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cynnagirl_gw

No rest between blooms

cynnagirl
12 years ago

I've been trying to find some information on this and haven't found anything anywhere.

I bought a Chico Amaryllis last October, potted it up, and it bloomed as expected in January. Took a while before leaves appeared, along with a baby on the side, but no second scape. I stuck it under growlights with my seedlings for a bit, then popped it outside in June for sunshine, figuring the leaves would eventually die back towards the end of summer.

Instead, it shot up another huge scape the first week of September. Bloomed beautifully, I eventually cut the spent stalk off, and now don't know what to do. Not a lot more sunshine outside, and it's become a bit too cold to keep out now. I could set up my growlights and give it some rays from that, but I'm not sure what's next.

Any idea how long until the leaves will die back? Is it likely to bloom again in winter? If growlights are enough, how long should it take to restore itself? It had almost 6 months after blooming, I was totally baffled to see it bloom, when expecting it to start hibernation and am totally stumped by what to do next.

Comments (7)

  • haweha
    12 years ago

    Cynnagirl, your H.cybister "Chico" rebloomed for that reason, that you had forced it early, and then after the bulb had already "recovered", had transferred it oudoors.Then, Hippeastrums are rather likely to rebloom. Now, let it dry out for some days, then cut the leaves back, and store without water at approx 50-60deg Fahrenheit. Inspect the bulb every once in a while, and when you perceive new spontaneous growth appearing,then transfer to a bright place, preferably heated from below.

  • cynnagirl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Cut the leaves back? Doesn't it need some time to basically feed to regrow the next flower inside the bulb?

    And, I don't think it had properly 'recovered' before putting it outside; as I understood it needed to reenergize/feed before it would go dormant at the end of the summer, and one of the recommendations was to pop it outside in late spring, which I did.

  • joshy46013
    12 years ago

    If it just re-flowered I would keep it green until next fall as the plant probably thinks it's spring again.

  • haweha
    12 years ago

    Had NEW leaves emerged from the bulb, together with the scape, which you did NOT mention, THEN I would have suggested to prolong the growth season. Consider,that the old leaves are largely done, and they are likely to wilt anyways, after transferring indoors. Once a bulb has established in the microsphere of its container, the production of a scape does not exhaust it as much as compared to THEN, when it had to produce scapes and leaves out-of a poorly rooted bulb. This applies particularly for diploid Hippeastrums. Inspect your bulb and provided the new scape had emerged from the side, not deeply within the bunch of (the old) leaves, and the bulb is nice and FIRM, then you can store it. However, if you have a very good windowsill place accessible (see above) then place the whole plant there, provide a little water every other day, from below, and wait what happens.

  • cynnagirl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    This bulb does not have leaves at the same time, but after blooming. The scape came from the centre of the bulb. There have been new leaves popping out for the last 10 days now.

  • haweha
    12 years ago

    In THIS case the growth season should actually be prolonged. Per 4 new leaves the bulb will initiate 1 scape.

  • longfellowmpls
    12 years ago

    I have read on other forums to let the Amaryllis work at its own schedule, including when its 'time' for it to rest, if it rests at all. I have a similar situation to this with a one that I purchased in 2011. After it bloomed that winter, I then grew it outside in a large pot for the 2011 season, taking care to fertilize it each week. In Sept, it was brought inside to my cool basement and placed under florescent (new light bulbs) lighting. The flower bulb has gotten just enormous with its 12 continues months of green growth since the its last bloom (no rest period at all). Now with its full leaves intact- its sending up another set of blooms. When I saw this new bud emerging, I repotted it so I would not be destroying new leaf growth(It had split its old pot anyway). It went into a deeper larger pot, leaving the original 2011 leaves intact. I have others that have indicated that they want to rest, so I let them. This one does not-- so I am not 'forcing' the issue (ie cutting off the leaves or letting it dry out).