Amaryllis flowers (Hippeastrum spp. People love them because they bring big, bright color inside in the middle of winter, when not much else may be blooming. Commonly grown as houseplants, they are also hardy outdoors in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 10.
When their blooms have died, well-tended bulbs can produce more flowers for many years. Continue reading to learn all about amaryllis bulb storage and general care.
Amaryllis bulbs produce gorgeous, trumpet-shaped blooms in an array of stunning colors. Each bulb can live for many years and produce new flowers annually if cared for properly. An important part of amaryllis care is knowing what to do with the bulbs after flowering ends. With the right storage and care, your amaryllis bulbs will thrive year after year.
Why Post-Bloom Care is Crucial
Amaryllis bulbs require a rest period after flowering in order to replenish their energy and nutrients for next year’s bloom. During this dormant period, the bulb reabsorbs minerals from the leaves and builds up food reserves Proper storage is essential to allow adequate dormancy before the bulb initiates new growth If neglected, bulbs may not reflower or may produce smaller blooms each year.
When Do Amaryllis Bulbs Enter Dormancy?
Amaryllis bulbs generally finish flowering in late winter or early spring. Once the flowers fade the stalks and leaves continue growing for several more weeks. The bulbs naturally enter dormancy once the leaves start yellowing and dying back. This usually occurs about 8-10 weeks after blooming ends. However you can induce earlier dormancy by withholding water and removing the faded flower stalks.
Post-Bloom Amaryllis Care Step-by-Step
Follow these steps for proper amaryllis bulb storage after blooming
Remove Flower Stalks
Once flowers fade, use sterilized pruners to trim off the stalks 1-2 inches above the top of the bulb. Leaving extra stalk length helps produce food for the bulb.
Allow Leaves to Photosynthesize
Keep watering and let the leaves fully grow and green up before removing them. The leaves produce nutrients through photosynthesis that will be stored in the bulb for next year’s blooms.
Cut Off Leaves
Once the leaves start yellowing, you can trim them back to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb. As leaves naturally die back, remove any remnants.
Stop Watering
Discontinue watering and move the potted bulb to a cool, dry location with temperatures around 50-55°F for 6-8 weeks. This mimics the natural dry season in amaryllis’ native tropical habitat.
Remove from Soil
Carefully remove the dormant bulb from the pot and cut off any roots or debris. Store unpotted bulbs in a breathable bag with peat moss or vermiculite.
Keep Bulbs Cool and Dry
Place bulbs in a dark, dry area like a basement or closet. Ideal storage temperature is 50-55°F. Avoid temperatures below 50°F or above 65°F. Prevent any moisture from touching bulbs.
Store for 6-8 Weeks
Keep bulbs dormant for at least 6-8 weeks but no longer than 5 months. After 12+ weeks of storage, flower size and plant vigor may decline.
Repot 2-4 Weeks Before Blooming
In early fall, pot up bulbs in fresh soil about 2-4 weeks before desired bloom time. Water sparingly until growth emerges, then increase water as leaves appear.
Provide Light and Warmth
Place pots in a sunny window (south or west exposure is ideal) and maintain temperatures of 68-75°F until flower stalks emerge. Light and warmth initiate new growth.
What to Avoid When Storing Amaryllis Bulbs
- Leaving bulbs in soggy soil during dormancy – this can cause rotting
- Storing bulbs wet or in sealed plastic – moisture promotes diseases
- Storing with apples – fruits release ethylene gas that sterilizes bulbs
- Hot storage areas – temperatures above 70°F break dormancy prematurely
- Exceeding 5 months storage – bulbs may not reflower if dormant too long
Tips for Healthy, Repeated Blooming
- Grow in well-draining potting mix, not garden soil which stays wet.
- Repot annually in containers 1-2 inches wider than the bulb.
- Water sparingly until growth appears after storage. Too much moisture causes rot.
- Place in bright light after replanting to stimulate flowering.
- Turn pots regularly for even growth and flowering on all sides.
Common Amaryllis Varieties
Popular amaryllis varieties include:
- Double King – large, fluffy double blooms in red-pink
- Red Lion – vivid crimson red flowers on tall stalks
- Minerva – peach blossoms with red veining
- Black Pearl – deep maroon blooms with lime accents
- Apple Blossom – pale pink blooms with white centers
- Christmas Gift – festive red and white striped flowers
Enjoy Years of Amaryllis Blooms
With proper storage while dormant, your amaryllis bulbs will reward you with their spectacular flowers winter after winter. Just be sure to allow enough leaf growth after blooming, gradually dry them out, store in a cool place, and pot up again in early fall. In no time, you’ll have a flowering amaryllis to brighten up your home during the dreary winter months.
When to Plant Amaryllis Bulbs and Induce Flowering
After at least eight weeks of storage, bring your amaryllis bulbs back out. Moving them to your garden about eight weeks before you want to see them bloom, most likely in the summer, is how you grow them outside. Late May is a good time.
To harden off a growing plant, put it in a shady area. After a couple of days, transition the amaryllis to longer periods of direct sun. It should be fully hardened off in seven to ten days. This is also a good rule of thumb for hardening off other plants and seedlings.
Choose a location that receives partial to full sun. Dig a hole and set the pot in the ground. If the weather or soil gets dry, keep watering it. Until the end of July, feed it a balanced 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer once or twice a month. Bring the plant indoors in mid-September.
To protect your amaryllis plants from frost, keep them inside during the off-season in a pot that is just a bit bigger than the bulb.
In late September, put the plant somewhere cool and mostly dark to get it as close to dormancy as possible. Do not water. As the leaves turn brown, follow the five steps above. After being stored for 8 to 10 weeks, put it somewhere bright and where the temperature stays between 70 and 75 F. Maintain moisture in the potting soil. Avoid letting the soil stay wet. (If the bulb rots, throw it away and tend to a healthier one. ).
You could also put the plant somewhere bright in the fall, when the temperature stays steady between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This may allow the amaryllis to live as a green plant from fall to mid-winter. Moving the plant to a warmer (70 to 75 F) spot after 8 to 10 weeks in a cool place is over is recommended.
Yet another option is to induce flowering in time for Christmas. This could happen if you move the plant to a warm, sunny spot and begin watering it again in early to mid-November. You could repot the plant, or you could just remove the top two inches of loose soil and add new soil.
Amaryllis Bulb Storage Instructions
Amaryllis bulbs have particular needs while they rest and recover. Depending on the schedule youve trained them on, flowers will usually die by late winter. Follow these five simple steps for successful amaryllis bulb storage:
- Cut the Stalks: Cut the stalks with a clean knife or sharp gardening shears until they are 1.25 to 1 inch above the bulb. Don’t cut the leaves yet; the bulb needs time to make food (a sunny spot is best).
- Keep the Soil Wet: Water the soil when it’s almost dry or when the top 2 inches of soil start to dry out. If it stays above 50 F at night and the plant is in a pot that drains well, you can move it outside. (Note: You can’t put your plant outside if it doesn’t have drainage holes or that it will be wet.) When it rains, the holes can get clogged, which rots the bulb. ) .
- Feed It Fertilizer: Give it a balanced houseplant fertilizer once a week so that buds can grow inside the bulb for next year.
- Cut Off the Dying Leaves: Cut off the dying leaves to about 1 to 2 inches above the bulb as they wilt. If the bulb is in the ground, dig it up with a small trowel. If its potted, keep it that way. Either way, bring your amaryllis bulb inside.
- Keep it somewhere cool, dry, and dark. For eight to twelve weeks, keep your bulb in a cool, dry, dark place like your basement, an unheated but attached garage, or the crisper of a fridge where the temperature stays between 50 and 55 Fahrenheit. Putting amaryllis bulbs in a fridge with apples will kill the germs that are on the bulbs, so don’t do that. Also, don’t water or fertilize the bulbs at this time.
Amaryllis do not undergo true dormancy. If you want them to keep growing and get nutrients from new leaves, store them in soil instead of a bag or box, which is what many other bulbs need.
How to get Amaryllis Bulbs to Re-Bloom
FAQ
How do I save my amaryllis bulb for next year?
How do you store amaryllis bulbs for dormancy?
When should I put amaryllis in the dark?
How do you care for an Amaryllis bulb?
Keep your newly repotted bulb on a windowsill in a sunny location. It’s going to need that sun to store energy in its leaves so it will bloom again next year. Water your amaryllis bulb whenever the soil is dry. It’s important not to let the bulb dry out.
Can amaryllis bulbs be stored if they are not blooming?
Amaryllis bulbs can be stored when they are not blooming. But for that you would have to make sure you store them properly, or else they will just die and go to waste. Once the plant has stopped sprouting new flowers, you have to let it go dormant. For Amaryllis to go dormant, you should reduce the water supply and let the leaves die.
How long do amaryllis bulbs last?
Store your bulb in a cool, dry, dark place like an unheated but attached garage, your basement, or the crisper of a refrigerator where the temperature ranges between 50 and 55 Fahrenheit for eight to 12 weeks. Do not store amaryllis bulbs in a fridge that has apples inside because this will sterilize the bulbs.
How do you store Amaryllis in winter?
Keep your potted amaryllis in a dark and dry area of your home over winter, somewhere with a consistent temperature of around 60°F (15-16°C) is perfect. 3. Storing Amaryllis Bulbs For Winter Digging up and storing the bulbs is the most popular method of overwintering amaryllis, and is essential if they are planted in the garden.
