An amaryllis is the perfect Christmas gift for someone whom you have no idea what to buy. Whether potted and in bloom, or a bulb ready to plant and watch grow, an amaryllis makes a great gift for young and old. All it needs is a sunny location and water. Purchase your amaryllis bulbs now for holiday blooms in December.
A fundraiser for Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs offers a variety of amaryllis bulb kits for sale along with paperwhites and a few other gift items. You can even purchase a bulb coated in wax that will grow and bloom with no water. However, the bulb uses up its nutrients and cannot be re-grown next season. The link is www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/index.php/marketplace/seller/profile/shop/afgc
If you purchase a bulb planted in soil, the amaryllis is ready to grow. Place the container in a sunny location, add water when the soil feels dry, and in 4-6 weeks a tall stalk will form. Soon, beautiful, lily-like blooms appear. It is the perfect Christmas gift.
When purchasing a bulb to plant, make sure it is firm and dry, with no soft spots or signs of mold. If leaves have already begun to sprout, plant the bulb as soon as possible so that food is not taken from the bulb to grow leaves. Choose a container about 1-2 inches wider than the bulb. Use a special soil mix for bulbs or create your own by mixing two parts potting soil with one part each peat moss, vermiculite and coarse sand. This loose soil mixture will allow proper drainage so the bulb does not rot.
When planting, leave the bulb’s “neck” (top one-half of the bulb) above soil level. Once the bulb is planted, place the container in a sunny location and water when the soil feels dry. Once lthe flower stalk begins to grow, rotate the pot weekly to encourage the stalk to remain straight and not lean toward the light. About six weeks after planting, the amaryllis will have beautiful blooms to enjoy for several weeks.
The amaryllis is a wonderful gift for children because it is so fast growing. Once leaves sprout, a stalk appears and grows several inches a day until blooms form. Children love measuring the stalk and recording how many inches it grows each day. This is a fun way to teach measuring.
Purchase amaryllis bulbs from the link above to make your list of Christmas gifts much shorter.
Karen Bowen, AFGC Blog Manager
