Is this a disease on my amaryllis?
noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
2 years ago
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The Gardener Of Everything
2 years agonoseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
2 years agoRelated Discussions
My first Amaryllis! Heres my journey so far :D
Comments (18)Carl is correct... the bulbs we commonly know as Amaryllis are, in fact, Hippeastrum bulbs. They originate in South America. We see them sold right around Christmas time, when they are forced for our holiday enjoyment. A true Amaryllis is in a genus of its own... Amaryllis Belladonna. More commonly known as Naked Ladies, these bulbs originate in South Africa. Neither are hardy in the northern zones, but Hippeastrum can be successfully, and quite easily, grown as a container plant. Amaryllis Belladonna does much better as a garden plant in the southern zones, and because it doesn't like to be disturbed once settled in, growing this bulb in a container is more difficult. Not to confuse you further, but the bulbs we know as Naked Ladies in the northern zones are actually Lycoris Squamigera. They look very similar to Amaryllis Belladonna, but have the advantage of being hardy to around zone 5. Different growers subscribe to different ways of growing Hippeastrum bulbs... the lucky ones live in areas where they can be grown directly in the garden... but us northern gardeners, even though forced to containerize them, each have our different methods for success. Some will grow them as houseplants, allowing them to rest and bloom on their own natural schedule, while others force a dormancy to have blooms at different times throughout the year. We each subscribe to different soils and different fertilizer programs, as well. As you read through the forum postings, you'll see the many different ways in which we each make the best of our climates and growing environments, and how we each give our bulbs the care they need to thrive. I, myself, allow my bulbs to tell me what they need. Through careful observation, I know when my bulbs want less water because they're resting, and when they need more water because they've begun active growth. I feed on a low-dose, constant basis... and I use an inorganic, bonsai-like medium in which to grow them. I try to pot them all in unglazed clay so the roots can "breathe", and so any accumulated salts can more easily leach out through the porous walls. I never force a dormancy, but instead, have early spring blooms... which is their natural bloom cycle. Hippeastrum bulbs are very forgiving... to a point. They hate "wet feet", and prefer to dry out in between waterings... and they don't usually survive a hard freeze. They like lots of sunshine, careful watering, a good feeding program, and they require a rest after a summer of good growth to recharge. When I first purchase a bulb, I peel away any dried, dead layers, check the bulb for any rotting areas or soft spots, dust it lightly with an anti-fungal powder as a preventative measure, and I pot the bulb in a very free-draining medium with at least 1/2 to 2/3 of the bulb above soil level. I water it in to settle the medium, then wait for growth to appear before watering again. From then on, I am careful to water only when the medium is dry. I hope this helps... everyone here is extremely helpful and generous, so please feel free to ask any questions you may have. Apple Blossom is a beautiful variety... I think you'll be pleased! Alana, I think if you plant the bulbs in a protected area, such as the south side of a building, or close to a heated building, they should be fine. A good, thick layer of mulch every fall should ensure garden success. Although, with the goofy weather lately... who really knows? :-)...See MoreWill my amaryllis bloom this year after not blooming last year?
Comments (20)Last year, my bulbs were in lawless conditions. I bought a children pool and put them in it in their pots. It was easier to water them this way. I just poured the water in and they all got some. But then some rains came and completely drenched the bulbs. They were neck up to the water and they stayed that way for a long time by the time I noticed it and let the water away. So I ended up with most of the bulbs shrunk to tiny bulblets that I didn't think would even survive. Then I had to move to the new house, so I unpotted them, cut the leaves and put them in the new wine cooler I bought for this purpose to make sure that the bulbs do not freeze down. A month later I noticed that the wine cooler froze down and even killed about 10 bulbs. I returned it to the store and just bought a huge standing fridge that had the freezer part separately. I kept my bulbs in that fridge. Then I planted them up from Summer, hoping that they would still come back to me. And to my amazement: More than 50 percent FLOWERED! They shrunk, they were sitting in water, they froze down, they were in dormancy for a half a year or LONGER, and they BLOOMED! I am still floored by some of them. Now, they are out in the flower bed, fattening up. I hope they enjoy the situation. So you see, once they want to bloom, they just bloom, even if they kill themselves....See MoreWhat's Wrong With My Amaryllis?
Comments (2)Amy, The bugs you are describing sound like fungus gnats. They are a problem when the soil is kept too damp. A couple of questions (since you followed the instructions with the kits, I think most of us can guess the answers...but let's try): 1) did you use the soil that came with the bulb? 2) does the pot have NO drain holes in the bottom? 3) did you plant the bulb up to its "neck"? The soil that came with the bulb is typically very poor for bulbs. Amaryllis really like to be kept a little on the dry side. They like to be more "high and dry". If the answer to any of these questions is yes...try this. Totally unpot the bulb. Examine the roots and make sure they look nice and healthy (should be thick and white); if the roots look rotten, or there aren't that many, that may also indicate that it's had wet feet for too long. Get some better draining medium like a cactus mix that has sand or other nonorganic components. Poke some good drainage holes in the pot, or find a new pot with holes. Replant the bulb in the new mixture so that is about half above the soil line (repotting it will also get rid of the fungus gnats - toss the used soil!). Give it a small drink and only water when you stick your finger in the soil and it's dry at your first knuckle. TLC will improve your bulb...I'm sure of it. Too much "love" has killed more bulbs...and the boxed kits don't really tell you how to keep them alive so that they will bloom year after year! The bulb is trying to survive, and with these changes, I bet it will. Report back and let us know what happens! Kristi...See MoreRust on my Amaryllis ?
Comments (8)That could very well be your problem. A good dusting with Captan anti-fungal powder will help. If the blotches are not really blotches, but are more like red stripes or lines on the leaves and scapes, the problem could be a tiny mite... I can't spell or pronounce the name, but I know that if the problem isn't too advanced, a good spray with a 3 in 1 insecticide/miticide/fungicide will do the trick... just be sure to do the follow up applications, too. Thanks for sharing this link... it's got some good information for southern gardeners....See Morenoseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)
2 years agoThe Gardener Of Everything
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