Topic: Hippeastrum (Amarylis) Growing Advice

[Garden Manager]

I have 2 hippeastrum (amarilis) bulbs, bought in consecutive years. When they were first planted they flowered beautifully, however since then they have grown nothing but leaves. Contrary to hippeastrum cannon they have not died back at all and have remained virtualy evergreen since they flowered. They have been properly looked after according to (the sometimes contradictory) advice in the books and magazines, yet still no flowers have been produced.

Recently, somewhat out of exasperation i took both bulbs and cut all the leaves off, in the hope that this might somehow 'shock' the plants into flowering. i felt i had nothing to loose. it was that or get rid of them! I presumed that since they are bought without leaves and then flower before producing leaves that this is what stimulates flowering (ie the removal or loss of leaves).

After cutting them back I put them out in my conservatory, which is cooler than the rest of the house, however I have today moved the indoors as it has perhaps become too cool out there.

Can ayone advise me (and the rest of us frustrated hippeastrum growers), what we might be doing wrong? How can we get our plants to flower again.

Thanks

[Robert_Brenchley]

i had this situation once, and solved it by potting the bulb up into a bigger pot, and feeding it up.

[ellie2cats]

I have just noticed your query regarding Amaryllis. Perhaps we shall share any advice received and see who doe best !!

Ellie2cats 

[Garden Manager]

I think I have messed up. I had cut off the leaves and put it out in the conservatory (cooler than the rest of the house), hoping this might help. Then a certain family member (who shall remain nameless) decided warmth was required and brought it back into the living room. It has now started sprouting leaves again and although i have moved it back into the conservatory, i think the plant is now totaly confused as to what it should be doing.

I am even on the verge of scrapping the plants and starting again, somthing i dislike doing since I hate throwing away healthy plants.

[windygale]

hi, i was just reading this and thought it might help http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0807/hippeastrum.asp
 ;D

[laurieuk]

I have just posted under amaryllus some advice that might help.

[ipt8]

I am no expert on Amarylis, but one usually cuts a plant back to stimulate growth, that is leaves. I would let it do its own thing and find out how to make it go dormant whenever that is recomended.

I wonder if you may have kept feeding it for too long which kept it growing. Of course feed also stimulates green growth, especially if you use a high potash feed as in a general fertilizer.When a plant is struggling it tries to reproduce by producing flowers to set seed. Too much feed or to big a pot would not encourage flowers.

I think I would glue the pot down wherever you decide is best for it, so it has a chance to settle and feel less confused  ;D

[Garden Manager]

Not being very good with house plants I kind of forgot to feed it, before during or after flowering! So excessive feeding is not the issue. I did winder if a hight potash food such as 'Tomorite' tomato food might be what is needed to promote flowering. However i am not sure about quantity or frequency, so have not attempted it.

You may be right about cutting back stimulating the wrong sort of growth, I have just cut back on of my plants again because the leaves had grown back.

I should point out here that when you buy an amarilis all the leaves have been cut off by the nursery who produced them. The hen flower beautifully so there must be something in the cuting back business.

[laurieuk]

We bought amaryllis in Holland the year of the storm (20 years ago) we still have four bulbs from the original having given many away to Charity raffles. Briefly the way we treat them is : from new they flower, after flowering you remove the dead head, leave the stem, then start feeding with any high potash feed. You do this for up to 4 months by then you should have leaves up to 3 feet in length. Stop feeding and reduce watering, let them go dry but leave the leaves on. When you want to restart after a couple of months rest you can cut the leaves off, to get it wet you will need to stand in a few inches of water as being completely dry the water tends top run straight through. You can at this time move into a larger pot.You only use water until they flower, then back on the feed.Over the years we must have given away around 25 bulbs in bloom and as I say still have four.
There is a method now of growing green right through the year but I have not tried that the important thing is to remember they are bulbs so need food and foliage to build up the bulb to flower.