With its massive, vibrant petals, the Amaryllis (also known as the Knight’s Star) is a total showstopper during the dark winter months. Just when most other plants are dormant, this beauty kicks off its elegant color show. But as we all know, those stunning blooms don’t last forever. Don’t even think about tossing it in the compost, though! With a little TLC, you can get your plant ready for another round of gorgeous flowers next year.
Cleaning up the faded blooms
If you give it some love, an Amaryllis will bloom for years to come. The secret to a successful “aftercare” program is pruning back the spent growth in stages while keeping a close eye on its water and nutrient needs.
Here is how to prune and care for your Amaryllis step-by-step:
- First off, grab some gloves and a sharp pair of shears.
- Carefully trim away all the withered flower petals, but make sure to leave the green leaves alone!
- By March at the latest, you’ll want to cut the yellowed, dried-out flower stalk about 2.5 inches (6 cm) above the bulb. You’ll notice the green leaves starting to take off shortly after.
- From April through the end of July, fertilize every two weeks and water regularly from the bottom.
The comeback: Blooming again after a rest
In late July, it’s time to start scaling back on the water. By the beginning of August, stop watering and fertilizing altogether and move your plant to a cool basement. During this “nap” or regeneration phase, the bulb will pull the nutrients back from the leaves. Because of this, only cut the foliage off once it has completely died back. Come November, it’s time to wake your plant up!
To get those blooms back, follow these steps:
- Bring your plant back into the main living area.
- Trim off any remaining withered foliage and cut all leaves back to about 4 inches (10 cm).
- Repot your Amaryllis in fresh soil. A mix of cactus potting soil and standard potting soil works wonders.
- Place the pot on a sunny windowsill. These plants love temperatures around 72°F (22°C).
Now you can slowly start watering again. Once you see those first delicate buds poking through, go ahead and resume fertilizing every two weeks. Happy growing!
