April edit: in New England we are still having some gloomy days, and guess what? This amaryllis “Hot Lips” above (that I bought from John Scheepers) is STILL blooming! By that I mean that these little bulbs have each put out at least 2 stems of flowers, and one bulb is on its third!
It’s January and it’s cold. What’s a gardener to do? Amaryllis, of course. To one of these bulbs, I added a few sprigs from my winterberry bushes to provide additional interest. This amaryllis bulb is situated on top of small (~3/4″) pebbles in a tall (~12″) glass vase. After the flowers finish blooming, I cut the flower stalks down, keep the bulb watered (to just below the base of the bulb) and once the last frost has passed, I plant them in a pot or the ground outside for the summer (sometimes they bloom again in the summer!). In the fall, I encourage dormancy by turning the pot on its side, keeping it from being watered, and when the leaves turn brown, I shake off loose soil, bring the bulbs into my basement and let them sit for 8 – 10 weeks, when I ‘wake them up’ again.
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