Who'd like an Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) thread?

[daisychain01]

I treated myself to 3 Amaryllis bulbs from M&S last week and reminded myself what a great addition those lovely big chunky bulbs are to the Christmas season.

It's such a positive feeling, giving them a water and watching them turning green and the leaves emerging over the weeks, when most things in the garden are going to sleep.

The bulbs I chose are:

Dancing Queen
Apple Blossom
Minerva

Lesson learned from last year - stake them up before the flowers form, as their stems aren't always strong enough to hold the multi-flower varieties upright. One of nature's design flaws! Supporting them when the stem is just emerging helps it a lot. Other than that, they are remarkably self-sufficient.

it will be lovely to see everyone's bulbs flowering as we get closer to Christmas.

Back later with my photos.

PS One of my bulbs from last Christmas started flowering in July so I put it in a pot with some new compost and a bit of vermiculite, but it was very indifferent -a few leaves but no flower. It's now sulking in the greenhouse, I think it peaked too soon!

They are so lovely.
I think I'll treat myself.
I do love indoor hyacinths too.

I'll join! I've got two: Mandela and Gervase. They're in identical pots and I've already forgotten which is which.

The compost got a little mouldy on the surface this week so I've sprinkled it with cinnamon and sort of worked it in a little bit with a fork.

Do you put anything on the compost surface for looks/protection? Moss or grit or anything like that?

I have 2 green ones from last year that I’m hoping will flower again.

One of nature's design flaws! Not at all. The long stem it to get the flower above the surrounding vegetation. Doesn’t need to be strong because of all the surrounding vegetation supporting it. It’s a design flaw in gardeners for growing them on their own

You’ll have noticed that the more light they get, the shorter and sturdier they are.

One of my bulbs from last Christmas started flowering in July so I put it in a pot with some new compost and a bit of vermiculite, but it was very indifferent -a few leaves but no flower. It's now sulking in the greenhouse, I think it peaked too soon! They’re like any other bulb - they need leaves to build up the bulb for a good flower next year. If they haven’t had enough food after flowering, they won’t flower next year.

don’t be too hasty with repotting, they don’t like disturbance

Do you put anything on the compost surface for looks/protection? Moss or grit or anything like that?

@LemonJuiceFromConcentrate I've tended to leave the compost as is, and just keep it moist to touch but I'm now wondering whether a bit of bark chips (from my bag of orchid compost) might look rather nice? I made the mistake last year of planting one of my bulbs in a large flat pot, and it didn't like it at all. It had the starting of a bud but then nothing I found out on YouTube that they get confused with too much space around them. I re-planted it in a taller narrower pot and within days it recovered, amazing, they're so clever! I'll check out your 2 varieties to see what they're like.

To your good point @MereDintofPandiculation I should have known they like being in groups and planted more in the same pot! Those huge doubles like Apple Blossom are so top-heavy - I came into the kitchen one morning and the whole thing had collapsed. I managed to cut it with enough step to put in a vase and it was happy for a further 10 days, including a new flower on it.

They’re like any other bulb - they need leaves to build up the bulb for a good flower next year. If they haven’t had enough food after flowering, they won’t flower next year..

I'd dried the bulb naturally until the leaves fell off after Christmas, then put it into a dark corner in the garage, and for some strange reason it woke up in summer, bore some leaves but no sign of flowering. Maybe I should have added some extra food after flowering, I may experiment this year and see what happens, thanks for that.

For the first time ever I've tried to replant last year's as I kept one speculatively and it started shooting a couple of weeks ago so I planted it up.
Went to water it today to discover it absolutely covered in little flies - compost flies I'm guessing. I had wondered where the new little flies in the kitchen were from. So I put it outside in disgust and yet to decide what to do with it.
It is Dancing Queen and was amazing last year.
The bulb looks a bit thin though so I might get a new one anyway.
But does anyone have any wisdom on getting rid of the tiny flies?

Mandela is a beautiful variety, rich crimson!

I've just been on the Sarah Raven site and all of her Amaryllis are unavailable. Must be like everything else, supply problems. M&S had stacks of them when I went shopping yesterday.

@LadyEloise1 i love indoor hyacinths, nice to have a big show in a basket, with pink, cream, mauve and white, stunning, and such a strong scent in the early spring.

Oh no @Dahlia444 thats awful. How disappointing. Not sure about the little flies, if they are infesting your bulb and the bulb is looking a bit thin and not lovely and plump like they are in the shops, I'd be tempted to sling it and start again. But then again I'm really unsentimental in the garden, it has one chance and then sling it lol.

Go on, treat yourself to a new Dancing Queen they're gorgeous.

Yes I'm probably a bit too much 'give it another chance'! I usually make a special trip to Waitrose for my amaryllis but haven't had chance this year yet. I'm a bit late now to get it ready for Christmas but I'll try anyway. Try to go later this week.
I did love Dancing Queen but actually slightly missed the bright reds or white I usually go for, which feel more Christmassy somehow. I'll see what they've got!

I've found some photos from my last year's Amaryllis. Gosh where has a whole year gone!

M&S have some nice single and double varieties if you're near one of their Simply Foods or larger stores. They had Minerva, Apple Blossom, Dancing Queen and I think I saw Red Lion as well. Good luck!

Oh I will, sadly. I have Apple Blossom and another whose name I’ve temporarily forgotten. It’s been so wet this year (eastern Australia) that they both turned to mush and the sole sad little flower was demolished by snails. Better luck next year I hope!

and for some strange reason it woke up in summer Normal waking up time in my experience. I think they’re tinkered with (temperature control?) to be ready to wake up now. Ah yes, instructions here - basically forcing them to die down in September and gIving a couple of months cold period.

Compost flies hatch from transparent grubs in the compost. Grubs are eating humus, they particularly like thick fleshy roots. I’ve found it difficult to get rid of grubs other than changing the soil or physically pick them out. Flies are easily killed with household fly spray.

Prevention - cover the soil with a layer of grit to convince the fly this isn’t nice rich humus-y soil for her eggs

i bought this amayrills bulb, does not need watering so it will be interesting to see how it does

www.reggys.co.uk/products/amaryllis-waxed-bulbs-red

That's really interesting thank you. It's still sitting outside in the rain looking sad. I'll think about whether it's worth rescuing on the weekend. This was it last year looking gorgeous.

One of the bulbs I planted on Friday has already sprouted 👍

I must sort out some photos.

thank you for your wisdom @MereDintofPandiculation and fyi I rather enjoy a good pandiculate, I must have been a cat in a former life

fyi I rather enjoy a good pandiculate, I must have been a cat in a former life

Made my special trip to waitrose today and picked up a Red Lion (as well as some mould remover - exciting trip). When I saw that the new bulb was about 4 times the size of the fly-ridden one I immediately chucked it in the compost.

So I'm trying again. I've covered the new soil in gravel - hopefully it will help.

That looks crazy! Will be following it's progress with interest.

I bought 2 bulbs very cheaply in Lidl last year. They both flowered spectacularly and one of them flowered again in the summer! I've just bought another couple this year (the ones in the box that you plant yourself).

@Dahlia444

When I saw that the new bulb was about 4 times the size of the fly-ridden one I immediately chucked it in the compost.

Now you're really on a roll 😂 out with the old in with the new. Red Lion 👍

it's nearly the weekend, I need to get myself sorted - everything has been left piled up in the kitchen all week. Procrastination abounds . I'll put my 2 Waitrose bulbs into pots as they had that compressed compost that needs to be soaked for an hour, faff and mess.

I used to give my nan an amaryllis every year for Christmas
She swore by giving it a drink every day with half an aspirin

@Ted27 Did the aspirin work magic ?
Did the amaryllis bloom for longer ?
Live longer ?

Well she always had magnificent blooms - I remember being fascinated by them