Add unique flare to this winter’s indoor garden and décor with double amaryllis. The several layers of colorful petals are sure to make a statement wherever they are displayed.
Start the amaryllis season with early blooming varieties grown in the southern hemisphere. Order bulbs early, store them in a cool, dry, dark location and plant these early blooming bulbs by November 1st if you want flowers for the holiday.
Keep the color coming throughout the winter by growing a variety of other double amaryllis grown in the Northern hemisphere that begin blooming in January. Plant a few bulbs every three weeks to extend your enjoyment for several months.
Watch the colors change on Double Giant Amadeus amaryllis. The petals start as mostly white with a fine red outline. As the flowers mature, the color intensifies to a blushing pink, coral and salmon.
Enjoy weeks of artistic blooms when you grow Double Aphrodite amaryllis. The ruffled white petals have a narrow red edge and lime green center. The fine red brushstrokes that extend from the petal tips add to this amaryllis’s charm.
Plant your amaryllis bulbs in a quality potting mix with the top half above the soil surface. Grow a single bulb in a pot that is seven to eight inches deep and five to six inches across with drainage holes. Or group several bulbs together in a larger container. Water the potting mix thoroughly and place the container in a cool sunny location. Continue to water thoroughly but only often enough to keep the soil barely moist.
Add a bit of elegance and ease of care by going soilless. Place several inches of pebbles in the bottom of a glass vase or watertight container. Cover the pebbles with water. Set the bulb on top of the pebbles, adding more stones around the bulb to hold it in place. Leave the top one third of the bulb exposed. Add water as needed to maintain the water level just below the bulb.
Now relax and wait a month or more for your amaryllis bulb to wake up and start growing. Water more often once sprouts appear. Enjoy the transformation as the bulb turns into a flowering plant over the next few weeks.
Growing amaryllis indoors will keep you gardening all year long, providing mood-boosting benefits and stress relief. Plus, the colorful blossoms are sure to brighten your winter days.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts the “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Her website is MelindaMyers.com.
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