Some call this beauty on the window "naked lady", others - amaryllis beauty, others, holding their breath, silently enjoy the outlandish spectacle and delicate aroma. But all unanimously consider this exotic miracle a treasure of the home collection of indoor flowers. Amaryllis Belladonna - the name sounds like music! The price for the happiness of admiring amaryllis in bloom is low: attention, care and adherence to simple, but mandatory content rules. To do this, you need to know when to transplant amaryllis, how to care for it after transplantation - during periods of flowering and dormancy. Amaryllis Belladonna is a perennial bulbous plant, native to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, belongs to the amaryllis family and until recently was considered the only species. Petals of all shades of pink, red, purple, snow-white are collected in luxurious inflorescences, crowning a tall, bare peduncle, for which the flower received such original folk names.

Amaryllis transplant

Experts, talking about how to transplant this amazing flower at home, recommend that florists first find out the answers to a few questions.

Why transplant a plant?

Any potted plant draws out all the juices from the soil, depleting the soil so that even fertilization cannot meet the needs of a green pet, therefore, a complete replacement of the nutrient substrate is periodically necessary.

The second reason for transplanting is the need for the developing root system to increase the volume of capacity. For bulbous plants, the ratio of the size of the bulb to the pot is fundamentally important.

How often to replant amaryllis?

Specialists did not come to a consensus on the frequency of transplants. There are recommendations on carrying out this mandatory procedure no more than once every 3-4 years, so as not to injure the roots and not damage the bulb. Those who advise replanting amaryllis annually insist on the need to regularly remove the babies and completely replace the soil to stimulate abundant flowering.

You can take as a basis the option of transplanting adult specimens every two years, and arranging for the young to transfer as the bulb grows. But in any case, it is advisable to replace the topsoil every year.

Whichever option the florist chooses, it is important to remember: transplanting amaryllis is considered one of the most important stages of caring for this plant, since it is a powerful stimulation of development and flowering.

When can you transplant amaryllis?

The ideal time for transplanting (as well as for transshipment) is spring, one month after the end of flowering, completely depleting the bulb, which gives its resources to the flowers.

How to prepare a flower for the upcoming transplant?

Water the plant well a few days before the procedure. Carefully remove the onion from the pot, and, having freed from the remnants of the earth, children and dead dark tissues, carefully examine.

A strong, dense bulb without obvious signs of disease, mechanical surface damage, with well-developed roots - an ideal planting material. For prophylaxis, before planting, such a bulb can be soaked for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then dried for at least a day, while keeping the roots moist.

Transplant methods

When amaryllis reproduce by children, tiny bulbs are not transplanted for several years, transshipment is enough for them. Transshipment is a method of replanting plants with partial replacement of soil. An onion with a whole lump of earth is placed in a slightly larger pot and fresh soil is added. This option is safe for the bulb as it eliminates the possibility of injury. Amaryllis can be planted in small groups, maintaining a distance of at least 10 cm between individual specimens. Thus, the greatest decorative effect is achieved.

Pot and soil selection

When choosing a pot for amaryllis, two main criteria must be taken into account: The pot must be heavy: a luxurious inflorescence on a high peduncle or leaves spread out to the sides can shift the center of gravity and overturn a light container. The best option is a ceramic pot without enamel and glaze. Such dishes, unlike plastic ones, will provide not only reliable stability, but also additional aeration of the soil.

The pot should be tight: between the wall of the container and the bulb, the distance should not exceed 2 cm. The desire to give the pet the best, including more space, turns into the fact that the expectation of the peak of the growing season - violent flowering - is delayed. There is a growing misunderstanding and disappointment of a novice grower who does not know that a spacious pot contributes to the rapid growth of children and excludes flowering.

To understand why babies and flowering are mutually exclusive things in the life of this plant, one must remember that the purpose of all living things is reproduction. Propagating by both seeds and children, the plant will prefer the second option, having enough space in the ground. This route depletes the bulb far less than producing seeds from flowering.

“So, you need to choose a pot that is weighty, narrow in diameter, but deep so that the roots can develop freely.”

To grow amaryllis, a light, breathable soil is required. Vermiculite and river sand should be added to the purchased planting substrate for bulbous plants for additional lightness and breathability. To independently prepare the soil at home, you must use the following components in equal parts:

• Garden land (after pretreatment with temperature or potassium permanganate);
• Sod or leafy soil;
• Coarse river sand;
• Humus.

Transplant process

The pot is selected, the soil is prepared, the bulb is examined and found to be suitable - it remains to figure out how to plant amaryllis correctly. At least 3 cm of expanded clay or small river pebbles are poured onto the bottom of the pot, then a small layer of nutritious planting soil, followed by a long-acting fertilizer (stick, tablet), sprinkled with a substrate. Having straightened the roots, the soil is poured and compacted. It is useful to pour a centimeter layer of sand under the onion itself.

The whole secret of planting lies only in the fact that at least a third of its volume should remain above the level of the soil compacted around the bulb. Sometimes even half of the bulb is left on the surface. After transplanting, amaryllis requires watering and placement on a light and warm windowsill.

Possible problems

An amaryllis transplant is usually straightforward. The only problem can be identifying the disease of the bulb after removing it from the old pot. Sluggish, loose, she is not able to grow and give joy. Such material can no longer be planting.

A bulb that is suitable for planting but damaged requires special preparation. Damage sites are cleaned so that no affected tissue remains, and treated with crushed coal. If there are no visual signs of damage, but an unpleasant sweet odor is felt, one can assume the onset of the disease and treat the plant with fungicides.

Follow-up care

After one and a half to two months, the newly planted plant will release one or two peduncles, which, growing up, will tend to the light from the window. To keep the plant upright, the pot must be rotated periodically.

When the buds bloom, you can cut the peduncle and put it in a vase of water: this way the strength of the bulb is preserved for the appearance of a new bouquet, and the cut does not affect the duration of flowering. But florists recommend breaking off the third peduncle immediately in order to save the bulb from complete exhaustion. The leaves, dying, give all the nutrients to the bulb, preparing for the dormant period. In order not to disrupt this important process, you must not cut off or pick off greens that have not yet faded.

For the period of sleep, the pot is placed in a dry place with a temperature within + 10 ° C for three months. If the bulb is awakened earlier, the plant will not be able to live through a new full cycle. Quality sleep prolongs the life of all flowers, which nature has prescribed for the holiday season.

Top dressing

A plant planted in a new nutrient soil begins to develop actively, absorbing micro- and macroelements that charge the planting substrate. This charge is enough for 2-3 months, after which it is necessary to introduce nutrients from the outside. Do not wait for the alarm signals that the starving flower gives.

There are many homemade nutritional supplement recipes that have been proven by experienced growers. Some may also be useful for amaryllis: Rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, calcium, ash is an excellent means for plant nutrition and protection. The easiest way is to sprinkle ash on the soil. With each watering, nutrients will be absorbed into the soil, enriching it. To obtain liquid top dressing, one tablespoon of ash is poured with a liter of settled water; Onion broth is a storehouse of trace elements. Approximately 50 grams of husks, filled with two liters of hot water, are boiled for 10 minutes and infused for 3 hours. The cooled and strained infusion is watered and sprayed on all plants without exception. This product is not stored for a long time - it must be used up immediately; Washed and dried banana peels, ground in a coffee grinder, and drenched in boiling water is an excellent dish for a home garden. The subtleties of the recipe: half a liter of dried peel per liter of boiling water, insist for a day, strain, discard the peel, and top up the jar with clean water. The same recipe applies to citrus zest.

"Amaryllis requires regular feeding at least once every 10-14 days throughout flowering and bedtime."

Fertilizer

When buying ready-made fertilizer for amaryllis, you need to remember that an excess of nitrogen is fraught with damage to the bulb with a red burn, inhibits flowering. For example, the "Izumrud" complex in the first place in the composition places precisely nitrogen. This is very useful for healthy greenery, for leaves, the remedy is not suitable for amaryllis, for which fertilizers are chosen that saturate the soil with phosphorus and potassium.

Ready-made fertilizers for bulbous plants:

• "Rainbow" - even used to soak bulbs;
• Agricola for flowering indoor plants in liquid form, granules and sticks;
• "BioMaster" for indoor and garden flowers, for bulbous plants;
• "Hera" is a humated fertilizer specially developed for bulbous crops;
• "Gumi-Omi" - organic mineral fertilizer for bulbous and corms

Any manufacturer that produces fertilizers will definitely find a place for this category of plants in its product line, so it will not be difficult for a grower to choose the right product.

Lighting

On windows with a southeast or southwest orientation, the light-loving amaryllis feels very comfortable. If the possibility of placement is limited only by southern window sills, then the pot is shaded, protecting the bulb from overheating. Exposure to direct sunlight can negatively affect the brightness of the flower.

Temperature regime

During the period of active growth and flowering, amaryllis prefers temperature ranges from + 18 ° С to + 25 ° С. Store dormant bulbs dry at + 10 ° C. Sharp temperature jumps have a detrimental effect on the condition of the plant. At temperatures of 0 ° C and below, the bulbs freeze and die.

Air humidity

Humidity for amaryllis is not as important as temperature and light, and too moisture-rich air can provoke fungal diseases. But for preventive purposes, the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth if the air is too dry.

Watering

After planting in a new soil, the flower immediately begins to grow: young roots are strengthened, a flower arrow breaks through. Until the peduncle reaches a height of 10 cm, watering is required accurate, moderate, so as not to destroy the plant that has not yet completely mastered in the renewed conditions. And after this milestone, watering becomes abundant, but without the possibility of stagnant water. It is better to water such flowers in a tray so that the bulb does not get wet. With the onset of a dormant period, watering is stopped.

Possible diseases

Gray rot - brown spots on the leaves - occurs due to waterlogging. Urgent transplantation into new soil and capacity, compliance with the irrigation regime.

Stagonosporosis - a lesion of leaves, stems and bulbs - manifests itself as reddish spots or stripes. The reasons are a sharp temperature drop with high soil moisture. To save, you need to stabilize the temperature in the room, adjust the irrigation mode. In a neglected state, it is not treated and leads to the death of the flower. Anthractose - affects the leaves, covering them with dark spots in brown streaks. The reason is the same - excessive watering. Remove affected leaves, reduce watering. In all cases, for the treatment used "Fundazol" or Bordeaux mixture. Paleness, darkening, decay of leaves, drooping flowers - all these are signs of too frequent and abundant watering. At the first changes in the appearance of the plant, it is necessary to reduce watering in order to prevent the development of infection.

Pest control

The danger of an attack on a plant by insect pests is that they move from flower to flower, destroying them one by one. Therefore, it is important to periodically inspect all plants, isolating diseased specimens for treatment, and treat the rest for prevention. Amaryllis is attacked by the following pests: Scabbards. They are found in the form of brown plaques on the back of the leaf. They are removed mechanically with a damp cloth. After that, you should wipe with soapy water not only the affected areas, but completely all the leaves;

Thrips. Small insects visible to the naked eye. Mechanical removal followed by insecticide treatment.

For pest control, proven insecticidal agents are used: "Aktara", "Iskra", "Fitoverm" and others. As an additional means of treatment and prevention, garlic infusion, ammonia water for spraying plants is used. For efficiency, it is imperative to repeat the full treatment 2-3 times after 4-5 days.

Useful Notes

It is important to remember: amaryllis are poisonous, contain the alkaloid lycorin, which causes poisoning if ingested, therefore, it is recommended to be careful when caring for a flower, and then wash your hands thoroughly.

Conclusion

It may seem that amaryllis requires too much attention, work, but it will pay off in full when it begins to bloom. Once he sees the flowering of amaryllis, he will want to experience it again, and work and worries will become a joy.

Among the popular indoor plants, amaryllis stands out, which is loved by flower growers with large flowers of an unusual shape and bright colors. Especially valuable is its ability to bloom in the "darkest" time - late autumn. Unpretentious amaryllis, home care for which is completely uncomplicated, is suitable even for novice florists. 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 of monocots, the amaryllis family. Basal leaves, oblong, linear and smooth, dark green; placed in two rows.

Floral 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 flowering, which begins before the leaves appear, the plant throws out 2 peduncles. Natural amaryllis rarely blooms at home, so numerous hybrids that are easier to care for have been created.

Anyone who grows this indoor flower should remember that the amaryllis bulb is poisonous. Touching it can cause irritation. All transplanting work is carried out exclusively with gloves, and the plant is positioned so that children and pets cannot get to it.

Amaryllis varieties

Modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis are striking in their variety. Breeders are working on increasing the size of the flower, getting original colors.

• Lovers of bright accents will love the amaryllis in red shades. These include the magnificent Grand Diva variety with large (up to 18 cm) double cherry-red flowers. 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 Amaryllis Ferrari variety, which has an unusual deep red-orange shade of petals, also attracts attention.
• The original amaryllis Exotic Peacock is a double star with pointed scarlet petals. In the center there are white prints repeating the shape of a petal and smoothly turning into strokes on the scarlet field.
• Another hybrid of home amaryllis - Gervase, is attractive with bright scarlet and cherry stripes and strokes, arbitrarily "applied" to the white field of petals.
• White and pink amaryllis are no less beloved - delicate and graceful. 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 petals, "decorated" with a clear crimson edging and a pink-crimson speck in the center of the petal.
• Amaryllis Aphrodite is distinguished by its delicate color. This is one of the largest-flowered hybrids - 20-centimeter white double flowers are outlined with pink edging and covered with graceful pink strokes.
• It's hard to get past a hybrid like Double Dream. Its huge double flowers have a fiery pink shade with darker veins.
• White lovers should pay attention to the Pikoti variety. This non-double hybrid is attractive for its snow-white petals, each of which is "surrounded" by scarlet edging, clear and thin.
• Terry amaryllis Giant Amadeus is distinguished by an unusual pinkish-coral shade of strokes that densely filled the white field.

Optimal growing conditions

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

	Lighting	Watering	Temperature
Active growth phase	Bright diffused light. The most suitable will be windows of western and eastern orientation; on the southern window sills, shading from direct sunlight will be required. On the northern windowsills, amaryllis will bloom only if there is a 14-hour illumination.	Watering with partial drying of the earthen coma. That is, between waterings, you need to let the top layer of the earth dry out, in no case allowing the coma to completely dry out. 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.	Dislikes sudden changes; the optimal range is 18-24 degrees.
Rest phase	No lighting required.	The bulb is not watered; once every 2 weeks, the ground is sprayed with water.	A cool content (10-12 degrees) is required.

In addition, the plant is protected from drafts, while preventing air stagnation, especially at high humidity. If you follow these simple rules, growing amaryllis will not be a hassle.

How to plant amaryllis correctly

The key to successfully growing amaryllis at home is proper planting. If the pot or soil is incorrectly selected, the bulb will not be able to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, or even begin to rot.

Pot selection

The diameter of a suitable pot is directly related to the size of the amaryllis bulb. She prefers to sit in a tight 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, amaryllis has a sufficiently 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 the amaryllis, with its long, spreading leaves and tall peduncles. Accordingly, a ceramic pot is more suitable. It can be glazed or not: opinions differ as to what is best for the plant. In glazed pots, oxygen access to the roots is limited; in numerous pores of unglazed containers, pathogens accumulate and intensively develop.

Soil selection

The most suitable soil for amaryllis is a mixture of equal parts of leaf and sod land with river sand. Some growers add humus to the mixture. Before use, the soil is sterilized without fail: it is poured with a small amount of water and boiled for an hour. It is enough to rinse the sand to clean water. You can use ready-made soil purchased from 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 foundation or crushed charcoal.

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

2-3 cm of drainage (expanded clay) is poured into the pot and half covered with soil. The onion is placed in the center of the pot with the blunt end down and covered by two-thirds. The soil is tamped, watered. You can plant several amaryllis in a pot. In this case, there must 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 rest 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 feeding. As soon as the amaryllis has completely bloomed and dropped the last leaf, watering is stopped. Usually the plant falls asleep in the end of October - early November.

A little secret that guarantees lush flowering at home in the next season: Amaryllis should not be "helped". Many novice flower growers strive to quickly get rid of unattractive withered leaves and pick or cut them from 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 are easily separated.

For a good rest, the bulb needs 2-3 months. If agricultural technology is violated on this tap, she may wake up earlier, which will affect the further development of the outlet and flowering. Most often, the bulb is left in a pot, which is placed in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place. You can also 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 of moving to winter holidays, caring for amaryllis is reduced to regular (once every 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

Caring for amaryllis after awakening can be divided into two stages: before and after the appearance of the flower arrow. A freshly planted onion is watered moderately, trying not to overmoisten, until the first shoots hatch.

After the arrow appears:

1. The plant is watered as usual (with drying of the top layer of the earth), avoiding the ingress of water on the bulb. Lack of moisture during this period can lead to the fact that the flower will begin to wilt without opening; an excess will lead to its decay.
2. The 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 fertilizer for bulbous plants.
3. It is not advisable to apply organic fertilizers (manure, humus). In addition to the fact that non-rotten 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 first bud opens, fertilizers are applied weekly.

Home flowering lasts 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 completely turns yellow - so the nutrients in it will pass into the bulb. Caring for an amaryllis flower after flowering, when it forms a rosette, is no different, except that feeding is reduced to 1 time per month.

Reproduction of amaryllis at home

There are several ways to breed amaryllis:

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

Each of them has its own nuances.

Seeds

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

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

By dividing the bulb

The dividing method at home can only be used if the bulb is large enough and completely healthy. With a sharp, non-kitchen knife, the sleeping onion is cut into several parts so that with each part a part of the bottom with roots remains. Slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, dried. The slices are planted in washed sand. Until the first leaf germinates, they are watered moderately and kept warm (at least 25 degrees). After the appearance of the first pair of leaves, the delenki are transplanted into the usual substrate for amaryllis.

Daughter bulbs

The simplest and safest methods include reproduction by children, or daughter bulbs. If the plant is healthy and is getting enough nourishment, the mother bulb begins to divide on its own. Children are put away only when they are strong enough. For transplanting, use the same soil as for the mother plant. When separating and replanting, 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 already 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 not sent to "sleep" in the first year - they will 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 they fall asleep, the 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 quickly that the pot becomes small for it.

The transplant algorithm is simple:

1. The plant is removed from the pot along with a lump, the roots are shaken off the ground.
2. Cut dry or rotten roots with a sharp knife, sprinkle the slices.
3. The bulb is cleaned of decaying 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, the top layer of soil in which salts are collected is replaced annually, replacing it with fresh one.

Diseases and pests

Amaryllis is affected by almost all "indoor" pests: spider and onion mites, thrips, scale insects, scale insects, aphids happily settle on it. If the plant is affected by insects, insecticides are used to get rid of them (Aktara, Iskra, Aktellik); mites are excreted using acaricides (Neoron, Kleschevit). Springtails or puffs 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, the 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 a variety of rot. In the first case, small red spots or a border on the scales become noticeable. In the second, there are soft grayish or brownish spots on the leaves or bulb. In both cases, treatment with fungicides is required - foundation or copper oxychloride. The main salvation from any disease is proper 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:

• recessed landing;
• spacious pot - in this case, the plant "prefers" to spend energy on the formation of daughter bulbs;
• lack of phosphorus and potassium;
• lack of light during germination;
• lack of heat;
• decay of roots or pests;
• a young bulb that is not yet strong enough to bloom.

The best way to "force" amaryllis to bloom is by thorough adherence to agricultural techniques and regular feeding.

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 at the end of February.
2. Amaryllis has a pronounced aroma.
3. The flowers of the hippeastrum are smaller, their number on the peduncle is less, and the flower arrow itself is higher.
4. Amaryllis leaves appear only after the peduncle.
5. The amaryllis has a pear-shaped bulb with ash-gray scales, while the hippeastrum has a round, slightly flattened laterally, the scales are whitish or greenish.

Amaryllis is a bulbous houseplant with a high peduncle, reaching a height of 50 centimeters and consisting of 3-6 large inflorescences. Amaryllis flowers can have different shades and fascinate growers with their extraordinary beauty.

In order for the plant to grow and develop well, a number of rules should be followed regarding its content. By strictly following them, even a beginner will be able to grow this extraordinarily beautiful flower without much difficulty.

Types and varieties of amaryllis

- is a flower belonging to the monocotyledonous bulbous plant family. The diameter of the bulbs can be up to 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.

The plant throws out the peduncle in August. Twelve buds of white, red or pink 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 is oblong and up to 10 centimeters in diameter. The peduncle is high, gray-green in color. Often, two inflorescences are formed on it, resembling an orchid. The flowers are large, apple-green or cherry-brown striped in color. The leaf plates are narrow, long, green in color.

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

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

The plant reaches a height of 60 centimeters. From 4 to 6 large, crimson flowers bloom on the peduncle. Leaf plates of a dark green shade, lily type. The flowering time of the plant is in May and December.

- the bulb of the plant has a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters. Two peduncles up to 50 centimeters long with 5 inflorescences of a white shade with red stripes and specks grow from it. The leaf plates are long, green, lily-like.

- Amaryllis of this variety reaches a height of 50 centimeters. Three large inflorescences appear on the peduncle. The flowering of the plant begins 10 weeks after planting in the substrate. The inflorescences are creamy with pink stripes. The edges of the petals have wavy edges. The prominent belt type sheet plates are glossy and have a dark green tint.

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

The culture reaches a height of 60 centimeters. From 2 to four large red flowers with wavy petals appear on the peduncle. The flowering period for 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 this amaryllis 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, reminiscent of peonies. The inflorescences are not only beautiful, but also smell very nice. Plant height reaches 60 centimeters. From one bulb grows 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 shade with wavy petals and the aroma of expensive French perfume 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 60 centimeters. On a long peduncle, from 4 to six large inflorescences with orange, red and white double petals are formed. Amaryllis has long, belt-like leaf plates, dark green. The bulbs are large, with a diameter of 12 to 15 centimeters.

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

- the height of the peduncle of the plant reaches 70 centimeters. Up to 4 large, luxurious inflorescences of a creamy shade with a pleasant aroma bloom on it. Flowering time occurs at the end of summer and lasts up to one month. The 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.

- plant bulbs reach a diameter of up to 20 centimeters. Amaryllis has long, green, lily-type leaf plates. The peduncle grows in length up to 60 centimeters. Up to 4 large pink inflorescences with wavy petals bloom on it. Flowering time from May to June.

Amaryllis home care

This luxurious flower is easy to care for. However, in order for him to please with his unusual colors, you should adhere to the rules of caring for him, trying to create for him such a microclimate as in the natural environment. If the plant feels comfortable, it will bloom twice or even three times a year.

The humidity of the air is not very important for the crop, but to avoid the attack of pests, the leaf plates should be wiped with a sponge and sprayed once a week. Such manipulations should be abandoned during the flowering of amaryllis. Bulbs that are at rest cannot be sprayed either.

Amaryllis likes diffused bright sunlight, so it should be grown in a southeast or southwest window. To prevent the peduncle from reaching 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 dormant, the temperature should be reduced to 10-12 degrees.

Hippeastrum is also a member of the Amaryllis family. It is grown when nursing at home without much hassle, if you follow the rules of agricultural technology. All the necessary recommendations can be found in this article.

Watering amaryllis

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

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

Soil for amaryllis

You can make up the soil that suits the amaryllis yourself.

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

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 transplant according to the rules, since non-observance can lead to the lack of flowering of the plant. For planting, do 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 a bulb into the ground, it should be buried in the ground, the mixture is only half, leaving the second half and the top above the ground. Also, do 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 period of flowering and growth. Top dressing is carried out every ten days.

As a fertilizer, you should take mullein mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Flowering amaryllis

The flowering time depends on the type of plant. 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 amaryllis flowerpot in a cool place, without exposure to sunlight.

After the first inflorescence opens, the peduncle can be cut off and placed in a container with water. There is no difference in the duration of flowering in water and on a bulb. However, cutting can reduce the depletion of the bulb and stimulate the emergence of a new flower stalk.

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

During flowering, the plant needs light and abundant watering. The soil should 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.

Pruning amaryllis

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

Caring for amaryllis in winter

Usually, the dormant period for a plant begins in the cold season and lasts for two months. You can understand that the plant is hibernating by the release of leaf plates and the death of the peduncle. At this point, you should keep watering to a minimum and stop feeding.

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 amaryllis comes out of 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, moreover, it does not allow preserving the varietal qualities of the culture, for this reason it is used extremely rarely for home breeding. However, if the florist still decided to try, he needs to do the following.

Artificial pollination of flowers with a brush. Two months after the seed pods have cracked, the seeds must be collected. Dry them and spread over a light, airtight, moist soil and sprinkle the mixture with a thin layer of earth on top. Planting seeds must be carried out from January to February.

The seed box should be kept in a warm place under the plastic until the seedlings appear. After young plants have leaves, they should be planted in separate pots. Such amaryllis will bloom only seven years later.

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. The sections must be treated with charcoal.

The small onion should be planted in a separate container filled with soil with the amaryllis mixture and kept warm during 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 demanded among flower growers. To propagate the plant using bulbous division, you need to take the bulb, peel it of the 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, immersing them 1/3 in the ground. The bulbs must be kept in a warm place until they are fully rooted.

Reproduction of amaryllis scales

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

After three months, young bulbs will begin to form. Mineral fertilizers and keeping them in warm conditions will help speed up their appearance.

Amaryllis disease

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

The most common diseases of amaryllis are:

Fungus - upon detection red spots on leaf blades, bulb or inflorescences, or completely reddened leaves , the plant urgently needs to be treated with "Fundazol" and watering should be reduced.

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

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

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 Kleschevit insecticide.

Onion mite - this insect feeds on the amaryllis bulb, resulting in the plant grows poorly and stops blooming. If it blooms, then the flowers are deformed, and the leaf plates turn yellow and fall off. It is necessary to fight the pest as follows. The amaryllis bulb should be dug out of the pot and immersed in hot water with a temperature of 40 degrees for two minutes, after which it should be treated with the "Keltan" preparation.

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

Aphid - the insect feeds on the sap of the leaves, causing them to turn yellow ... You can destroy it 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, the plant should be disinfected, transplanted into a new pot and soil, and then treated with Fitoverm insecticide

Shield - when a scabbard appears leaves become covered with sticky sap 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 in growing amaryllis

Many growers are faced with a number of problems when growing this unusually beautiful plant, which include:

• Lack of flowering - amaryllis may stop blooming due to a too loose pot, a strong burial of the bulb in the ground, lack of fertilizer, a small amount of light and heat, rotting of the root system, lack of a dormant period, youthful bulbs, pest damage.
• Yellowing of leaves - causes damage to aphids in a plant.
• Reddening of the leaves - reddening of the leaf plates leads to the defeat of amaryllis with an ailment of fungal etiology.
• Drooping sheet plates - such a problem arises 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 omens and superstitions

Large and beautiful inflorescences of this exotic plant can decorate any interior and bring positive energy to the atmosphere of the home. Amaryllis translated into Russian means proud and unapproachable. The people call this beautiful flower "naked girl" due to the fact that often a 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 a windowsill, as it can harm not only pets, but also a person. What exactly is its harmfulness?

The plant of this family is poisonous. It contains a substance such as lycorin, which, when 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.

Feng Shui Amaryllis

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 exceptions are scarlet and fern, which can create a wonderful energetic tandem with it.

Amaryllis magic

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

The plant will help fulfill dreams of 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 request of the grower 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 of caring for the plant 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, the leaves of amaryllis 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 in amaryllis and hippeastrum, leaves begin to grow again, and a flower stalk 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 hippeastrum, the dormant period begins after the plant has bloomed, because hippeastrum can be driven out at any time of the year, and not only in late summer or early autumn. Early forcing in autumn or late is possible - then hippeastrum blooms in late winter or early spring. Some varieties bloom even in summer.

But whenever your amaryllis or hippeastrum blooms, it needs a rest period. So far, only one evergreen species of hippeastrum is known - Hippeastrum Papilio, for which there is no need for a dormant period. The rest of the amaryllis and hippeastrum varieties should rest. If you planted amaryllis or hippeastrum in the ground for the summer, then it is necessary 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, after flowering amaryllis, the bulb is not immediately dug up, you must first let the leaves do the important work - to supply the bulb with nutrients.

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

Wintering of amaryllis and hippeastrum

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

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

But if you decide to take 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 range for amaryllis (hippeastrum)

At rest, amaryllis and hippeastrum bulbs should be kept in a cool room. It is best if the temperature is about 15 ° C, but a temperature of 10 ° C is also considered acceptable, and the upper indicator is 18 ° C. If it is colder, the bulb may hurt, 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. Higher temperatures 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, full rest guarantees the laying of a healthy flower arrow.

During rest, watering the onion is only necessary so that it does not dry out - once a month and a half. Moreover, water must be poured into a pan so that the bulb does not rot in conditions of cool air and excess water.

You will know that the recovery period is over when the flower arrow appears at the amaryllis bulb. But active watering and feeding should be started only after this arrow stretches up 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, you must adhere to the seasonal rules for keeping 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 trace the entire life cycle of a plant step by step.

1. Germination of a bulb 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 at its top and their alternate (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. From mid-September until spring, the so-called dormant period begins in amaryllis.

Many indoor plant lovers are not fully familiar with how to properly prepare this flower for winter "hibernation". Let's consider what and how to do it.

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

Condition during wintering

As mentioned above, for 7-8 months, amaryllis has an active growing season... During this time, the bulb of the plant devotes all its strength, first to pasturing a powerful and fleshy peduncle, then to flowering for two or three weeks, after which all the remaining strength goes into the growth of 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.

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

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

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

How to store?

After 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 enter the 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 prerequisite should be the lack of light and low air 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 (about why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it release buds, read) ... To do this, you need to take the following measures:

1. gradually stop or minimize watering the flower as much as possible;
2. when all the leaves have turned yellow and sagged, they must be completely cut off, and the bulb must be moved to a dark and fairly cool place (storage room, basement, not very heated garage, etc.).

I would like to note a very common mistake of amateur gardeners who send amaryllis to rest without removing the bulb from the soil, that is, together with the pot. This is strongly discouraged. After the complete wilting of all the foliage on the plant, it must, as already mentioned a little above, 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, simultaneously checking if there are any damaged or dried root parts 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 within 3-5 months and gain strength for the next growing season.

In order to avoid damage to the dormant bulb, infections or pests, you can before sending the onion to rest, wash it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dry it... Also, as an extra precaution, you can wrap each onion with tissue or plain toilet paper.

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

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

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 a flower pot will be able to please its owner of extraordinary beauty with flowering by the end of March.

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, which belonged to this genus earlier, are transferred to the genus Hippeastrum. In nature, amaryllis are found in the semi-deserts and deserts of Africa, Asia and America, as well as in the American prairies. In indoor culture, only amaryllis belladonna, native to South Africa, is grown. 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 an ornamental deciduous, but also a flowering plant.

Homemade amaryllis - description

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

Homemade amaryllis 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 the hippeastrum, they are larger and odorless, and up to 12 fragrant small flowers can form on the amaryllis;
• amaryllis is grown exclusively at home, while 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 windowsills, but it needs diffused light, which means that in the middle of the day it needs to be shaded with thin tulle or gauze from direct rays. To keep the peduncle strictly vertical, the flower pot must be rotated 180 º around the axis from time to time.

The 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, but in winter you will have to look for a place for it away from heating appliances.

Watering amaryllis

Indoor amaryllis needs uniform watering throughout the entire period of active growth, however, until the plant reaches a height of 7 cm and does not form leaves, watering should be moderate. But when the amaryllis throws out the arrow and begins to form buds, the soil in the pot should be slightly damp all the time. If there is not enough moisture, flowers may turn out to be faded and deformed. By September, water consumption and watering frequency are gradually reduced to prepare the amaryllis for a dormant period. Keep in mind that excess moisture in cool weather can lead to fungal infections of the amaryllis. For watering, tap water at room temperature, filtered or settled for two days, is used, 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 extreme heat, because water droplets can get on the bulb and cause it to rot. To achieve the necessary moisture, you can spray the air around the amaryllis with a fine spray or place containers of water around the plant.

Top dressing amaryllis

Growing 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, but over time, the mother's 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 free it from 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. The transplant 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 just replace the top layer of the substrate in their pot.

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

Amaryllis after flowering

In good conditions, the plant blooms one month after planting the bulb. Amaryllis bloom lasts from two to three weeks, but you can extend this holiday if you cut the first of the two peduncles, lower the temperature of the content to 18 ºC and place the plant in partial shade.

When the flowering is over, do not rush to cut the peduncle, remove only the wilted flowers: now all the nutrients will begin to accumulate in the bulb. Move the amaryllis to a cool shady place and start preparing the plant for the dormant period: stop fertilizing and gradually reduce watering. The peduncle can be cut when it becomes completely yellow and soft. The yellowed leaves of amaryllis are also cut off. What to do with the onion? It can be dug up and stored, 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 in the last season. If amaryllis does not rest in winter, an exhausted bulb in the next season may not produce flowers.

Reproduction of amaryllis

Amaryllis reproduces by seed and vegetative way - 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 until the seeds ripen, collect them, sow in a loose wet substrate and grow in a warm and bright place. If you love experimentation 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. Children 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 are kept for half an hour in a pink solution of potassium permanganate and seated in small cups for rooting. As the children grow, they are transplanted into larger dishes. Amaryllis from daughter bulbs will bloom in five years. And remember: if you want a strong bulb and a large peduncle, do not let the plant bloom for the first time.

Amaryllis pests and diseases

Amaryllis disease

Amaryllis, alas, is very susceptible 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 rot and fusarium.

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

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

Gray rot covers the leaves and stems of amaryllis with brown spots. The reason is usually excess moisture in the substrate. The plant can only be saved by immediately replanting amaryllis in fresh soil and revising the irrigation regime.

Fusarium, or root rot, affects the vascular system of amaryllis and leads to its wilting. Too wet soil and temperature differences provoke infection activity. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to determine the problem at an early stage, 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 Fundazole or another drug of a similar effect.

Amaryllis pests

Amaryllis also suffers from harmful insects. Most often it is affected by pseudo-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, stems bend. 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 tick very difficult, because the pest infects the bulb in the ground. A sign of the presence of a pest is rotting of the plant's terrestrial organs. You can fight the onion mite only with preventive measures: pickle the 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 refuses to bloom at home. There are several reasons for this behavior:

• insufficient lighting;
• deficiency of nutrients in the soil;
• you deeply buried the bulb when planting;
• it is likely that the plant has diseased roots;
• you did not allow the plant to rest after flowering;
• the mother's bulb is overgrown with babies 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 is a variety with pink flowers and a yellow spot at the base of the petals;
• Ice Queen - double amaryllis with large shimmering glossy white flowers with a barely noticeable cream shade;
• Vera is a variety with medium-sized light pink flowers, shimmering with mother-of-pearl;
• Red Lion - amaryllis with large deep red flowers;
• Grandior - this variety has flowers with narrow petals, painted pink, gradually moving from a light shade to a more saturated one. The pharynx is yellowish green;
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Among the popular indoor plants, amaryllis stands out, which is loved by flower growers with large flowers of an unusual shape and bright colors. Especially valuable is its ability to bloom in the "darkest" time - late autumn. Unpretentious amaryllis, home care for which is completely uncomplicated, is suitable even for novice florists. 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 of monocots, the amaryllis family. Basal leaves, oblong, linear and smooth, dark green; placed in two rows.

Floral 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 flowering, which begins before the leaves appear, the plant throws out 2 peduncles. Natural amaryllis rarely blooms at home, so numerous hybrids that are easier to care for have been created.

Anyone who grows this indoor flower should remember that the amaryllis bulb is poisonous. Touching it can cause irritation. All transplanting work is carried out exclusively with gloves, and the plant is positioned so that children and pets cannot get to it.

Amaryllis varieties

Modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis are striking in their variety. Breeders are working on increasing the size of the flower, getting original colors.

• Lovers of bright accents will love the amaryllis in red shades. These include the magnificent Grand Diva variety with large (up to 18 cm) double cherry-red flowers. 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 Amaryllis Ferrari variety, which has an unusual deep red-orange shade of petals, also attracts attention.
• The original amaryllis Exotic Peacock is a double star with pointed scarlet petals. In the center there are white prints repeating the shape of a petal and smoothly turning into strokes on the scarlet field.
• Another hybrid of home amaryllis - Gervase, is attractive with bright scarlet and cherry stripes and strokes, arbitrarily "applied" to the white field of petals.
• White and pink amaryllis are no less beloved - delicate and graceful. 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 petals, "decorated" with a clear crimson edging and a pink-crimson speck in the center of the petal.
• Amaryllis Aphrodite is distinguished by its delicate color. This is one of the largest-flowered hybrids - 20-centimeter white double flowers are outlined with pink edging and covered with graceful pink strokes.
• It's hard to get past a hybrid like Double Dream. Its huge double flowers have a fiery pink shade with darker veins.
• White lovers should pay attention to the Pikoti variety. This non-double hybrid is attractive for its snow-white petals, each of which is "surrounded" by scarlet edging, clear and thin.
• Terry amaryllis Giant Amadeus is distinguished by an unusual pinkish-coral shade of strokes that densely filled the white field.

Optimal growing conditions

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

	Lighting	Watering	Temperature
Active growth phase	Bright diffused light. The most suitable will be windows of western and eastern orientation; on the southern window sills, shading from direct sunlight will be required. On the northern windowsills, amaryllis will bloom only if there is a 14-hour illumination.	Watering with partial drying of the earthen coma. That is, between waterings, you need to let the top layer of the earth dry out, in no case allowing the coma to completely dry out. 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.	Dislikes sudden changes; the optimal range is 18-24 degrees.
Rest phase	No lighting required.	The bulb is not watered; once every 2 weeks, the ground is sprayed with water.	A cool content (10-12 degrees) is required.

In addition, the plant is protected from drafts, while preventing air stagnation, especially at high humidity. If you follow these simple rules, growing amaryllis will not be a hassle.

How to plant amaryllis correctly

The key to successfully growing amaryllis at home is proper planting. If the pot or soil is incorrectly selected, the bulb will not be able to bloom luxuriantly and profusely, or even begin to rot.

Pot selection

The diameter of a suitable pot is directly related to the size of the amaryllis bulb. She prefers to sit in a tight 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, amaryllis has a sufficiently 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 the amaryllis, with its long, spreading leaves and tall peduncles. Accordingly, a ceramic pot is more suitable. It can be glazed or not: opinions differ as to what is best for the plant. In glazed pots, oxygen access to the roots is limited; in numerous pores of unglazed containers, pathogens accumulate and intensively develop.

Soil selection

The most suitable soil for amaryllis is a mixture of equal parts of leaf and sod land with river sand. Some growers add humus to the mixture. Before use, the soil is sterilized without fail: it is poured with a small amount of water and boiled for an hour. It is enough to rinse the sand to clean water. You can use ready-made soil purchased from 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 foundation or crushed charcoal.

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

2-3 cm of drainage (expanded clay) is poured into the pot and half covered with soil. The onion is placed in the center of the pot with the blunt end down and covered by two-thirds. The soil is tamped, watered. You can plant several amaryllis in a pot. In this case, there must 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 rest 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 feeding. As soon as the amaryllis has completely bloomed and dropped the last leaf, watering is stopped. Usually the plant falls asleep in the end of October - early November.

A little secret that guarantees lush flowering at home in the next season: Amaryllis should not be "helped". Many novice flower growers strive to quickly get rid of unattractive withered leaves and pick or cut them from 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 are easily separated.

For a good rest, the bulb needs 2-3 months. If agricultural technology is violated on this tap, she may wake up earlier, which will affect the further development of the outlet and flowering. Most often, the bulb is left in a pot, which is placed in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated place. You can also 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 of moving to winter holidays, caring for amaryllis is reduced to regular (once every 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

Caring for amaryllis after awakening can be divided into two stages: before and after the appearance of the flower arrow. A freshly planted onion is watered moderately, trying not to overmoisten, until the first shoots hatch.

After the arrow appears:

1. The plant is watered as usual (with drying of the top layer of the earth), avoiding the ingress of water on the bulb. Lack of moisture during this period can lead to the fact that the flower will begin to wilt without opening; an excess will lead to its decay.
2. The 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 fertilizer for bulbous plants.
3. It is not advisable to apply organic fertilizers (manure, humus). In addition to the fact that non-rotten 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 first bud opens, fertilizers are applied weekly.

Home flowering lasts 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 completely turns yellow - so the nutrients in it will pass into the bulb. Caring for an amaryllis flower after flowering, when it forms a rosette, is no different, except that feeding is reduced to 1 time per month.

Reproduction of amaryllis at home

There are several ways to breed amaryllis:

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

Each of them has its own nuances.

Seeds

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

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

By dividing the bulb

The dividing method at home can only be used if the bulb is large enough and completely healthy. With a sharp, non-kitchen knife, the sleeping onion is cut into several parts so that with each part a part of the bottom with roots remains. Slices are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, dried. The slices are planted in washed sand. Until the first leaf germinates, they are watered moderately and kept warm (at least 25 degrees). After the appearance of the first pair of leaves, the delenki are transplanted into the usual substrate for amaryllis.

Daughter bulbs

The simplest and safest methods include reproduction by children, or daughter bulbs. If the plant is healthy and is getting enough nourishment, the mother bulb begins to divide on its own. Children are put away only when they are strong enough. For transplanting, use the same soil as for the mother plant. When separating and replanting, 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 already 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 not sent to "sleep" in the first year - they will 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 they fall asleep, the 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 quickly that the pot becomes small for it.

The transplant algorithm is simple:

1. The plant is removed from the pot along with a lump, the roots are shaken off the ground.
2. Cut dry or rotten roots with a sharp knife, sprinkle the slices.
3. The bulb is cleaned of decaying 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, the top layer of soil in which salts are collected is replaced annually, replacing it with fresh one.

Diseases and pests

Amaryllis is affected by almost all "indoor" pests: spider and onion mites, thrips, scale insects, scale insects, aphids happily settle on it. If the plant is affected by insects, insecticides are used to get rid of them (Aktara, Iskra, Aktellik); mites are excreted using acaricides (Neoron, Kleschevit). Springtails or puffs 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, the 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 a variety of rot. In the first case, small red spots or a border on the scales become noticeable. In the second, there are soft grayish or brownish spots on the leaves or bulb. In both cases, treatment with fungicides is required - foundation or copper oxychloride. The main salvation from any disease is proper 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:

• recessed landing;
• spacious pot - in this case, the plant "prefers" to spend energy on the formation of daughter bulbs;
• lack of phosphorus and potassium;
• lack of light during germination;
• lack of heat;
• decay of roots or pests;
• a young bulb that is not yet strong enough to bloom.

The best way to "force" amaryllis to bloom is by thorough adherence to agricultural techniques and regular feeding.

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 at the end of February.
2. Amaryllis has a pronounced aroma.
3. The flowers of the hippeastrum are smaller, their number on the peduncle is less, and the flower arrow itself is higher.
4. Amaryllis leaves appear only after the peduncle.
5. The amaryllis has a pear-shaped bulb with ash-gray scales, while the hippeastrum has a round, slightly flattened laterally, the scales are whitish or greenish.

It blooms exclusively in the second half of winter, you must adhere to the seasonal rules for keeping 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 trace the entire life cycle of a plant step by step.

1. Germination of a bulb 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 at its top and their alternate (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. From mid-September until spring, the so-called dormant period begins in amaryllis.

Many indoor plant lovers are not fully familiar with how to properly prepare this flower for winter "hibernation". Let's consider what and how to do it.

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

Condition during wintering

As mentioned above, for 7-8 months, amaryllis has an active growing season... During this time, the bulb of the plant devotes all its strength, first to pasturing a powerful and fleshy peduncle, then to flowering for two or three weeks, after which all the remaining strength goes into the growth of 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.

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

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

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

How to store?

After 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 enter the 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 prerequisite should be the lack of light and low air 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 (about why amaryllis does not bloom and how to make it release buds, read) ... To do this, you need to take the following measures:

1. gradually stop or minimize watering the flower as much as possible;
2. when all the leaves have turned yellow and sagged, they must be completely cut off, and the bulb must be moved to a dark and fairly cool place (storage room, basement, not very heated garage, etc.).

I would like to note a very common mistake of amateur gardeners who send amaryllis to rest without removing the bulb from the soil, that is, together with the pot. This is strongly discouraged. After the complete wilting of all the foliage on the plant, it must, as already mentioned a little above, 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, simultaneously checking if there are any damaged or dried root parts 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 within 3-5 months and gain strength for the next growing season.

In order to avoid damage to the dormant bulb, infections or pests, you can before sending the onion to rest, wash it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and then dry it... Also, as an extra precaution, you can wrap each onion with tissue or plain toilet paper.

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

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

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 a flower pot will be able to please its owner of extraordinary beauty with flowering by the end of March.

Plants of the Amaryllidaceae family grow in the wild 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 supply of nutrients in the rhizomes. By the time the drought begins, the aboveground part of these plants dies off, and a bulb is hiding in the hot soil, already prepared for a long drought.

The birthplace of the real amaryllis (Amaryllis belladonna) is the Karoo Desert in South Africa.

Amaryllis got its name from a beautiful Greek shepherdess over two millennia ago. Belladonna, translated from ancient Greek, is a beautiful lady. Amaryllis is a flowering and decorative-leaved perennial plant of the Amaryllidaceae family.

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

After the amaryllis fades and the peduncles gradually dry out, do not rush to cut the leaves, but continue to water and feed the plant itself, gradually reducing the number and volume of watering and dressing from time to time. Thus, the amaryllis is prepared for rest. Two months later, watering is carried out only occasionally, and even then insignificant.

During preparation for the rest period amaryllis bulb continues to grow slowly, so it does not lose leaves. The signs of dormancy appear in the spring, this period lasts until the fall. In August, amaryllis wakes up, the formation of buds begins, and only later does the development of leaves begin.

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

Basic requirements for home care for amaryllis

Lighting: from direct sunlight to bright ambient light. If it seems dark to amaryllis, it will not bloom.

Location: south, south-east, south-west windows.

Air temperature: all 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 mix: turf soil, peat, sand, humus in a ratio of 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, during the dormant period of amaryllis - the content is dry. During the growing period, regular watering is required, avoiding excess moisture.

Top dressing: with the beginning of growth, weekly top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer, liquid top dressing-fertilizers, during the rest period without 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. Repotting annually leads to root damage, which in turn results in stunted growth 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 transplant is every 4-6 years, after the flower arrow has completely dried.

Reproduction: Daughter bulbs when transplanting or by seed 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 feeding with fresh manure, various rot 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 also scale insects.

For a long time, there was confusion with plants from the Amaryllis family. The real African amaryllis is being supplanted by various varieties and hybrids of large-flowered hippeastrum. Beginning growers need to know that under the name "amaryllis", hippeastrum very similar to them, native to South America, can be sold in flower markets.

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

Growing conditions for amaryllis

In amaryllis, growing conditions differ depending on the phase of the growing season. So, at a certain time the plant grows actively, and at another time it has a dormant time. Florists need to be aware of the amaryllis' inability to survive in very cold conditions, when the temperature hovers 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:

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

2. Lighting conditions:

• During the growth phase, the plant should receive strong diffused sunlight every day between 14-16 hours. Both the leaves and the peduncle are usually drawn 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 rest period, accordingly, no additional requirements for lighting are put forward.

3. Humidity:

The plant is very fond of moisture, therefore it is recommended to water it with regularly settled water at room temperature, it is possible through a sump, the excess water from which is drained after 6-8 hours. Make sure that the earthen lump is moist, but it is not necessary to bring the amount of moisture to excess. During flowering, even more water is needed. If it stagnates, then root rot, leaves wilting, and loss of flowers will begin. You can also spray the leaves - this will not damage the flowers. Moreover, it is recommended to moisturize the buds before flowering. 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 grows up to 10 cm. In the place where the pot will stand during the dormant period, the humidity should be 60-70%.

4. Airing

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

5. Optimal room temperature:

• During the active growing season - 22-24 ° C in the daytime and 18 ° C at night. It must be ensured that the plant does not suffer from constant temperature fluctuations.
• During the rest period, both day and night, the temperature should be 10–12 ° C.

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 overturn itself. In addition, when leaving, 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. This means that it should be up to 3-5 cm from it to all the 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 tapers gradually upward.

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.

Next, go to the choice of soil. The easiest option is to go to a specialized store and buy ready-made soil for bulbs there. But any experienced florist will give up 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 land and river sand in equal parts and half of humus;
• turf, garden land, humus, river sand and peat in equal parts;
• humus, sod land and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.

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

Drainage from above is covered with sand also 2-3 cm, in order to additionally be safe from root rot 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 that have reasonably good roots. It is necessary to ensure that the bulb does not have cracks, dents, scratches, places of rotting and mildew, stains. If the bulb has an unpleasant sweet odor, it is also not worth picking.

Amaryllis transplant

How to transplant amaryllis at home

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

There is no need to transplant the plant every year, and the operation is performed no more than once every three years. If the amaryllis is growing too quickly, you can transplant earlier.

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

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

Before a mature plant is planted in another pot, it needs to 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 reproduction of amaryllis - by dividing the bulb, children and seeds.

Amaryllis seeds photo How to get amaryllis seeds

This is the longest and least successful breeding method. If seeds are harvested 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 obtain seeds, you need two amaryllis. With a brush, pollen is taken from one and applied to the pistil of the other. As a result, a box is formed, in which the seeds will ripen later. Ripening takes at least a month.

Amaryllis from seed seedlings photo

• Seeds are planted immediately, as the germination rate drops sharply over time.
• Moisten the soil well before planting.
• Embedding depth 1-1.5 cm.
• Distance between seeds 3-5 cm
• The seed pot is placed in a warm, shaded place.
• They expect about a month to sprout, 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, as you can be left with nothing.

• They 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. Slices must be treated with activated carbon powder or ash.
• The bulb is planted in the usual way and grown at 25–27 ° C.
• First, the first leaf grows on the parcels. They are waiting for the second, and the plants are already planted in an adult soil for bulbous, which is mixed with an equal amount of sand.

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

Many growers successfully use the division of the bulb to propagate amaryllis, it is important to just do everything right and not be afraid to take risks.

Reproduction by children

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

1. They find small bulbs 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 the soil is lightly tamped and watered well. Place the new amaryllis in a bright and warm place.
3. There is no need to organize a rest period. Top dressing and watering are not reduced, and the rest is organized for the flowers only after flowering.

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

Caring for amaryllis at home

Amaryllis planting and care at home photo

Watering and feeding

During growth, amaryllis is watered carefully. This is done when the peduncle has a height of at least 10 cm. This flower likes to receive a lot of water, but not in a stagnant state. Sometimes it is better to give up watering than to flood the plant. It is best to add water to the pot every four days, making sure that no water gets onto the bulb during watering. It should fall especially on the soil around.

In winter, the plant should not receive so much water. It is enough to spray no more than once a week.

• Amaryllis is fertilized every 12-14 days, starting this process when the buds are formed.
• With intensive flowering, the interval is halved. There is no need to make a special choice of fertilizers. For this, any ready-made means for indoor flowering will fit - Kemira Lux, Emerald, Bona Forte, Ideal, Ava, Rainbow, Florist, Master Color, Agricola, Zhivoi Mir, Reasil, Bud, Power of Life and others.
• Fertilizers with a lot of potassium and phosphorus are preferred over 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 glass per 10 liters.

When the leaves die off completely, feeding stops. It is not carried out even in the resting phase.

Blooming amaryllis at home

Wild amaryllis enters the flowering phase in early autumn. In indoor floriculture, there are tricks on how to change this term. The easiest one 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 abundantly load the bulb with flowering.

When the first flower appeared and blossomed, some cut the peduncle and put it in a vase. Provided that the water is renewed every day, it can stay there for up to three weeks. You can not cut the peduncle, but it will stand the same, and will drain the bulb much more. To maximize flowering time, place the vase or flowerpot in a colder, darker place.

How to Make Amaryllis Blossom Why Amaryllis Doesn't Blossom

Why Amaryllis Doesn't Blossom How to Make Amaryllis Blossom

You must understand what is the reason for the listed ones you have. It needs to be eliminated and the result is expected.

Amaryllis after flowering

1. When the flowers wither, the amount of incoming water and fertilizers is sharply reduced. They completely stop watering and feeding the amaryllis when there are no peduncles or leaves left.
2. All dead leaves are removed, but it is not necessary to forcibly do this. If a partially live leaf is left, it will still feed the plant.
3. When the resting phase has finally begun, the pot is transferred into darkness. Remember that the roots are still alive, so the soil should be watered once a week with a spray bottle.

Another care option (but risky) is to scoop up the bulbs, peel them, and store 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 bloom twice a year - in early autumn and early spring. For this, a period of rest is strictly organized for the rest of the bulb and the accumulation of necessary nutrients. In January, they take out pots with amaryllis from the resting place, put them on a bright and warm 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 burn of amaryllis 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 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 the plant is planted.

2. Mold and rot

Rot on the amaryllis photo

• The surface of the bulb is covered with red-gray spots. Further, 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

• Feels like the leaves are covered with cobwebs. This leads to their wilting and drying.
• Amaryllis is treated with Oberon, Kleschevit, Nisoran, Floromite, Neoron.

4. Onion mite

The defeat of the amaryllis with an onion tick photo

• The insect attacks the bulb itself, which leads to inhibition of plant development and the lack of flowering. Even if there are flowers, they are deformed. And the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
• The bulbs are removed from the pots and placed in water at 35–40 ° C 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 stick, which is set on fire. They wait 2 hours, after which they take it back. To achieve the final effect, keep amaryllis in the fresh air for another day.

5. Thrips

The defeat of amaryllis with 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 it into a sterile pot and soil. Then amaryllis is treated with Agravertin and Fitoverm.

6. Mealybug

Mealybug on amaryllis photo

Scabbard on amaryllis photo

• Dense scales are observed underneath the leaves. They can be almost white or even dark brown. Around them there is a sticky discharge, similar in type to syrup.
• Soak the sponge with laundry soap and lather. Leaves are actively rubbed with it.

9. Aphids

Aphids on amaryllis photo

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

10. Leopard

Legs on the amaryllis photo

• Small white insects are visible on the soil surface.
• They reduce the intake of moisture, replace the topsoil with a new one, and carry out treatment with insecticides.

Amaryllis varieties and breeding tasks

The stores sell modern hybrid varieties of amaryllis, which are selectively bred. The real Amaryllis belladonna is extremely rare and appreciated by avid growers.

At the moment, breeders are achieving the following tasks:

• Breeding large double and regular flowers. The most beautiful double type hybrids are The Snow Queen, Macarena, Celica, Pink Nymph, Happy Christmas, The Promise. Non-double varieties are Benfica, Moonlight, Matterhorn, Black Pearl, Exotic, 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 flower shapes. The recent trend in breeding is the breeding of amaryllis with narrow, partially corrugated petals at the edges. This can be traced in the varieties Evergreen, Night Star, Lima, La Paz, Santana.

This does not mean that classic varieties of amaryllis are not in demand on the market. Standard varieties such as Durban (carmine flowers with a white vein in the middle), Gorgeous Pink (pink-white petals), Parker (yellow center and purple-pink edges), Maxima (bright pink flowers with a strong aroma), Hathor (yellow center and white petals) are equally popular.

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences photo of plants

Hippeastrum and amaryllis differences photo In the photo amaryllis

Amaryllis and hippeastrum from the Amaryllis family. Only in the first genus there are significantly more plants. Only in the wild, at least 90 species grow, and with breeding varieties, the hippeastrum family numbers 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 itself, below each first point 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. Saturation of aroma:

• bright;
• Hardly ever.

4. Flower size:

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

5. The number of flowers per plant:

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

6. Natural coloration of wild plants:

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

7. 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 crimson;
• the hollow tube, which is easy to crush when pressed, is green with a greyish-brown tint.

9. Peduncle length:

• Amaryllis has 40-60 cm;
• in the 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, have a slight fringe at the top;
• very similar in appearance to classic edible onions, but have a white or green surface.

Description of amaryllis

Planting and flowering amaryllis Amaryllis reproduction and care at home

Amaryllis (Latin Amaryllis) is the most common genus of the Amaryllis family (Latin Amaryllidaceae). Initially, botanists attributed one type of plant to it - 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 say the plant spread from the Oliphants River valley in 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.

The genus amaryllis was first described by the famous Swedish scientist Karl Linnaeus in 1753, who was engaged in taxonomy. The merit of the name of this flower belongs to him. Before his work, it was believed that amaryllis is only one of the subspecies of lilies. He was called lilionarcissus. Linnaeus realized that this is a separate plant, but introduced a significant error in taxonomy, including a number of hippeastrum varieties in the amaryllis genus. To this day, many people confuse these plants.

The name of the plant is first encountered in the work of Virgil. In his poems, you can find the heroine - the shepherdess Amaryllis or Amaryllis. This name in Greek means "sparkling".

Amaryllis flowers care Amaryllis flower photo

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

The commemoration 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 follow. In the wild, this occurs in late summer - early autumn. Each peduncle bears 2-12 flowers, depending on the variety. By the type of inflorescence - an umbrella.

Wild amaryllis can have flowers with white, pink and red petals in various shades. Breeders have artificially bred many hybrid varieties of yellow, purple, orange, green. A single amaryllis flower looks like a lily and is a gramophone, measuring 10-12 centimeters in diameter.

Amaryllis belladonna Amaryllis Belladonna planting and care at home photo

Despite the seeming beauty of the plant, amaryllis has poisonous parts. The alkaloid lycorin was found in the bulb. If it gets on your skin, it will irritate. All planting operations with the plant must be carried out exclusively with rubber gloves, and then wash your hands with soap and water. 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 was introduced to Europe in the 18th century, where it 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 the 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, an umbellate inflorescence is formed at the end of the arrow, consisting of flowers with a diameter of 5-8 cm 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 breeding new varieties, among which are:

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

Amaryllis: features of cultivation

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

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

Home care

The successful cultivation of amaryllis requires compliance with the basic care measures.

Lighting and location

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

Important! During 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:

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

Carefully! When growing a culture, one should not allow strong temperature changes that negatively affect the plant.

Requirement for soil and pot

To obtain a flowering plant, you must select a small container. 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. The nutrient substrate, prepared from sod and leafy soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1, is calcined in an oven before use to destroy pathogens.

Watering the flower and air humidity

When watering a flower, which should be carried out after the earthen coma dries up, the lower method of moistening is used: the pot is placed in a pan with water for 20-30 minutes, which prevents unwanted water ingress on the bulb, which occurs with the upper method of irrigation. Amaryllis easily adapts to dry air in the apartment, so it does not need additional spraying.

Advice! To make it easier for the flower to breathe through the leaf plates, you should systematically wipe them from dust.

Top dressing and fertilization

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 burn of the flower.

Flowering and pruning

With the arrival of autumn, the flowering of the culture is noted, which, in contrast to the hippeastrum, occurs after the development of the green mass. In the natural environment, this period, in which flowers of white and pink flowers bloom, falls in the fall. In culture, many varieties have been bred with a variety of colors. After flowering, the shoots die off naturally and no pruning is required.

Transfer

The amaryllis flower is transplanted every 3-4 years after the end of flowering.

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. At the bottom of the pot there is expanded clay drainage.
3. The bulb is examined for diseases and placed in a pot, after which it is sprinkled with a new substrate so that ⅓ part remains above the ground level.
4. The substrate is compacted and slightly moistened.

Dormant period

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

Disease and pest control

The flower is affected by diseases in the form of rot in case of violation of the maintenance regulations - excessive watering, 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 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 impossibility of maintaining varietal qualities, seed reproduction at home is extremely rare.

If, nevertheless, the florist decided, then:

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

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

Children

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

1. A baby with roots is separated from the mother's bulb with a sharp instrument.
2. The sections are disinfected with an antiseptic in the form of crushed activated carbon or a fungicide solution.
3. A small onion is planted in a separate pot with prepared amaryllis substrate and moved to a warm rooting room. After 1-3 years, mature bulbs will grow, capable of blooming.

By dividing the bulb

The most popular technique in which:

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

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

Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, non-observance of the basic agrotechnical requirements can lead to the loss of decorativeness by the flower or the complete absence of inflorescences.

The main reasons are:

• lack of lighting;
• lack of macro- and microelements;
• lack of a rest phase;
• untimely transplant;
• deep planting of the bulb;
• constant overflows, leading to the development of diseases;
• improperly selected pot;
• the presence of pests.

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

How to distinguish amaryllis from hippeastrum?

Often, hippeastrum from the tropical regions of South America, whose genus numbers more than 85 species, are mistaken for Amaryllis, represented by only one species.

There are a number of parameters that will help the florist not to be mistaken:

• bulb - in amaryllis, the bulb is pear-shaped, while in a tropical flower it is rounded;
• inflorescence - in amaryllis, umbrellas consist of 6-12 flowers, while in hippeastrum - 6 pieces are 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 represents a malfunction of a beautifully flowering plant that requires minimal but proper care. Fulfillment of all the requirements for maintaining the culture at home will allow the grower to get a healthy plant with beautiful large inflorescences of wondrous beauty.

Plant Care Memo

Every 2-3 years During active growth 18-22, during rest - about 15 During flowering - when the topsoil dries up, do not water during the rest period Only buds if the air is too dry Bright diffused light, southwest and southeast windows Poisonous sap, adherence to periods of growth and rest

Lighting

During growth, the plant prefers bright diffused light; in summer, direct rays of the sun are permissible only between 11:00 and 15:00.

For normal development, amaryllis requires 16 hours of daylight... Amaryllis bulbs do not need light during the dormant period.

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

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

Temperature

Temperature regime during active growth:

• Daytime 20–22 ° C;
• At night, at least 18 ° C.

Amaryllis bulbs should be kept in a cool place during the dormant period.... The optimal temperature will be about 15 ° C, the minimum 10 ° C, and the maximum 18 ° C. At a low temperature, the bulb may die, and at a high temperature, it will germinate too quickly, not allowing the plant to fully rest.

In the summer, it is not advisable to take the flower out of the room, since the differences in day and night temperatures in the 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 the spring, it can be kept at a room temperature of 20-22 ° C, 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. Watering frequency - the topsoil should dry out slightly between waterings. Water the plant with settled water at room temperature... It is important that no water gets on the bulbs.

When flowering is over, watering is reduced, and after 2 months they completely stop.

During this time, amaryllis loses 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 the usual watering regime, 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, a soil consisting of sod land (2 parts), peat (1 part), humus (1 part) and sand (1 part) is suitable. The acidity index of the soil should be pH 6.0–6.5.

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

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

Sand can be replaced with leavening agents such as perlite or vermiculite. The specified composition of the soil will ensure the outflow of excess water into the sump when watering.

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 decay.

For amaryllis, light and loose soil, slightly acidic or with neutral acidity, is suitable. Such soil mixtures for decorative flowering bulbous plants are always on sale. The easiest way to get them is from flower shops or garden centers.

Fertilizer

During active growth and flowering, feeding is carried out 1 time in 10 days. For this, a complex liquid fertilizer is used, suitable for flowering plants.

At the end of flowering, fertilizing is reduced, and after wilting of the leaves, they stop altogether.... 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. Liquid complex fertilizers are used for flowering plants or special formulations for bulbous plants.

It is important not to overfeed the plants after leaf formation and flowering. This species grows leaves after the formation of a peduncle. The plant is fed only with fertilizer for flowering plants, never using formulations for deciduous varieties. This maximizes flowering and slows down leaf growth.

Humidity

Amaryllis is undemanding to air humidity, so there is no need to spray it.

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

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

Peculiarities

For normal development and abundant flowering of amaryllis, special care rules are required during growth and rest. Also, amaryllis is a poisonous plant and you only need to work with it with gloves.

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

Growth and rest periods

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

After flowering amaryllis, you need to remove the peduncles. 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 must be cut to a height of 5 cm from the bulb.

In September and early October, the bulbs are planted in a pot and harvested in a dark, dry and cool (13-15 ° C) place. The dormant period will begin when no green leaves remain on the plant and will last 6–8 weeks.

Around November, the pot with the plant is placed in a lighted place and watered regularly. From this point on, the growth period begins again.

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

Flowering amaryllis

Amaryllis bloom in late autumn or early winter. A flowering plant throws out a powerful peduncle, at the end of which an inflorescence is located. Usually, the plant has no leaves during flowering. Sometimes, together with the peduncle, 1 pair of leaves grows.

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, provided that they are regularly fed in the spring.

To induce the natural flowering of amaryllis in the summer, you need to create an additional dormant period for it. 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 2 weeks 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 is watered as usual. Now it can be transferred to the windowsill, where it will soon bloom.

Diseases

Amaryllis can be attacked by fungal infections such as gray mold. Signs of infestation: brown spots or stripes on flowers, stems or bulbs, or grayish velvety bloom 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 deformed.

Small reddish specks may appear when infested with mites. In the fight against pests, insecticide treatment, which must be carried out several times, will help.

Problems

• The flowers turn pale... Reason: direct sunlight;
• The flowers darken or even turn black. Reason: damp air and low room temperature;
• The leaves become pale and the flowers droop. Reason: insufficient watering;
• Leaves turn yellow... Reasons: defeat by thrips or aphids, waterlogging of the soil;
• The bulbs become smaller. Reasons: a large number of children, lack of lighting, abundant flowering;
• The plant does not bloom... Causes: improper care, too short or no dormancy, deep planting of the bulb, damage to the root system. The bulb will not have the strength to release the flower stem when there is 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's bulb and by seeds. Before transplanting amaryllis, you need to choose the appropriate method.

Separation of daughter bulbs

This is the simplest and most common way. Regrown babies 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.

In this case, 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 rapidly 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.

Seedlings should appear in a month. Grown young plants are planted one by one in separate small pots. Amaryllis grown from seed only bloom for 7 years.

Transfer

Amaryllis is a perennial plant, so there is no need to transplant it annually. It will be enough just to replace the top layer of the soil. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the root system. In addition, the bulb must not be filled up 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 ends.

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

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

Dry 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 replanted.- roots will grow back in 4-6 weeks. A drainage layer is laid on 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 unique in its genus. Today, another species of this genus has been found - Amaryllis Paradisicol.

Amaryllis Belladonna- a very popular plant in indoor floriculture. Due to its compact size and flowers of amazing beauty, this species is widespread in the collections of lovers of flowering plants almost everywhere. Wild flowers have pink, red and even purple hues.

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

• "Exotic" is a large-flowered variety;
• "Minerva" - a variety with variegated striped petals;
• "Exotic Star" is a narrow-petaled 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. Not common in indoor floriculture.

Now you know everything about caring for amaryllis at home.

When and should you cut the leaves and roots of the bulb? What are the storage conditions and when will it be ready to bloom again? Who knows?

After flowering, remove only the stalks. Be sure to leave the leaves, feed them a couple of times, because the bulb has expended a lot of energy on flowering. Then start cutting back on watering so the leaves die off. But not everyone has a dormant period. My amaryllis, bought last winter, bloomed great last year, giving out three arrows, all summer trying to put him to sleep, did not want to. Has given 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 depleted after flowering, becomes loose, try to still make it rest. Also, do not plant the bulb in a large pot, in which case it will definitely not bloom. Good luck.

You do not 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 place in a cool place. No need to dig out of the pot

Dormant period: The stem is cut only when it is completely dry. Gradually reduce watering, then stop watering altogether. The pot with the onion is placed in a dark, cool place indoors. The rest period should be 6-8 weeks between February. Then the bulb can be taken out of the pot, the “babies” are separated and the mother plant is transplanted.

after blooming, you must first of all build up a good botka, like at least 4 pairs of leaves, before sending it to rest, otherwise you will not see a trace of flowering, the roots are not cut off healthy, but on the contrary they are taken care of when transplanting

It is unlikely that you have amaryllis. Most likely, this is a hybrid hippeastrum. After flowering, it has a growth period. You need to transplant the plant into a larger pot, water and feed regularly. For the summer, it is better to plant in open ground. The dormant 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 off by spring increase watering and feed

you do not need to cut the leaves ... now the bulb needs additional feeding - the energy spent on flowering ... let the leaves grow, and put to bed in the fall ...

In the conditions of a rather cold Russian climate, amaryllis blooming in winter is one of the most beloved indoor plants. Its modern varieties come in a 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 distillation that even the most untrained hobbyist can do. In most regions of Russia, amaryllis, whose homeland is South America, is able to winter only in indoor conditions and has a pronounced dormant period from about the end of October to the beginning of February. The main secret of successful distillation consists in the correct organization of rest for amaryllis.

How to prepare amaryllis for rest. At the end of August - September, it is necessary to abandon fertilizing and slowly begin to reduce irrigation until they stop completely at the end of October - November. The amaryllis will begin to gradually shed its leaves, and by the end of autumn they should all naturally die off. It is not worthwhile to specially cut off the yellowing leaves, since when they die off, all organic substances from them pass into the bulb, making the necessary supply for subsequent flowering. Sometimes one or two leaves that are not wilted remain for a long time. They are carefully bent down or cut at the base of the bulb to save space during storage - for example, on shelves in a cool closet, heated greenhouse or conservatory, in a warm garage where the temperature does not drop below zero in winter.

How to store amaryllis during 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 ° С, they do not need light. Leave the resting bulbs in pots or loose in boxes for at least eight to nine weeks. Remember: bulbs of hippeastrum 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 for amaryllis is mid-February - 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 the amaryllis bloom, for example, for Valentine's Day or for the holiday of March 8. 7-10 weeks before the desired flowering time, bring the rested bulbs into a warmer, brighter room and lightly water them. In the future, the frequency of watering 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. By following these simple guidelines, you will be rewarded with an abundant flowering of your pets every year.

How and when to transplant amaryllis. It is advisable to replant amaryllis and change the soil in pots every 1-2 years and preferably in 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, the children, which often appear on the bulbs, are carefully separated and planted in separate pots, indicating the variety. With proper care, babies bloom in about the third or fourth year. When transplanting, the diameter of the pot is increased slightly, since amaryllis bloom more readily and much faster in a "tight" 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 in preparing Amaryllis for rest... Most likely, most of the plants themselves "figured out" that it was time to rest, when the day at the end of September - October significantly waned, and it became noticeably colder in the rooms and on the windowsills, especially at night. Such conditions are not very suitable for a stormy vegetation, so the plants naturally shed some of their foliage, preparing for winter dormancy. If you also intuitively guessed that in cool conditions all plants need to be watered much less often and less abundantly, then you will not have to do anything else. And turning on the central heating will surely completely dry out a couple of 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, the shaded corner of the coolest room is suitable, where your plants will stand for another two to three months, until February or March, until you decide it is time for them to get ready for flowering. During the storage period, 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 preserve the neat appearance of the plants and prevent the bulbs from rotting when they resume watering.

One principle 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 and forced to drop 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. In this cool and relatively dark period, young plants simply need to be watered more rarely and in moderation so as not to flood their root system.

Well, if the plant continues to grow rapidly, threw out one or two buds and is about to bloom? It's okay, this option is also quite acceptable, although less desirable. It's just that the plant confused spring with autumn, especially if you continued to water and feed it vigorously. Let the amaryllis bloom naturally, but just in case, slightly reduce the frequency and intensity of watering. And watch your plant. It is possible that you have already poured the onion and this is her "swan song".

If your plant develops well, its peduncles reach normal height, the size of the buds and flowers is not a cause for concern, the 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, alas, most likely, it will no longer bloom.

It is much worse if several leaves suddenly stopped developing completely 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 health include softness, lethargy, lack of firmness, or black or brown spots on the surface. It's bad if you notice rot on the surface or at the base, excess water in the sump after a long absence, or any insects fluttering around the plant. Sometimes the bulb tilts on its side or just hangs out on one or two remaining roots, although normally the root system of Amaryllis is well developed and completely encircles an earthen ball.

In this case, it is urgently necessary to carefully remove the bulb together with the earthen clod and inspect. Depending on the state of the root system and the bulb itself, make a decision about the need for an urgent transplant, some kind of resuscitation actions, or just dry it slightly 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, they 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 according to all the rules of agricultural technology, which I have already described in my article the Beautiful home flower Amaryllis.

If there are obvious traces of rot or other damage on the bulb, the first step is to assess the degree and depth of the lesion. It often happens that the lesions 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, the drug "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 shelf in a cool pantry, periodically checking. This usually helps 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 persists, then resuscitation actions continue until it is possible to stop the spread of the disease. If the rot has touched 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 land! Dry the onion well to prevent disease from returning.

An even more difficult situation is created if the bulb has lost almost all of its roots. As long as it does not rot from the inside, it is quite possible to save it! Treat the entire onion with a fungicide after removing all lesions. Next, thoroughly clean all the affected areas and cavities and once again treat with a disinfectant solution. Dry the onion and store in the pantry until February - March, until the life processes that accompany the exit from the dormant state begin to awaken in it. It is even better if you plant it in the pot later - in late March or April. Then for sure. I recommend planting the amaryllis first in a clear, disposable 0.5 liter plastic cup, in slightly damp vermiculite with a pinch of some root stimulant added. It is convenient to observe the development of roots in such a container. 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 closed with an onion.

It is also advisable to treat the bulb itself with a root formation stimulator before planting, or hold it for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, which has both a bactericidal and 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 root for 6-8 months! True, this rarely happens. Therefore, do not despair, but wait patiently and you will be rewarded! If the bulb has turned 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.)

The main attraction of amaryllis is its huge inflorescences. But often novice flower growers who first planted this plant and water it all year round, after a few years wonder why they crushed it or stopped blooming altogether. And the reason for this behavior of the flower is that it is not allowed to rest. Amaryllis is one of those indoor plants that need a dormant period. If you give the plant rest to recuperate, it will still delight you with its flowering.

What does rest mean for amaryllis?

Amaryllis has a very interesting life cycle:

1. The bulbs germinate first (they have light plump roots on the bottom).
2. Then a powerful peduncle begins to emerge from the top of the bulb.
3. When it stretches to the required height, the inflorescences open (usually not all at once, but one by one).
4. After the end of flowering, active growth of leaves begins.
5. With the onset of autumn and until the beginning of spring, the bulbs should rest before the next flowering.

During the period of active growth, which lasts until autumn, it is better to plant amaryllis in the garden. According to the observations of gardeners who practice this method, the bulbs growing in the open field are larger than those that were left in the pot, which means that they have more nutrients.

Thus, a dormant period is necessary for the plant so that the bulbs can recover from such intense work as flowering and foliage. If such an opportunity is not provided to her, amaryllis will continue to grow and form new leaves, but a weakened bulb is unlikely to be able to bloom in a year or two.

How to prepare an onion for rest?

Preparation of amaryllis for wintering should begin with the cessation of watering (gradual). In addition, the pot must be moved to a dark place. In the absence of watering and light, new roots and leaves will cease to form, and the deciduous cap will gradually fade.

When this happens, the bulb must be removed from the flowerpot, cleaned of soil and cut the roots. Then rinse in potassium permanganate and dry.

Where to store the bulb in winter?

Bulbs should overwinter in a dark, cool place, but it is not easy to find this in an apartment. The balcony is not very suitable for wintering, especially an open one, because there the bulb will freeze and die.

The best option is storage on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator. The condition of the bulbs should be checked every two weeks. If there is no free space there, then you can simply leave the onion in the flowerpot.

The onion should be wrapped in tissue or toilet paper before placing it in the refrigerator.

In mid-February, amaryllis must be removed from the refrigerator and put on forcing.

Features of wintering amaryllis - video