Making Amaryllis Flowers Bloom Again

Not all good things must come to an end... Take the Amaryllis, for example. These extravagant flowers are popular winter displays. Once the flowers have faded, you can prepare the bulbs for a repeat show next year. Here's what you need to do:

Once amaryllis flowers have faded, remove the bloom stalk but let the leaves continue to grow. Like any other bulb, the leaves provide nourishment for next year's blooms. So put the plant in a sunny window, fertilize it every few weeks and water it enough to keep the soil evenly moist—never let it dry out.

You can either leave the bulb in the pot or remove it and wash the roots before storing it. Leave the bulb undisturbed in cold storage for 8-10 weeks, checking it every so often. Eventually, you will notice the tip of the new flower stalk starting to emerge. If you need to repot the bulb, use fresh lightweight soil and be careful not to plant the bulb too deep—1/3 of the bulb should be above the soil line.

In spring, place your potted amaryllis in a bright, sunny window to jump-start leaf and root growth, keeping temperatures around 70–80 °F. Water consistently so the plant doesn’t dry out, and feed every two weeks with a balanced 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer. When outdoor conditions are warm, move the pot to a sunlit spot outside; just be sure it receives ample light, as insufficient sun leads to weak, leggy stalks that struggle to support blooms. Once the first flower opens, shift the plant out of direct sunlight to help the blossoms last longer.

Around mid-August, allow the plant to dry out, stop fertilizing, and move the pot to a cool (about 55°F), dry spot; if that’s not feasible, let your amaryllis rebloom on its own schedule. It will thrive into autumn, but bring it indoors if frost is forecasted. In September, discontinue fertilizing, reduce watering to once a week, and stop watering entirely in October; trim leaves as they yellow and move the pot inside before the first frost, placing it in a cold, dark location for a couple of months. You can ignore the plant during this rest period, but water once when the two months end to trigger new growth—a large green flower bud emerging from the bulb—then return the pot to bright light and resume regular watering. The blooms will soon follow, ready to enhance your holiday décor.

Repeat the same sequence once they've finished blooming, so you can have them ready for the festivities the next year, and the year after. By following these few simple steps your amaryllis will continue to provide beautiful blooms for years to come. Provided with the right conditions, your bulb will grow bigger, and generally bigger bulbs produce more stalks and more blooms!