Amaryllis: how to care for and prolong flowering

A spectacular handsome man, whose homeland is considered to be South Africa, easily survives among other herbs in the alpine hills. Amaryllis is often used by designers to decorate the exterior as borders. But growing crops in open ground is only possible in countries with a warm climate. Therefore, we have exquisite amaryllis found only on window sills. And with proper care, it becomes a real pleasure for the look.

Botanical Description

For a long time, amaryllis was considered one of the varieties of lilies. And only in 1753, Karl Liney, the Swedish taxonomist, isolated the plant in a separate form and even gave it a name. But the scientist was mistaken and ranked various varieties of another plant, hippeastrum, as amaryllis. And this confusion continues to this day.

The perennial amaryllis plant has the following features.

• Leaves. The plant is characterized by long, narrow leaves. They differ in a dark green tint and are arranged in two rows.
• Flower stalk. This is a hollow shoot that a plant throws before flowering. It can reach 40-60 cm. Sometimes amaryllis throws out two or three peduncles at once.
• Flowers. On each shoot, up to 12 flowers can bloom (the amount depends on the variety). Inflorescences resemble large beautiful umbrellas, a bit like a lily. The color of wild amaryllis flowers varies in white and red. And plants bred by breeders are able to hit purple, fiery yellow, orange and even multi-colored inflorescences.
• Bulb. The rhizome of the plant is an onion. And she's pretty poisonous. Therefore, when landing, you must very strictly adhere to safety rules. And it is advisable to use gloves. After all, when the skin touches the bulb on the hands, irritation may remain.

Care during the growing season

Caring for a green pet does not cause much difficulty. If you provide the plant with a decent and proper care, then your pet is quite able to thank the re-flowering. Create the following conditions for amaryllis.

Lighting

During flowering, the plant really needs sunlight. You should not forget that you have a native of warm countries living on your window. Of course, creating an atmosphere of the tropics is completely unnecessary, but some recommendations should be followed.

• Right place. It is best to put a slide with amaryllis on a windowsill overlooking the southeast or southwest. Indoor flower will take root even on the south window. But in this case, on a hot afternoon, you need to slightly obscure the culture.
• Perfect lighting. If the windows look in a completely different direction, then try to find a place so that the amaryllis receives diffused and fairly bright light for 14-16 hours.
• Pot rotation. The plant always reaches for the sun. And this can lead to deformation of a high peduncle. So that the graceful shoot does not bend, it is necessary to turn the pot from time to time. If one rotation of the pot is not enough, and the peduncle begins to bend, then pick up a stick of the appropriate size and make a backup for a tender plant.

Temperature mode

The tropical flower does not tolerate low temperatures at all, and even at zero temperature it feels extremely uncomfortable, and simply dies at −9 ° C.

Therefore, adhere to the following temperature conditions:

• in the afternoon - provide the green pet with +22 - +24 ° С;
• at night - permissible reduction to +18 ° C.

Air humidity

For amaryllis, air humidity is not a big deal. However, excessively arid conditions should not be allowed. With dry air, pests may appear on the leaves of the plant. Optimum conditions are considered humidity indicators in the range of 60-80%.

Try to adhere to two rules.

1. Rubbing leaves. Periodically, it is necessary to wipe the long leaves of amaryllis with a slightly damp cloth. This will serve as a good prevention from the development of pests.
2. Spraying. If the air is too dry, then the plant can be easily sprayed, including unblown buds.

Watering

Amaryllis is hygrophilous. But at the same time does not like excessive hydration. Do not fill the plant, this will lead to rotting of the bulb and, accordingly, to the death of the green pet. Watering is carried out taking into account such tips.

• Start moisturizing. Watering the plant begins when the length of the peduncle reaches 10 cm.Till this point, amaryllis should not be watered. Otherwise, the plant will throw all its forces into the pasture of leaves, and such a long-awaited flowering process will be seriously slowed down.
• Watering rate. The plant can tolerate short-term drought. But can not stand excessive moisture. Therefore, it is very important that the water does not stagnate in the pot. The soil should always be moist, but it is strictly forbidden to oversaturated with moisture.

Fertilizer

Amaryllis necessarily needs to be fed. This will allow the plant to feel more comfortable, protect it from diseases, and you will be pleased with beautiful and healthy flowers. To properly carry out the procedure, use these recommendations.

• Fertilizer selection. Amaryllis is suitable mixture of "Emerald", "Ideal", "Agricola", "BIO VITA", "Ava". When choosing a fertilizer, carefully study the composition. Mixtures rich in potassium, phosphorus rather than nitrogen are preferred for the plant.
• Feeding regularity. Fertilize the plant during the period of formation of the buds. Amaryllis needs only one feeding in 14 days. When the plant blooms, fertilizers are applied more often. Now it is recommended to feed your pet once a week.

Ensuring quality sleep

When the tropical beauty has thrown off the last inflorescence, he needs rest. Specialists call this period the stage of rest or sleep. At this time, the conditions of care should radically change. Experienced growers recommend the following.

• Pruning. Carefully prune all dry leaves. Remove dried inflorescences. Pruning is carried out at a distance of 3 cm from the bulb.
• Change location. The pot, along with the bulb, is removed from the window and transferred to a dark room. Recommended hibernation temperature of the plant + 10 ° C. At the same time, it is necessary to protect the culture from drafts and sudden changes. If the temperature drops dramatically, the plant may die.
• Feeding, watering. These activities should be discarded.Periodically, it is necessary to spray the soil (but not to water it) in order to prevent excessive drying, which can also lead to the death of amaryllis.

Tips from experienced gardeners

Sometimes in the collection of professional flower growers you can see an amazing picture. Amaryllis, whose biological clock requires rest, blooms wildly. Professionals argue that you can not only change the biological clock of the plant, but also make the amaryllis bloom for longer than the prescribed time, completely harming it. Florists recommend.

• Changing the biological clock. The vegetative period of amaryllis begins in winter, in December and ends in April. That is why the plant is sometimes called Easter lily. In summer, the flower begins a dormant period. It is at this time that the plant is best restored. To slightly shift the biological clock, it is recommended that you simply change the landing time. For example, take a pot of onion to a warm place in August and water a little. In this case, by the New Year you will enjoy the flowering of amaryllis.
• Repeated flowering. The plant pleases with beautiful inflorescences for 15-20 days. To prolong flowering, you can go to the next trick. As soon as the first flower blooms, cut this peduncle and put it in water. He will continue to bloom in the vase for approximately 15 days. This pruning will reduce bulb depletion and the latter will eject another peduncle. As a result, one flower will bloom and a new one will replace it.
• Flowering extension. In order for the plant to please the eye with its flowers for a little longer than 20 days, it is recommended to transfer the blossomed pet to another place. Choose a cooler zone for it, in which direct sunlight does not fall.

Transfer

Amaryllis can be transplanted only at a time when it completely fades and the peduncle withers. But such an event is held every three to four years. It is recommended to do this only if the previous flowerpot has become small for a developing plant.

Preparatory stage

Initially, five days before the intended transplant, the plant must be abundantly moistened. However, do not fill it. Now you have five days to carefully prepare for the event. Prepare the following at this time.

• Pot. The flowerpot must be powerful and stable. After all, the plant has wide leaves, so it is rather unstable. Do not choose a wide pot. It is better to prefer a deep one, since the root system of amaryllis is well developed. Choose a flowerpot so that after planting the bulbs to the walls of the pot, about 3-5 cm remain.
• Priming. It can be bought at the store. Choose soil for bulbs. However, experienced flower growers prefer to prepare the soil on their own. To do this, they mix two parts of sod land, one part of river sand and one part of humus. A little ash is added to this soil.

Procedure

When it is time for transplanting, the plant is carefully removed from the old pot along with a lump of earth. Gently shake the bulb and carefully examine it. All children must be separated and planted in other pots. Rotten or dried up areas are cut with a knife. Sections must be processed by sprinkling with crushed "Activated Carbon" or wood ash.

Procedure

1. A layer of drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot. It is formed from river pebbles, expanded clay or broken brick.
2. The earth is poured into the pot, filling it to half.
3. Place the onion and cover it with the rest of the soil.

Breeding

Florists propagate the beautiful amaryllis in three ways: by dividing the bulbs, using plant children and seeds.

Seeds

Plants obtained by this method do not retain their varietal characteristics. Another disadvantage of this reproduction is a long period of development. Such plants begin to bloom only in the seventh to eighth year after planting. But there is an advantage to this method. A plant derived from seeds has a longer life span, sometimes reaching 20 years.

The procedure is as follows. Using a brush with a delicate pile, it is necessary to take pollen from the stamens of flowers. It is carefully transferred to the pestle of another amaryllis. Thus, the plant is pollinated. Over time, a box forms, which gradually matures. When the seeds are ready, the box itself will crack. This usually takes about a month.

Seeds must be planted immediately. Every lost day impairs germination.
Soil moisturize and plant seeds. The container with future amaryllis is cleaned in a warm place, protected from direct sunlight. Shoots should appear on the 25-30th day.
And after 60-90 days, plants can be transplanted into separate pots.

Kids

This is the most painless and simple method. Flowers will appear on daughter plants in two to three years. It is necessary during the transplant to separate all daughter bulbs. They are well formed and quickly take root in new pots.

Bulb Division

This is a very risky method. And it’s not recommended for beginners to practice it. There is a high probability of completely destroying amaryllis.

A healthy strong onion is cut into four to eight parts. Each lobe must have scales and keep the bottom. Sections are treated with ash or charcoal.
All parts are planted in the sand. For 30 days, the plant is kept warm (at 25-28 ° C). During this time, the first leaves should appear.

It is possible to transplant into the soil only when a second leaf appears on the plants.

If the plant is sick

With proper care of the tropical handsome, he is rarely affected by diseases or pests. But if the unpleasant problem could not be avoided and the amaryllis begins to languish in front of his eyes, it is urgently necessary to help him. Most often, you may encounter the following ailments.

Spider mite

How is it manifested:

• the leaves are covered with a light cobweb;
• gradually the plant begins to wilt;
• the leaves dry and die completely.

What to do

1. Carefully remove the cobwebs.
2. Treat the plant with acaricides. Suitable: “Ticks”, “Neoron”, “Floromayt”, “Nissoran”.

Stagonosporosis or Red Burn

How is it manifested:

• red dots appear on the bulb;
• on the scales a red border may be observed.

What to do

1. The bulb must be lowered for two hours in a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Large spots smeared with brilliant green.
3. You can plant a plant in the ground five to seven days after treatment.

Amaryllis or Mealybug

How is it manifested:

• under the scales appear stool pests, reminiscent of soot (typical for amaryllis mealybug);
• “cotton wool” spools form on leaves near the roots, whitish mucus appears under the leaves (with mealybug).

What to do

1. The leaves are wiped with a damp sponge to eliminate mucus.
2. The plant is treated with insecticides: “Aktara”, “Aktellik”, “Admiral”, “Iskra”, “Commander”.

Onion tick

How is it manifested:

• the plant slows down development;
• almost does not bloom;
• if inflorescences appear, then they are deformed;
• the leaves turn yellow, die off.

What to do

1. It is necessary to dig the bulbs and dip them in warm water (temperature 35-40 ° C) for about five to eight minutes.
2. Then the onion is treated with Rogor C or Keltan.

Aphid

How is it manifested:

• leaves turn yellow;
• the plant is withering.

What to do

1. Pests must be collected manually.
2. The affected leaves are wiped with ethyl alcohol (20% solution).

Remember one more nuance, which will allow you to enjoy pet bloom every year. Sometimes strong bulbs produce more than two peduncles at the same time. It is very beautiful, but multiple shoots greatly weaken the bulb. Therefore, it is necessary to leave two peduncles, and the rest - trimmed. If you ignore this recommendation, then next year the amaryllis will refuse to bloom.