AMARYLLIS
Don’t be fooled by the fabulously exotic-
looking blooms of the amaryllis! Growing
one is easy, and here’s a guide to help get
you started.
– Soak it: Encourage roots by soaking the
bulb’s roots before planting. Place the
bulb in a saucer and cover the roots with
a half-inch of warm water for a couple
of hours.
– Pot it: Choose a container about one
inch larger than the bulb with a drainage
hole (even if it means planting in a plastic
container and nesting it in a decorative
cache pot). Fill in the bottom of the pot
with potting mix and set the bulb on top
(or bulbs – three amaryllis in a pot to-
gether are unforgettable). Adjust soil levels
so that you have the bulb(s) where you
want them and add just enough potting
mix so that the top third is exposed. Water
the pot draining off excess water.
– Care for it: Place the planted bulbs in a
cool, bright location. Allow the soil to
dry out between watering. As the bulb
grows, it will need water more oft en. If
you nest the planting pot inside a cache
pot or have a container sitting in a saucer,
make sure it doesn’t sit in water for an
extended period of time aft er watering.
Dump the excess water within an hour
or so. Remove faded fl owers promptly to
increase the life of the remaining fl owers.
Aft er fl owering, cut off the faded fl owers
in order to prevent seed formation (takes
too much energy from the bulb), and al-
low the leaves to continue to grow. Pro-
vide regular water during this time, let-
ting the soil dry somewhat between wa-
tering. Aft er blooming is fi nished, put the
plant in your sunniest indoor location.
– Support it: Provide support if fl ower
stems get too long and start to fl op over
(usually a sign of not enough light) by
staking them with plant stakes and twine
and raffi a.
CHRISTMAS CACTUS
Th e undemanding Christmas cactus is not
only beautiful with its jewel tone blooms,
it is also easy to grow. It can live for years
without a lot of maintenance, making it a
one of the more popular houseplants. Here
are the ideal conditions under which it will
perform best for you.
– Light: Bright but indirect light is ideal
most of the year. From late winter to early
spring, moderate light allows the plant to
rest. Plants can be placed outdoors in a
shady spot for the summer.
– Water: From spring through fall, keep
soil lightly moist. In winter, allow the soil
to almost dry out between watering. If
stems shrivel, the plant is not getting
enough water.
– Temperature: Late spring to early sum-
mer, warm temperatures between 65 de-
grees F and 80 degrees F; in fall and win-
ter, cool temps between 50 degrees F
and 65 degrees F are preferred.
– Fertilizer: From spring through summer,
feed every two weeks with a balanced
fertilizer, mixed at a slightly reduced rate
(use about three-quarters of the recom-
mended amount). In fall and winter, feed
monthly.
– Tips: Your holiday cactus will bloom best
if it’s somewhat pot-bound, meaning that
the roots have grown to fi ll the pot. You’ll
know they are overcrowded and need to
be potted when you see the reduced fl ow-
ering and if you remove the plant from
the pot and see roots fi lling the soil space
completely. Summer is a good time to re-
pot, if needed. Use only the next size up
from the current container and use a pot-
ting mix for succulents or cacti.
– Getting your plant to re-bloom for the
holiday season: Flowering is related to
daylength and nighttime temperatures.
To get plants to bloom for the holidays,
try keeping the plant in a location where
night temperatures are around 55 de-
grees F and 60 degrees F for six weeks,
starting in early October and no later
than early November. As long as the
temperature remains in this range, buds
will develop, regardless of daylength. Or,
if the night temperatures are above the
required range, place the plant in a dark
room or cover it for 13 hours a day, start-
ing in October. ��
CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com 45
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