily builds up a baby per year. In fertility, only ‘Rosetta’ can be compared with him.

One more baby in three years I was given a 'Christmas Gift' and 'Charisma'. The rest of the varieties do not want to breed yet ... I almost forgot about the "savage"! The same, my first hippeastrum, which stubbornly did not want to bloom. It has been growing with us for 16 years. Simple red flowers are much smaller than those of hybrid varieties, but they smell wonderful, it also blooms exclusively according to its own schedule, but it grows children like a champion.

Disappointed 'Hercules' - very prone to all sorts of diseases, something constantly happens to him. About 'Apple Blossom' and 'Gervase' - these are my last year's acquisitions - I can’t say anything concrete yet, except that they are very beautiful. And in the near future I have narrow-petal sibisters.

While waiting for my first child, I came up with a name ...

Pollinating the hippeastrum yourself, getting your seeds, and then guessing and looking forward to what a completely new, your own variety will be - believe me, this is not much comparable pleasure. And even if you have to wait three or four years for flowering, the process itself is so exciting that you don’t think about the timing! In order for pollination to be successful, you must wait until the pistil begins to open its core. This happens on the second or third day of flowering. Pollen from the stamens is applied to the opened pistil, preferably from a different variety, and not necessarily fresh (I store the stamens in glass vials, in the refrigerator - that’s why I’m talking about the second refrigerator ...). We repeat the pollination procedure for three days in a row, each time - preferably in the morning. Pollinated hippeastrum quickly fades.

And we are left with a ripening seed box, reminiscent of a trihedral tomato, which slowly grows, and then suddenly cracks, revealing dense rows of seeds in winged sacs. Their germination rate drops quickly, so I sow right away! hippeastrum seeds grow well in moist peat under a film. Babies look very touching. They always grow with me in close companies, as they grow, I transfer them to larger pots, fertilize them regularly, and plant them in open ground for the summer. And so - until finally they begin to bloom. By the way, my first "brood" seems to bloom just this year. Even when the seeds had just germinated, I decided that I would call the very first flower ‘Flower Club’. Svetlana Yagdarova

Indoor flowers. Video

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Among indoor flowers, hippeastrum is especially attractive, which at the same time is quite complex plant in terms of landing and care. For this reason, not all flower growers manage to achieve its flowering. Below we will tell you all about growing it and overcoming possible problems.

Hippeastrum - description of the flower

Hippeastrum flowers belong perennial plant emerging from the bulb. When it blooms and grows, large linear leaves are formed, which can stretch up to 70 cm, and have a width of 4-5 cm. They are arranged in two rows, opposite each other.

Did you know? Although most hippeastrums have a familiar green color, some varieties have purple leaves, which makes the plant especially attractive even without flowering.

At proper care an inflorescence with 2-6 flowers appears on the hippeastrum. The flowers are large, can reach 15 cm in length, and their width is often 25 cm.

Their color can be very different: from white to dark red. After flowering, a fruit is formed in the form of a box, in which the hippeastrum seeds ripen.

When fully ripe, they can be used for planting and obtaining bulbs, since they have 100% germination.

However, in home cultivation this plant is quite complex, as it differs in a number of features:

1. From light and white varieties of hippeastrum, it is almost impossible to obtain seeds suitable for future crops, since they are hybrid.
2. For the full growth of the plant in summer time it is good to plant it in the garden, digging it into the soil along with the pot.
3. Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to achieve hippeastrum flowering at home, you should be prepared for the fact that all efforts will be made for only 10 days of flowering.

Choosing a hippeastrum pot

The size of the pot will directly depend on the size of the hippeastrum bulb. Please note: when planting, the bulb should be placed in the middle of the pot, leaving 5 cm to each edge. Thus, the pot for this flower should be at least 15 cm in diameter.

As for the height of the pot, on the contrary, it should not be too large, because the bulb does not need to be completely immersed in the soil ( its upper part remains half above the ground). In addition, at the bottom of the pot it will be necessary to lay out drainage from stones, and above it there is still a fairly large layer of soil.

There are no clear restrictions regarding the material of the hippeastrum container, but it is still better to use ordinary plastic pots for this plant.

This is due to the fact that ceramics can heat up intensely in the sun, often causing overheating of the flower bulb. In this case, his death will be inevitable.

Soil selection for hippeastrum

Hippeastrum flowers are quite demanding on the composition of the soil in a pot, so it must be prepared especially carefully.

The most important requirement is the lightness of the soil, which could quickly pass moisture through itself and provide a good supply of air to the bulb.

It is also important that the soil has a lot of organic fertilizers, and its acidity level does not exceed 6 pH.

It is rather difficult to obtain such a soil mixture by self-mixing, so it is better to go to a specialized store and purchase ready-made soil for bulbous indoor flowers. True, it will not be superfluous to add a little sand to the purchased soil.

If you still decide to prepare the soil mixture for the hippeastrums yourself, then use the following components for it (the ratio is indicated in numbers):

• clay-soddy soil (2);
• leafy soil(1);
• humus (1);
• peat (1);
• sand (1).

Which hippeastrum bulbs are better to choose?

Most often, hippeastrum propagates with bulbs, which can be purchased at a regular flower shop. However, when choosing bulbs, you must remain as careful as possible, since spoiled planting material will only bring you trouble.

It is worth going after them in spring or autumn, since this time is ideal for forcing a flower.

The most important guarantee of obtaining a large and healthy flower is is the use of large bulbs that store a sufficient supply nutrients. Thanks to this, not just a large plant will grow from the bulb, but it is guaranteed to be flowering.

But apart from large sizes the bulb should also have a strong neck and bottom. It’s great if her upper scales are dry and brown. If there are seals, red or dark spots, rot on the bulb, it has already deteriorated and is not worth buying.

But often the bulbs are sold not just in bags without soil, but also in pots. In such cases, when buying a flower, it is necessary to inspect the roots of the bulb, which should be visible through the hole in the bottom of the pot.

A healthy bulb will be evidenced by:

• roots white color;
• firm and strong to the touch body of the bulb;
• dry, brown scales;
• absence of wet and discolored areas.

Important! If the store offers significant discounts on hippeastrum bulbs, be sure to ask the sellers what they are connected with. Very often this is done to sell rotten planting material, although prices may also be reduced due to the end of the planting season.

Where to place the hippeastrum?

Hippeastrums love moderate temperatures, which during their growing season should not exceed +23 ˚С, but should not fall below +17 ˚С.

However, if we are talking about the dormant period of the plant, then it is better to remove the bulb from the room and take it to the basement, where the temperature is at +10 ˚С.

Since hippeastrums love a lot of sun, they only have a place near the window, into which light falls almost throughout the day. But that's just Sun rays should not shine directly on the flower, it is better to curtain the window with tulle made of dense fabric so that the leaves and flowers of the hippeastrum are not burned.

In this case, the flower pot should be constantly rotated, otherwise it may stretch in one direction.

Good lighting is necessary for hippeastrum even after flowering, because without it the bulb and seeds in the box will not be able to fully ripen for the next plantings.

Air humidity is also important for the flower, and if it is low, it will need spraying (just make sure that water drops do not fall on the flowers).

Planting and propagation of hippeastrum

Hippeastrum suggests the possibility of landing the most different ways, among which at home you can use both seeds and parts of the plant. You can try each of them.

seed method

Planting hippeastrum in a pot by the seed method involves the full maturation of the box formed after flowering.

It is very important that during this period the plant receives enough nutrients, moisture and sunlight, because otherwise the seeds may not ripen.

When the box with them is completely dry, it simply breaks off, after which the seeds can be immediately used for sowing.

Please note that during seed propagation of hippeastrums, for the first year of sowing, the bulb in the ground is just beginning to form, which means that only next year it will be able to give an arrow with leaves. It may take another 1-2 years before full bloom is obtained.

Nevertheless, despite the need for a long wait for flowering, it is thanks to the seed method that it is possible to obtain varietal hippeastrums with a vivid manifestation of all characteristics.

Vegetative methods

Vegetative propagation methods for hippeastrums involve either the use of daughter bulbs that form near the main one (they can be separated only after the diameter reaches at least 2 cm), or by dividing the bulbs into two parts.

Both of these options are used only when transplanting a flower, when the bulb is dug out of the soil.

When planting hippeastrums with the help of daughter bulbs, flowering also occurs not in the first year. They need 2-3 years to mature and gain strength for flowering.

Landing technology

When planting bulbs in pre-prepared soil, it is important to consider the following nuances:

Important! If during planting or transplanting the bulb there are scales on it that can be easily removed with your fingers, it is better to remove them immediately, since they are already dead and will rot when in contact with moisture.

Growing hippeastrum in a pot

When growing hippeastrums at home, flowers need to be given a lot of attention and care. Although in general it is to provide good place for growth, watering and feeding, yet this plant has its own requirements for all these aspects.

Watering hippeastrum

Hippeastrum in watering is quite whimsical, since it cannot be either overfilled with water or allowed to endure a lack of moisture. Also, during each growing season of a flower, it requires special water balance:

Please note that water should not fall on the bulb - it must be poured only into the soil.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Fertilizer for hippeastrum must be chosen taking into account the stage of flower development. In addition, it is important to alternate mineral and organic top dressing.

As a first, it is better to buy special fertilizers designed for bulbous houseplants. Hippeastrum feeding is carried out according to the following scheme:

Hippeastrums respond best to fertilizing with potash fertilizers. In general, soil fertilization should be carried out every two weeks, but nutrients should not be applied to dry land.

In addition, if you just transplanted or planted a hippeastrum, the first top dressing must be done no earlier than 1 month later.

How to make hippeastrum bloom?

It often happens that the bulb gives arrows with leaves for several years in a row, but the peduncle does not appear on it. The first reason may be too small a bulb, which simply does not have enough strength to bloom,

Bloom. The flowering stage begins from the moment the flower arrow appears until the buds wither. The flowering period averages three weeks. The flower arrow grows for two weeks, the buds open for 1-2 days (all of them can bloom at once, they can in turn) and the flowers keep blooming for about a week. The duration of the flowering period depends on temperature conditions(the higher the temperature, the faster the peduncle grows, the buds bloom faster, the buds fade faster), on the number of peduncles (when the bulb blooms with several peduncles, the flowering period can be up to 1.5 months), on varietal characteristics (terry varieties fade by 1 -2 days earlier than non-terry).
Flowering is usually once a year (in autumn or winter, or in early spring), while good care again in the summer. The timing largely depends on care (when the bulb was sent to rest) and also on varietal characteristics (there are varieties that bloom at a certain time).

Vegetation period or growth period. During this period, the hippeastrum recovers after flowering, grows leaves and the volume of the bulb, lays flower stalks for future flowering. This period is very important, the future flowering depends on it. It lasts on average about 8-9 months, and sometimes longer. The timing depends on the restoration of the bulb. Bulbs that have lost a lot of weight and bulbs after an illness (rot, red burn) recover longer.

Rest period. It starts from the moment when the bulb is harvested in a dark, cool place, and lasts an average of 3 months. The duration depends on the previous season and storage conditions. Healthy, well-fed bulbs are sent to rest.

Amaryllis Care

Gippeastrum care - in the section of the Encyclopedia of indoor plants.

Planting hippeastrum

Question: When can hippeastrums be transplanted? And how often?

It is advisable to transplant once a year, hippeastrums are voracious and the supply of nutrients in the soil is consumed quickly. You can transplant either before being sent to rest, or after a period of rest, i.e. before flowering. In some cases, for example, purchased hippeastrum has faded, it can be transplanted after flowering. It is undesirable to transplant during the flowering period.

Question: How to plant an onion? Do you need to deepen?

Hippeastrums are planted so that a third of the bulb rises above the ground.

Question: When transplanting, do dry scales need to be removed?

In a healthy bulb, only those scales that can be easily removed can be removed. Brown scales that are close to the bulb and cannot be removed do not need to be removed.

Question: What soil to plant?

The soil should be light in composition, with good water and air permeability, rich in organic matter. Slightly acid pH - 5.6-6. You can use store-bought soil or mix your own. The choice of purchased soils is large, there are special soils for bulbous ones.

In the purchased soil for greater friability, it is better to add sand or vermiculite. If you want to make the soil yourself, then the composition is as follows: clay-soddy soil, leaf, humus, peat and sand (2: 1: 1: 1: 1)

Question: Is it possible to grow hippeastrums outdoors?

You can for the summer. In the garden, they grow very well and stock up on strength for future flowering. Just do not forget about pests (there are more of them in the garden than in room conditions), rodents and that the weather is changeable. During frosts, heavy rains, the bulbs need to be covered. Dig up the bulbs before the first autumn frosts.

Gippeastrum top dressing

Question: How to properly feed hippeastrums?

The composition of top dressing depends on the stage of development. by the most important element is potassium. Fertilize about once every two weeks.

During the flowering period - emphasis on phosphorus-potassium and a small nitrogen content.

At the beginning of the growing season, the emphasis is on nitrogen-potassium, in the middle nitrogen-phosphorus in equal proportions, potassium is slightly more.

A month before the dormant period, feeding is stopped.

A few rules: it is impossible to fertilize on dry soil, after transplanting, the first top dressing is not earlier than in 1.5 -2 months, carefully read the instructions and dilute according to the instructions, avoid overdosing.

Question: What is the best way to feed organic mineral fertilizers?

Hippeastrums are good for both organic and mineral. Ideally, it is better to alternate them. There are also special fertilizers for bulbous plants.

Watering hippeastrums

Question: How to properly water hippeastrums?

Flowering period. Until the arrow has grown to 10-15 cm, watering as it dries (i.e. upper layer should dry well between waterings). As soon as the peduncle begins to open, watering should be increased, but no swamp. Hippeastrums do not like the bay.

Vegetation period. Watering as the top layer dries.

Rest period. Watering 1 time in 1.5 months is not very plentiful. Watering should be careful, in no case should water fall on the bulb, otherwise the upper scales may rot.

reproduction

Question: What are the propagation methods of hippeastrums?

Seeds, babies, dividing the bulb.

Seed propagation of hippeastrums

As a rule, it is used in breeding for breeding new varieties and hybrids. With seed propagation of a variety, 100% compliance with the parental form of seedlings is not guaranteed. Self-pollination does not give a 100% guarantee that the same variety will be obtained. There are species that cannot self-pollinate. This method of reproduction is the most laborious and long. The bulb grown from seeds blooms with good care for the 5-6th year.

The process of pollination is simple: the stigma of the pistil of a flower of one variety of hippeastrum is pollinated with pollen of other varieties, pollinated several times from the moment of divergence of the stigma lobes of the pistil to complete divergence.

Only healthy bulbs are selected for pollination.

It takes about 1.5-2 months for seeds to ripen. Seeds can be harvested when the seed pod begins to open. Not all seeds are suitable for planting, there are “dummy” (i.e., there is no embryo inside), so the seeds are sorted out before planting. The largest, plump seeds are selected (the embryo is felt to the touch). The sorted seeds can be sown in the ground, lightly sprinkled with earth, or put in some water (with activated charcoal) and wait for germination, as soon as the white root hatches, planted in the ground (with the white root down). The distance between seeds when planting is 1.5-2 cm.

Light, heat and proper watering are important for seed germination and seedling growth. The soil should be slightly moist, temperature 20-23 degrees. If these conditions are not met, the seeds may not sprout or rot. Germination of fresh seeds is almost 100%.

Seedlings should be planted as they grow. Don't forget to fertilize.

Spring seedlings are stronger than autumn ones, so seed propagation is best done in spring. In addition, autumn seedlings need to be illuminated in winter.

Reproduction of hippeastrum by children

This method allows you to save all varietal characteristics, but the multiplication factor is low. Children are formed irregularly. The formation of children largely depends on the variety, for example, La Paz, Giraffe sibisters easily give children, but terry varieties are reluctant.

Children are separated from the mother's bulb during transplantation. When separated, the baby should be at least 2 cm, with good roots. With good care, babies bloom in the 4th year.

Reproduction of hippeastrum by dividing the bulb

This method is rarely used among flower growers. First, because you need to cut a healthy onion. Secondly, there is a risk of losing the bulb and not getting babies (there is a high probability of infection in the wound). But the multiplication factor is high and the resulting babies retain their varietal characteristics.

Adult, healthy bulbs are selected for reproduction. Dried bulbs are not suitable for dividing, long time stored, as well as bulbs during flowering and immediately after flowering.

Selected bulbs are washed in clean running water and cleaned of old outer scales. The roots and bottom, if it is too high, are cut off with a sterile knife (the bottom cannot be completely cut off). Remove 1/3-1/4 from the top of the bulb. After that, the onion is cut in a vertical direction into 8-16 parts (segments). The width of the segment is 1-2 cm. The number of segments depends on the size of the bulb, the larger the bulb, the more segments. Then each segment is cut into 3-5 divisions, consisting of two scales fastened at the base with a piece of bottom. Depending on the size of the uterine bulb, you can get 50-60 or more divisions from one bulb. Before planting, delenki are pickled in a fungicide (in Maxim, in Vitaros or in Fundazole).

Delenki are planted in perlite, sawdust, river sand or substrates prepared from these components with the addition of peat. The thickness of the substrate layer should be at least 10-12 cm. texture. Before planting, the substrate is steamed or spilled over the entire thickness of its layer with fungicides to destroy the harmful microflora present in it.

The distance between divisions during landing is small - 1200 - 1500 divisions per 1 m squared. Planted in boxes or on racks with bottom heating. Landing is carried out to a depth of not more than 1/3 of the height of the division. Deep planting leads to rotting of the delenok, a decrease in the productivity of reproduction, and delays the growth and development of the resulting daughter bulbs.

Landing can also be carried out in segments, without dividing them into divisions. But the productivity of reproduction, despite the large number of daughter bulbs formed by one segment, is lower, since the number of planting units obtained from one bulb is much less than when dividing the bulb into divisions. Planting in segments should be used only if it is necessary to divide small bulbs with a small amount of scales.

The formation of daughter bulbs occurs a month after planting the delenok at the place where the scales are attached to the bottom. Each division forms 1-2, and individual divisions up to 6, child onions. Three months after planting the delenok, the newly formed daughter bulbs have an independent root system and 2-3 leaves. At this age, the plants are transplanted. The success of reproduction by the method of paired scales depends on the temperature regime and humidity of the substrate.

The temperature of the substrate during the formation of daughter bulbs is maintained within 22-24°C, air - 1-2°C lower. More low temperature as well as its sharp changes during the formation of daughter bulbs lead to a sharp decrease in the productivity of reproduction.

The substrate must be constantly wet. Waterlogging and drying of the substrate reduces the productivity of reproduction. Humidity is maintained within 75-80%. Increased humidity and stagnation of air, lowering and sudden changes in temperature contribute to the massive development of stagonosporosis.

Top dressing is carried out after the appearance of an independent root system and leaf apparatus in plants. Especially in need of top dressing are plants that are grown on substrates that do not contain nutrients (perlite, sawdust, river sand). Top dressing is carried out with liquid organic or mineral fertilizers twice a month.

Care during the formation of daughter bulbs and in the initial period of plant life consists in carrying out systematic watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and protecting plants from diseases and pests.

Bulb selection in the store

Question: How to choose the right bulb in the store? What should you pay attention to?

During the forcing season (autumn or spring), hippeastrums can be bought either in bulk (without soil in a plastic bag on which the variety and supplier are written) or in a pot.

When buying, carefully inspect the bulb. The neck, the bottom and the bulb itself must be strong, dense. Upper scales must be dry Brown. There should be no seals, darkening, redness, rot.

When buying a bulb in a pot, pay attention to the roots (they can be seen through the drainage hole (the roots should be white)), the bulb to the touch (should be strong), the upper scales should be dry brown (soft, wet - rot), on the leaves (if any) and the bulb should not be red.

When buying a bulb at a reduced price, try to find out the reason for the discount. Prices are reduced for faded bulbs at the end of the planting season. Sometimes at reduced prices they sell flooded bulbs with rot. And it is also worth noting that regrading is very common in stores.

Hippeastrum flowering questions

Question: How long does the hippeastrum bloom?

On average, the flowering period takes 3 weeks (from the moment the peduncle appears to the buds wither). The flowering time is extended when the bulb blooms with several peduncles (after all, the peduncles do not always bloom at the same time, it happens one after the other).

The temperature also affects the timing of flowering. At a temperature of deg. 25 The peduncle grows quickly, the bud opens quickly, and the bud quickly fades. Optimum temperature deg. 18-20. There is a little trick: as soon as the bud opens, the hippeastrum can be moved to a cooler place (deg. 16), then the flowering will last longer.

Question: Hippeastrum grows leaves, does not want to bloom. How to achieve flowering?

First of all, you need to think about the conditions in which hippeastrum is contained.

1. Maybe the bulb is too small. Usually bulbs less than 6 cm are babies, or bulbs that have spent a lot of energy on flowering and are too weak after flowering. Such bulbs bloom early, you need to increase the volume, i.e. top dressing (nitrogen-potassium) and light are needed, there is no need to arrange a dormant period.

2. For flowering, it is very important that the bulb restores its strength during the growth period and lays a flower arrow (usually an arrow is laid after every 4th leaf).

3. The bulb lacks nutrients. Consider how long it has been since you transplanted your bulb. It is advisable to replant even an adult bulb every year, because during the growth period, the hippeastrum eats up all the nutrients in the soil. In addition to transplanting, the bulb needs proper feeding to restore strength. During flowering - phosphorus-potassium and a small content of nitrogen, after flowering nitrogen-potassium and a small content of phosphorus.

4. Lack of light. Consider how much light you have. Hippeastrums are photophilous and can be safely placed on a sunny south window.

With such illumination during the growth period (spring-summer), they will get stronger and lay a flower arrow, or maybe more than one. A bulb that has received insufficient light, for example, has stood on the northern windowsill all spring and summer, or, in a place where the sun's rays rarely fall, may not flourish.

5. In what container is the hippeastrum planted. The pot should not be very spacious. The distance from the bulb to the wall of the pot is not more than 3 cm.

6. Do not forget about the rest period. After a rapid period of growth, the bulb needs to rest for two to three months in a dark, cool place.

Question: Bulb 3 cm, why does it not bloom?

It's a baby, she's too small to bloom.

Question: A third peduncle appeared, I'm worried about the bulb. Is she strong enough?

A well-fed bulb calmly blooms with three peduncles. If you are worried about the onion, then as soon as the bud opens, the peduncle can be cut off and put in water.

Question: On the third arrow, the flowers were not as large as on the first two. Why?

Didn't have enough strength. Such a peduncle, as soon as the buds open, it is better to cut and put in water.

Question: How many flowers can be on one peduncle?

From 2 to 6. The amount depends on the age of the bulb and on varietal characteristics.

Question: Why does the hippeastrum have a peduncle more than 80 cm?

Or not enough light. The more light, the shorter the peduncle.

Question: A peduncle has appeared, the bulb has 60 cm leaves. Do I need to cut the leaves?

You don't need to cut the leaves. This is stress, you will need strength to heal the wound (cut) and new leaves. Why waste her energy? All her strength is now spent on flowering.

Question: Is it possible to get flowering by a certain date? I want it to bloom New Year.

Yes, you can. The calculation is as follows: on average, the rest period lasts 2.5 months (10 weeks), about 3 weeks pass from the moment the flower arrow appears to the opening of the buds. Total, it turns out 13 weeks (slightly more than 3 months). So, in order to get flowering for the New Year, you need to send the bulb to rest in early October.

Question: Is it possible to achieve flowering on the northern windows?

Hippeastrums are photophilous and feel more comfortable on the southern, western, eastern windows. You can make it bloom on the north window, northwest, northeast window. But the hippeastrum grows the onion and recovers badly after flowering, it spends a lot of energy on flowering (the bulb noticeably loses weight), leaves are long and not so many, peduncles are very long and elongated.

Question: The peduncle rotates around its axis. Is it normal?

All right, he reaches for the light.

Question: The buds withered. When should the peduncle be removed?

In order not to weaken the flower stalk bulb after the buds have wilted, you need to cut it off.

Question: Is it true that it is very difficult to get the next flowering from the Dutch?

It is a myth. Flowering does not depend on the "Dutch", but on the conditions of detention.

Hippeastrum growing season

Question: After flowering bulb with voids. Is this normal?

She spent her energy on flowering, which is why voids formed. There is nothing to worry about, the bulb needs to recover. Over time, the gaps will close. Try to water carefully so that water does not get into the "voids".

Question: The bulb after abundant flowering (there were 3 peduncles) lost a lot of weight. How can I help her recover? And will it be restored to its original size?

Under room conditions, the bulb can recover to its original size, it all depends on the care. To recover, she needs: a sufficient amount of light, proper feeding, watering. Bulbs that bloomed with three peduncles are the slowest to recover. Such bulbs spent a lot of energy on flowering and can safely skip the next flowering.

Question: Hippeastrum last year bloomed with three arrows. It refuses to bloom this year. Care according to the rules (light, top dressing, rest). The bulb is strong, it has grown 10 leaves during the growing season, and retired by itself. Why didn't it bloom?

It is possible that the hippeastrum missed flowering. I spent a lot of energy on the previous flowering. And during the growing season I only managed to build up the bulb. Keep up the good work, it will bloom next year.

Question: Hippeastrum bloomed, arrow withered, but no leaves? Now he has what: vegetation or immediately peace?

Vegetation. There are varieties that bloom in a leafless state. Leaves appear within a month.
If a blooming bulb is recently purchased, then it is possible that it does not have roots. She spent all her strength on flowering, now she is growing roots, then leaves will appear.

Question: The hippeastrum has blossomed. The first leaf appeared and almost immediately turned yellow, a little later two more leaves appeared, and they turned yellow and withered. The bulb is strong, dense, there is no rot. Transplanted, there were no roots during transplantation. Watering is neat. It is on the east window. What with her?

Most likely, the problem is the lack of roots. Healthy leaves will appear as soon as the bulb has roots. You can stimulate the formation of roots with "root" or "heterauxin".

Question: The purchased hippeastrum has faded, planted in peat when purchased. I want to transplant. Can I transplant after flowering?

It is possible and even necessary. When transplanting, be sure to inspect the roots, they are often flooded in the store, and rot forms on the roots and bulb. Old peat must be removed from the roots, and pickled in Maxim (or other fungicide) before planting.

Question: The hippeastrum has too long leaves, what kind of support to come up with?

In the store you can find various supports, similar to those shown in the photo. If they are connected together, or used separately, you get a convenient support for the leaves. Supports can be plastic or bamboo. To tie the leaves to the support, you can use a woolen thread.

Question: How to cut the peduncle after flowering?

Cut so that about 10 cm from the peduncle remains from the neck of the bulb. After the rest of the peduncle dries, it is easily twisted out. By the rest of the peduncle, you can see whether the bulb is healthy or not. In a healthy bulb, the peduncle is dry; in a diseased bulb, the peduncle is slimy, soft, with redness.

Question: Leaves came out of the ground, what is it?

These are baby papers.

Question: The leaves have a red tint. What is a red burn?

If the reddening is uniform, on all leaves and begins at the base of the leaves, then this varietal feature and says that the onion blooms in red or with a predominance of red and dark red. Varieties with purple foliage: Red Lion, Benfica, Lima, Papilio Butterfly, Rapido, La Paz.
If there are sudden red streaks on the leaves or red spots, then the cause is rot or "red burn".

Hippeastrum rest period

Question: Hippeastrum's leaves began to turn yellow and wither. Maybe he's going to rest?

Look at the bulb. Has grown up? did you grow leaves during the growing season? If yes, then the bulb is going to rest. It is necessary to put in a dark cool place and reduce watering. The bulb will take all the nutrients from the leaves.

Question: I bought a hippeastrum in early November, it has faded. For 4 months of growth has grown 7 leaves. Should he be sent to rest (now March)?

It’s too early to rest, the bulb did not have time to recover. Send in early autumn.

Question: How to send the bulb to rest?

Remove the bulb in a dark, cool place. Leaves do not need to be cut, the bulb will take nutrients from them. After a while, the leaves will turn yellow and wither, and they can be easily removed.

Question: Why send to rest?

My hippeastrum blooms once a year without a dormant period.

And if you do not want to expel - you can not arrange a period of rest. In this case, it is difficult to predict flowering.

Question: How to determine if the hippeastrum bulb has woken up?

The bulb woke up as soon as the peduncle or leaves appeared.

Question: When to "wake up" the bulb? Or wait until she wakes up?

At rest for more than 2 months. If she stands in a cool place, then it is enough to bring her to a warmer, brighter place and the forcing effect will work. If nothing is done, she will wake up herself when she deems it necessary.

Question: Hippeastrum retired three months ago. Now there is no flower arrow, no leaves, the bulb has lost weight. What to do?

The bulb gave all its strength to the previous flowering and did not recover. Take out the bulb, transplant it into fresh soil, let it grow and restore strength. Such a bulb is unlikely to flourish.

Question: Hippeastrum was sent to rest (to a dark, cool place). No sooner had the leaves dried than new ones appeared. What to do with him?

Option one, the bulb has rested and is ready to bloom. You can hold it a little (a week or two) in a dark place (wait for the peduncle) or immediately put it on the windowsill.
Option two, early sent to rest. The bulb did not have time to recover and continues to grow. Take it out, let the bulb recover.

Question: Do I need to send the hippeastrum baby to rest?

No. Children do not need to arrange a rest period.

The difference between hippeastrum and amaryllis

Both plants belong to the same Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae).
At first, both hippeastrum and amaryllis belonged to the genus Amaryllis. Subsequently, taxonomy, due to significant differences in the structure of plants, turned out to be two different genera. The botanical name amaryllis went to the species amaryllis belladonna, the rest got the name hippeastrum.

signs	Hippeastrums	Amaryllis
Number of species	Approximately 50-70 species, although some sources mention up to 85 species	one species of Amaryllis Belladonna
Origin	subtropics and tropics of America	South Africa
Number of chromosomes	X=11. In most cases, it is incompatible with other genera of the Amaryllis family.	X=11. Crosses freely with other genera of the Amaryllis family, including Krinum, Nerine, Brunswigia.
Evergreen or deciduous	Depends on the species, most species are deciduous with a pronounced dormant period, but there are species without a pronounced dormant period (evergreen), for example, Hippeastrum Papilio.	With a pronounced dormant period, the leaves are shed during the dormant period. A dormant period is necessary for flower bud development.
flowering period	Usually blooms once a year. The flowering period depends on the forcing: early forcing - autumn flowering, late - flowering in winter and spring. Some hippeastrums bloom twice a year, re-blooming usually in summer.	End of summer, autumn. Flowering once a year.
Peduncle (main difference)	Hollow, cylindrical, up to 90 cm high, the color of the peduncle is usually green, but may be green with purple, with gray or brown hues	Not hollow, up to 96 cm high, with a purple tint.
The number of flowers on the peduncle	Usually 2 to 6, but some species have up to 15 flowers with little or no scent. The number of flowers depends on the species and variety, for example, in the species wild-growing Hippeastrum fosteri, up to 15 flowers develop on one peduncle, in the small-flowered Rapido up to 9, in the small-flowered Jaguar up to 8, in the terry medium-flowered Alfresco up to 8.	6 to 12 fragrant flowers.
Flowers color	Red, pink, orange, yellow, green, cream, white; one-color or two-color; striped, veined, mottled.	Shades of pink from rich pink-red to almost white.
Flower shape	Diverse: terry, long-tube, orchid-like, similar in shape to Leopoldii and Reginae, etc.	funnel-shaped
flower size	Depending on the variety and species: from 5 cm to 22 cm	from 9 to 13 cm
perianth petals	6 similar or different in shape and size (depending on the type)	6 similar in shape and size
Bracts (protective casing of the inflorescence)	2	2
Perianth tube	Depending on the species, it can be very long up to 15 cm or very short 2-4 cm.	short
Leaves	Depending on the species, the leaves are green, glossy or matte, silky or hard, long, belt-like. Appear before or simultaneously with the flower arrow. Leaves up to 90 cm long, 3.5-5 cm wide.	The leaves are narrow bright green, glossy. The shape is grooved. Leaf length up to 60 cm, width up to 3.5 cm. Appear after flowering (i.e. bloom in a leafless state).
Bulb, shape	symmetrical. Depending on the species, the shape may be different, round, round-conical or slightly elongated.	pear-shaped
Bulb, diameter (mature, capable of flowering)	7 cm - more than 10 cm. The size depends on the variety: in most wild species, tubular and small-flowered bulb varieties small size, in large-flowered and terry varieties, the bulbs are large in an adult plant capable of flowering. The size of the bulb depends on the variety (in small-flowered bulbs, the size of an adult bulb is smaller than in large-flowered ones)	over 12 cm.
Scales	white, similar in structure to onion scales, the scale breaks easily (without effort)	greyish in color, pubescent with inside(pubescence looks like cotton wool or cobweb), it is difficult to break the scale
seeds	There are about 30-45 flat, winged, black, disc-shaped seeds in a seed pod. The embryo is covered with a black protective tissue.	The seed pod contains about 20 thick, bulbous, light garnet seeds.
Seed germination (germination)	Usually about 2 weeks, sometimes a little more.	About 56 days.
Peculiarities of children's education	Usually babies appear closer to the shrinking scales.	Interesting feature in adult bulbs, babies appear between the scales in the middle of the bulb, and several points of growth are obtained.
Growing Features	In room conditions it grows well and blooms. Usually the growing season falls on spring-summer, the dormant period - in autumn, the beginning of winter, the flowering period - the end of autumn, winter, spring.	In room conditions, it grows and blooms difficult, because its biological cycle is disturbed. The plant is originally from Africa and blooms when it is spring in Africa, during the rainy season. Vegetates after flowering, and during the period of drought and high temperatures resting. In our conditions, the African spring falls on autumn, so it blooms here (in Russia) in the fall. During the growth period (in our conditions, winter-spring), he does not have enough light. The plant is very photophilous. Best grown in direct sun. The temperature should not be below 10 degrees, so in the fall they need to be dug up and removed more in a warm, lit place.

The article used the experience of members of the forum: Veta, Severina, Elena the Beautiful, Olga Gr, Faust, ITALIA, Lucien, Apsara, Vesna, Simona, Romashka. Thanks for the experience and advice.

In order to plant a hippeastrum for the next year, you need:

• prepare a suitable storage container;
• remove all flower stalks and leaves;
• dry the bulbs;
• treat the bulbs from pests and fungal diseases.

After proper preparation by winter, hippeastrum bulbs will last until next spring, when they can be planted in open ground or in separate pots.

During storage, hippeastrum bulbs may sprout. Such bulbs rot very quickly, so they must be planted in a pot with infertile loose soil so as not to bring the hippeastrum out of the dormant period.

Bulb storage container

After digging the bulbs out of the soil, all flower stalks and leaves are removed. The root system is cleaned of soil residues and stored in storage containers. Plastic crates work best. They are well ventilated, so the bulbs will not rot. Boxes with planting material are placed in a warm room for a day to dry.

Treatment of bulbs from pests and fungal diseases

Before sending the hippeastrum bulbs for storage, they are aired. The boxes with planting material are placed in a draft so that the bulbs are ventilated from all sides. Boxes should be kept in a ventilated area for at least three days.

Thrips can settle on the bulbs, which feed on the juice of bulbous plants, so the bulbs are treated with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate from insect pests.

Due to thrips, planting material can rot, so the bulbs must also be treated with insecticidal preparations. Volatile insecticides are best. Place the bulbs in a vacuum bag and treat them with Dichlorvos. After ten minutes, the pests will die, and the bulbs can be sent to the cellar for storage.

After storage, the bulbs are planted in fertile soil, into which phosphorus and potassium-containing fertilizers are applied. During the spring, the hippeastrum will form flower stalks and bloom in large beautiful flowers. Then, in the fall, the flowers are dug up and prepared for storage the next year.

Hippeastrum - famous indoor plant, which, as it turns out, can be easily grown in the garden or in the flower bed. Hippeastrum flowering, bright and long, in truth, an unforgettable sight! But even without flowers, juicy green belt prominent leaves in two rows will decorate any household plot or lawn. How to achieve flowering hippeastrum in the open field? How to grow it on the site ornamental plant And what kind of care should he provide? All about planting and caring for hippeastrum - read in this collection of material.

Hippeastrum in the open field, plant description

• The hippeastrum plant belongs to the Amaryllis family. This genus is represented by perennial bulbous crops.
• The hippeastrum bulb is more often rounded and rather large in size, reaching from 5 to 10 cm in diameter. From the sides, the bulb forms daughter bulbs, which subsequently participate in the reproduction of the perennial. From below, the bulb has a small base, the so-called. bottom, from which a bundle of cord-like roots departs. It is noteworthy that the older the bulb, the larger its bottom. Along the edge of the bottom, numerous adventitious roots form at the bulb.

• The leaves of the hippeastrum are long, flat and linear. On average, the length of such a belt of a prominent sheet reaches 60 cm, the width is no more than 5 cm. The leaves are arranged in two rows, opposite each other. The color of the leaf blade is most often the usual, green color, although there are hippeastrum varieties with a reddish-brown tint. In an adult plant, you can see a clear alternation of leaves, consisting of 4 leaves and 1 peduncle: first there are 3 leaves with a closed base, then 1 with an open sheath, from which the inflorescence begins to form. This alternation is called a cycle.

• Peduncles grow only after the complete death of the leaves of their cycle, i.e., when the leaves of the next year of vegetation appear. Thus, experienced flower growers can accurately determine the number of planted inflorescences by the number of leaves.
• The inflorescence umbrella is formed on a long (40-80 cm), hollow peduncle. The hippeastrum bush produces long, leafless "arrows" with a lush umbrella at the end. The inflorescence consists of 4-5 large flowers resembling "gramophones" and reaching up to 20 cm in diameter. Flowering in the flowerbed begins, approximately, from the second half of summer. The plant looks especially luxurious when several flower stalks are formed at once, seated bright flowers. Outdoors, unlike room conditions, hippeastrum blooms longer, about 3 weeks.

• Hippeastrum flowers have a funnel-shaped or tubular shape characteristic of the entire genus. The color of flowers, given the huge species and varietal diversity, can be very different: red, cherry, white, pink, orange and even greenish. At the same time, multi-colored blotches or strokes can be observed on the petals.
• The fruit has the appearance of a three-leaved dry box filled with flat dark seeds "lionfish". The collected seeds have almost 100% germination.
• The average life expectancy of one bulb is from 10 to 20 years, and for the first time the bulb forms a peduncle with future flowers only in the 4th year of the plant's life.

What is the difference between Hippeastrum and Amaryllis?

Often, hippeastrum is confused with a plant similar to it - amaryllis, from the same family. The confusion is due to the superficial similarity of these related cultures. But actually there are two different plants representing two genera from a common family.

1. The genus Amaryllis, a native of South Africa, is represented by only two plant species.
2. Hippeastrum - an extensive genus, includes more than 90 plant species. The tropical and subtropical regions of America are considered to be the natural habitat of the culture.
3. The main morphological features by which these plants can be easily distinguished include:

• flower stalks (in amaryllis it is higher, of a purple hue, in hippeastrum it is often green);
• inflorescences (in amaryllis, the color of flowers is predominantly red-pink, in hippeastrum, the palette of colors is much more diverse);
• leaves (in amaryllis they appear only after flowering, hippeastrum blooms in a deciduous state);
• bulbs (in amaryllis they are pear-shaped, in hippeastrum they are rounded).

Hippeastrum, interesting facts

• The unusual name "hippeastrum" with Greek translated as: “cavalier” and “star”, because blooming hippeastrum really looks like bright stars. In this regard, the flower is often called the "cavalry star".
• Hippeastrum came to Europe from South America in the 16th century. Since then, the perennial has enjoyed special love and popularity among flower growers.
• The first hybrid form of hippeastrum appeared in 1799, the plant was named after its breeder - discoverer - Johnson's Hippeastrum.
• Hippeastrums were brought to Russia in the middle of the 19th century. The first representatives of the genus took root in the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden.
• Hippeastrum - famous indoor flower, which, as it turned out, can be successfully cultivated in open ground. Often, a perennial is grown as a forcing crop for a particular holiday.

Hippeastrum in the open ground, varietal variety

The hippeastrum genus includes a little less than a hundred plant species and more than two thousand varieties. Such a variety of varieties allows you to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding flower growers.

In culture, about 200, the most successful, varieties and hybrid forms of hippeastrum have received the greatest distribution.

Varieties differ from each other in a number of ways: the size, shape and color of the flower, the timing of flowering, and other external morphological features. Based on these differences, all varieties of hippeastrum are classified into 9 groups:

1. Wild hippeastrums.
2. Hippeastrums are hybrids with long tubular flowers.
3. Hippeastrums are hybrids with prominent orchid flowers.
4. Hippeastrums are hybrids with double flowers.
5. Hippeastrums are hybrids with Amaryllis.
6. Hippeastrums are hybrids with Regina hippeastrum.
7. Hippeastrums - "Leopold" hybrids (one of the most popular groups).
8. Hippeastrums are hybrids with miniature flowers.
9. Other varieties and hybrid forms.

Consider the most popular and beautiful varieties of hippeastrum.

• Hippeastrum Leopold.

A variety common in culture, with long belt-like leaves and a strong two-flowered peduncle. Natural habitat - the mountains of Peru. The inflorescences are large, the color of the flowers is red-white with a greenish core.

This species is widely used by breeders to create new varieties. One of the most famous is "Hippeastrum Butterfly", which got its name from the exotic color of the petals, reminiscent of butterfly wings.

• Hippeastrum spotted.

Low plant (up to 50 cm), with long leaves and two flower peduncle. Funnel-shaped flowers are painted in greenish-cream tones with numerous small red patches.

• Hippeastrum no-parrot.

The culture reaches a height of up to 90 cm, the peduncle forms from 2 to 4 flowers of variegated color. The inflorescence is colored in green, yellow, red and cherry tones with numerous stripes and splashes. The leaves are greyish green. Hippeastrum blooms in spring, grows naturally in the forests of southern Brazil.

• Hippeastrum royal.

Plant height is about 30-50 cm. Linearly lanceolate leaves taper at the base. Peduncle forms 2-4 funnel-shaped flowers. Differs in red color of inflorescences with a whitish star-shaped pattern in the center of the pharynx. The historical homeland of this variety of hippeastrum is considered to be Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Central America.

• Hippeastrum reticulate.

An undersized species, growing no more than 30-50 cm in height. The leaves are lanceolate, thin, not long (about 30 cm). The color of the inflorescences is predominantly crimson-red tones with dark streaks.

• Hippeastrum reddish.

Plant height is about 40-60 cm, leaves and peduncle are about the same length. Peduncle bears from 2 to 6 flowers. In culture, there are several varieties of reddish hippeastrum with different colors of inflorescences, from yellow-red to lemon yellow.

• Hippeastrum graceful.

A tall plant (up to 70 cm) with belt-like leaves and a peduncle that forms 4 funnel-shaped large flowers. Flowers may be pale yellow or whitish green. There are varieties with purple splashes or strokes on the petals. The natural habitat is Northern Brazil and Colombia.

• Hippeastrum striped.

Tall variety, reaching a height of up to 100 cm. The leaves are also long, belt-shaped. Peduncle forms 2-6 flowers, lilac-pink tones with white stripes.

• Hippeastrum Harrison.

The variety is distinguished by beautiful white flowers and contrasting red lines running along the center of each petal. The plant is demanding on moisture.

• Hippeastrum Nelson.

A rare, but surprisingly beautiful variety, with creamy petals and bright scarlet patches. The center of the pharynx is colored green.

• Hippeastrum Argentinian.

Variety with snow-white inflorescences and a pleasant delicate aroma. The petals of the flower are corrugated, with a pointed edge.

Where to buy and how to choose hippeastrum?

When purchasing planting material, it is important to pay attention that the hippeastrum bulbs are dry, hard to the touch, without damage and mold.

• The scales on the bulb should be dense, golden brown.
• The roots on a healthy bulb will be elastic, without blackening and signs of rot.
• It is also worth examining the neck and bottom of the bulb, which should also be strong and dense, without darkening or reddish spots.
• The presence of reddish dots on the bulb indicates signs fungal disease. It is better to refrain from such a purchase.
• It is best to buy hippeastrum in specialized flower shops, botanical nurseries or proven online stores with a good reputation.

Hippeastrum, planting in open ground

Growing hippeastrum begins with proper planting. To do this, it is important to choose the best and most comfortable place for planting the plant, as well as properly prepare the garden bed and bulbs.

Place and time of planting hippeastrum in open ground

• Light-loving culture, hippeastrum, needs a well-lit place. Therefore, the landing site in the flower bed should be open and sunny. Light openwork penumbra is also allowed. In low light, the leaves of the hippeastrum turn pale, and the peduncle begins to stretch upward. If the bulb is planted in full shade, the plant is unlikely to bloom at all.
• Bulbous crops should not be planted in places where water can stagnate. Excessive moisture and stagnant moisture is fraught with rotting of the bulbs. If the soil is heavy and dense, sand or small sawdust is added to it.
• Landing time, most often, falls on the month of May, when a positive temperature regime and the danger of frost has passed. If, after planting, the weather has changed, and it has become colder outside, the flower bed should be covered with any covering material.

Preparatory work for planting hippeastrum in the ground

• Before planting a hippeastrum bulb in open ground, you should prepare a site for planting. The soil on the site is fertilized with compost, peat, rotted manure and wood ash. The bed is dug up and leveled.
• As for the soil for planting hippeastrum, the best option there will be nutritious, light-drained soil. The optimal indicator of soil acidity should be about 6-7.5, so it is better to use neutralized peat. To reduce the level of acidity, bone meal is added to the soil.
• Before planting, you should also check and prepare planting material. If the roots of the bulb have dried up or damaged areas are observed, a series of “resuscitation” actions should be carried out. To do this, all dry, dead roots are removed, and the damaged areas are cut off. The cut points at the bulb must be sprinkled with powder activated carbon or treated with a fungicidal solution.
• The bulbs are cleaned of dead scales (those that are easily separated) and disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) for 30 minutes. After the bulbs dry out, they can be planted in open ground.

Agrotechnics of planting hippeastrum in open ground

• For landing garden plant wells are being prepared, which can be shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The depth of the holes depends on the size of the bulb.
• When planting, the top of the bulbs should remain lightly on the ground. At the same time, a mound of sawdust can be poured on top.
• Adult large hippeastrum bulbs are planted at intervals of 15-20 cm from each other. Small hippeastrum babies are placed closer, every 3-5 cm.
• The scheme for planting hippeastrum bulbs can be different, depending on the desire and design intent. This may be a familiar row, located, for example, along garden path or a group landed in a dense "bunch".
• Often, flower growers transplant indoor hippeastrum (for the summer) into open ground. This procedure has a healing and rejuvenating effect on the plant. How to transplant hippeastrum? There is no difficulty in this. A hole is prepared as described above, and the plant is planted in a new place.

Hippeastrum, plant care in the open field

How to care for hippeastrum? What kind of care to provide a plant planted in open ground? In principle, the rules for caring for a garden hippeastrum are not much different from an indoor "pet", but there are still some features and differences.

Watering hippeastrum

• Like any other bulbous plant, hippeastrum prefers regular, but moderate watering.
• Watering is especially important during the period of active vegetative growth of the plant and the accumulation of nutrients.
• Drought and lack of moisture adversely affects the development and flowering of the crop.
• However, stagnant moisture and excessive moisture can be detrimental to the hippeastrum bulb. In such conditions, the rapid development of rot or other diseases is possible.
• In addition to watering, it is necessary to remove weeds around the plant and prevent the formation of a dense soil crust. Loosening the soil after watering will prevent the formation of a crust and ensure optimal air permeability of the soil.
• To maintain a humid microclimate, you can mulch the soil around the flower with sawdust or decorative tree bark.

Fertilization and top dressing of hippeastrum

• During the active growing season, the plant needs to be fed. Once every 1.5-2 weeks, hippeastrums are alternately fed with mineral and organic fertilizers.
• As mineral dressings, special complex fertilizers intended for onion crops are used. At the beginning of vegetation development, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the soil; during flowering and active vegetation, it is best to apply potassium phosphorus complexes.
• From organics, the most preferable will be: wood ash, vegetable compost, rotted manure. If the soil was enriched with appropriate fertilizers before planting, you should not get involved in the frequent application of organic additives.
• Fertilizer application is always correlated with watering, thus ensuring the best and timely delivery of nutrients to the roots of the plant.
• Approximately 1 month before the planned removal of the bulbs for the winter (for storage during the dormant period), all top dressing is stopped.

Hippeastrum disease and pest control

• Hippeastrum pests can be: mealybug, onion mite, amaryllis mealybug, aphid or false shield.
• When a plant is damaged by a false shield, brownish spots appear on the leaves. White spots indicate infection of the hippeastrum with a mealybug. The reason for the withering of the inflorescences, yellowing and softening of the foliage can be thrips, amaryllis mealybug or bulbous mite. For pest control, appropriate insecticides are used (Aktellik, Karbofos).
• The most common hippeastrum diseases are: fusarium, staganosporosis (red burn) and anthracnose.
• Signs of staganosporosis disease are the appearance of purple spots and strokes on the leaves and peduncles. At the same time, the aerial part of the plant becomes flabby, growth slows down. The same signs appear when the culture is affected by gray rot. For the treatment of hippeastrum, all affected parts should be removed, and the plant itself should be treated with Fundazol.

• In order to prevent the plant from becoming infected with such diseases, you should follow the safety rules when planting a bulb crop: choose and plant only healthy specimens of the bulbs, treat the bulbs before planting with a fungicide or soak in potassium permanganate, do not deepen the bulbs when planting. In addition, it is important to ensure a competent care regimen, to prevent waterlogging and moisture stagnation, and not to oversaturate the soil with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Preparing hippeastrum for a dormant period

• When the hippeastrum faded, and the leaves turned yellow and withered, it was time to prepare the hippeastrum bulbs for rest. This period falls on the middle of autumn, when the first frosts have not yet come.
• The bulbs of a heat-loving plant are dug up and left until spring for storage in a cool, dry place.
• It should be noted that after the flowering of the hippeastrum, the watering rate is gradually reduced, and in the fall it is completely stopped. Top dressing is also suspended a month before the "wintering". These activities are important to prepare the plant for a dormant period.
• The procedure for extracting hippeastrum bulbs is not complicated: they dig the bulbs, shake them off the ground, remove the remains of the leaves, and then leave them to dry in a dark, dry place.
• After drying, the babies are separated from the bulbs, sorted by size and sent for storage at a temperature of about 12 - 15 0 C.

Hippeastrum, reproduction methods

Hippeastrum reproduces by seed and vegetative methods.

Hippeastrum seed propagation method

• The seed method of reproduction is a laborious and lengthy process, usually used by breeders to develop new, hybrid varieties.
• As you know, propagation by seeds does not give a 100% guarantee of the similarity of the parent and child forms.
• A plant grown from seeds will bloom only in the 5-6th year.

• Considering that some forms of hippeastrum are self-pollinating plants, artificial pollination of plants must be carried out for the appearance of seeds.
• When the seed box begins to crack, you can collect the seeds. After harvesting, the seeds are sorted out, selecting the largest and densest specimens. It is not worth storing seed material for a long time, because. it quickly loses its viability.
• Seeds are planted in a light soil substrate or left in a humid environment for germination. When a root appears, the seeds are planted in a container.
• Seedling care includes providing a container with seeds with water, light and heat (20-23 0 C). It is best to moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
• As they grow, the seedlings dive and are seated in separate containers.

Vegetative propagation of hippeastrum

• This method of reproduction is considered simpler and more affordable. In this case, the plant completely retains the signs of the parental form.
• If “babies” form on the bulb, they are separated (when digging the bulb) and planted separately in the spring. Every year, the "kids" grow, and already in the 4th year, the hippeastrum can please with flowering. Caring for "children" in the open field is no different from the conditions for growing adult plants.

• Another method of propagation is dividing the bulb, but this method is not very popular, because. you have to cut a healthy bulb, which after that can get sick and disappear. If it is decided to use this method, at the uterine (thoroughly washed) bulb, first cut off the high bottom, then cut the bulb vertically into 8-10 parts. It is important that the resulting segment of the bulb is at least 1-2 cm. After that, each segment is again cut into several divisions, including 2 scales each. Before planting, all delenki are treated in any fungicidal solution. Prepared delenki are planted in boxes with a light nutritious and moist substrate (perlite, sawdust, sand, peat) for further germination. The thickness of the substrate must be at least 10 cm. When planting, the divisions are not deepened, leaving 1/4 part on the surface. It is important to maintain the soil temperature within 22-23 0 C and provide plantings with regular, but moderate watering. After about a month, daughter bulbs are formed on the divisions, and after 3 months, full-fledged daughter bulbs are ready for transplantation.

Problems in growing hippeastrum

1. What to do if the hippeastrum does not bloom?

• There may be several options for the lack of flowering. If the plant is actively increasing the leaf mass, but does not “release” the peduncle, perhaps the bulb is still small and not ready for such a crucial moment as flowering. Bulbs less than 6 cm are not large enough and need to wait a few seasons for them to grow and build up the appropriate volume. It is important for such specimens to provide regular fertilizing with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers.
• Another option for the lack of inflorescences is the lack of light and nutrients. Such a flower should be transplanted to a sunny place and provide him with regular top dressing.

1. When the buds withered, do you need to cut the flower stalks?

• Faded and withered hippeastrum buds are best cut along with the peduncle, so as not to weaken the bulb and not waste its strength on unnecessary processes.
• It is necessary to cut off the peduncle, leaving about 10 cm from the neck of the bulb. The shrunken part of the peduncle is easily removed when the bulb is dug up. If, during the preparation of the bulbs for the dormant period, the peduncle turned out to be soft and slimy, the bulb is affected by some disease. Such planting material is best separated from the rest of the bulbs and treated with a fungicidal preparation.

Thus, growing hippeastrum on your site is absolutely not difficult and accessible to everyone. The main thing is to know the key rules for planting a plant and to carry out all the necessary agrotechnical measures to care for the bulbous crop.

Hippeastrum video

Hippeastrum, photo