I got a lot of bad bulbs last year so from the look of your new bulb. It is not so bad and since it is a huge , it will survive.
This is what I would do.
Remove all the brown skin so as to check there is no other rot.
Check to make sure there is no rotting between skins.
If the baby is not touching the rotting skin. I would leave it alone.
You can then dust the bulb with cinnamon on removal area. Then let it air dry for a least a one or two before repotting.
Michele

Sounds like good advice. That rot looks superficial. If it hasn't reached the interior of the bulb,(I gently wiggle a toothpick about 3/8" in, where the scape or leaves exit the neck, looking for rotten tissue on the toothpick)it should be OK. Cinnamon's an excellent antiseptic. If I am worried about rot, I also plant the bulb higher than otherwise, to keep the suspecious area as dry as possible. If you use a knife to cut away rotten tissue, always flame it before each cut, so you don't risk reinfecting the clean tissue.

Cinnamon is a handy anti-fugal, but keep it away from the basal plate as it may inhibit root growth... if you have another anti-fungal powder, such as Captan, that will work fine. Dust affected areas, let it dry for a day or so, and when you pot it up, be sure to use a very free-draining medium.

Once you have your bulb potted and watered for the first time, you can keep things on the dry side by bottom watering from then on... pour the water in the saucer instead of from the top, and allow it to wick up into the soil. Dump out any excess that does not absorb, so the pot isn't sitting in a swamp!

Hipeastrum bulbs aren't very difficult to save from a bit of rot... they respond well to anti-fungal treatment.

Good luck!

Thanks for your follow-ups mymanga, palmcoastgarden, and jodik!

I have dusted the affected areas with cinnamon as suggested, but it looks like my bulb may be getting worse...please see pics. It appears to be rotting in one spot and just red and nasty looking in other areas. I have not planted it because I wanted to let it dry out and look healthy before doing so. As you can see, it is very close to blooming... Should I try scraping the black area out again and re-dusting or wait until it blooms to do more work? I really want to fix this poor bulb and babies! Also, the larger 'baby bulb' looked at first to just be bruised, but now the black spots seem to be rot too. I'm scared to scrape at it... Any ideas or advice would be appreciated!

-Frank

Photos when cleaned:

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Photos Now:

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Scrape out the red mushy part with a sharp knife or blade. You do not have to peel the while scale. Seperate the bulblets from the mother bulb. Make sure they have a piece of the basal plate when you cut them from the motherbulb. They are big enough to survive on their own. Sometimes because of lesser air flow in between mother bulb and bulblet, rot starts in that area where they connect. Make a solution of 50/50 water and hydrogen peroxide. Wet a cotton ball with this solution and wipe the whole bulb and basal plate (mother and bulblet). Let dry for a few hours. Make Captan paste and paint all over infected area and wounds. Dry for 1-2 days. Plant and enjoy your blooms. Hope that helps.

Maria always gives excellent advice and information... I would only add that you need to be sure your hands and tools are clean and disinfected before starting work on your bulbs. Clean your tools in between cuts, or before using on a second bulb. Fungal, viral and bacterial problems can spread easily, and cleanliness and prevention go a long way.

It's always best to scrub pots before planting, as well. I usually use clay pots, and I scrub them with a diluted bleach solution and let them dry before using.

Soil is important when planting bulbs, too. A porous medium is preferred, allowing the exchange of oxygen and gases to and from the roots. A free-draining soil will help keep too much moisture from remaining in the root area, as well. When the soil remains too wet for too long, rot can set in, and will spread from the roots to the bulb.

When watering your bulbs, always check to see that the soil ball is dry before watering again. I stick my fingers down into the medium as far as they will go, but you can also use a bamboo skewer to test for moisture. These are available at any grocery store, at about a dollar for a hundred. I carefully insert the pointed end into the medium so it rests near the center of the soil ball, and I leave it there. To test, pull out the skewer and touch it to your cheek... if it feels cool and damp, it's not time to add water. If it comes out feeling warm and dry, it's time to add water.

I hope this helps... added to what Maria wrote, it should allow you to care for your bulbs so they heal and grow for you. If I've repeated myself, I apologize... I tend to do that! LOL!

Thanks so much for your help, Maria and Jodi!

I have performed an operation and removed the nasty tissue and detached the babies from the bulb. The captan paste has been applied and is now dry, so I will be putting them in the dirt tomorrow. One of the scapes is already starting to open...poor fella. I will post photos.

Do I leave the captan on the bulbs or do I wash it off?

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Thanks again for all of your help!

-Frank

Leave the Captan paste. Plant the bulb with just 1/3 below soil level. Be sure to stake your flower scape as shallow planting of bulbs make them very wobbly. Water once and avoid washing off the Captan paste. Bottom watering is highly recomended after this. Give some light and good air circulation. Do the same with the bulblets.

Good job with cleaning the bulb and sepearting of the bulblets. Good luck and hope you have beautiful blooms soon.

I just re-potted several of my bulbs yesterday, and my routine is the same for each one... I gather the necessities, which consist of a clean unglazed clay pot, saucer, my own medium mix, Captan powder, rooting hormone powder, and a small paintbrush.

The first thing I do is clean up the bulb... I peel back the dry outer layers, and get rid of any dead tissue. Next, I run the bulb under tepid water, cleaning it a bit... I'm careful not to get water into the crown, or top, of the bulb. I dry the bulb with a paper towel, which will wick away any moisture that did accidentally get near the crown.

Then, I take the paintbrush and "paint" the bulb with Captan powder, making sure to dust it on any raw flesh and around the edge of the basal plate.

Then, I paint a bit of rooting hormone powder on the bottom of the basal plate, just to help with new root production.

And then, I fill the pot with a bit of medium, enough so I can set the bulb at the level I want. I then fill in around it to the level I want with a little more medium. I tamp it down lightly. This is when I would add a stake to support any long leaves or flower scapes.

And finally, I water it in with tepid water, until a little bit runs out through the drainage hole. I want to be sure that the medium is moist to the bottom of the pot. I allow it to drain for a bit, tip out the saucer, and take the pot to its home, where it will get plenty of light.

The medium I use is very porous and free-draining. It resembles bonsai medium very closely. The particles are larger than regular bagged potting soil, and this allows for very good drainage, and also allows the roots the exchange of oxygen and gases required. It won't break down as fast as regular potting soil, and the roots will remain healthy and won't suffocate.

Personally, I leave baby bulblets attached, but removing them is fine, too. I normally allow them to get a little bigger before separating, but that's just how I do it... there's no hard and fast rule.

Next time I re-pot a bulb, I should take a series of photos... it might help someone who isn't sure, or is re-potting for the first time. I hope this helps someone, though!

Thanks for this posting. I bought one off of ebay. Elvas and I desperatly want to help her. She is pretty bruised as well.

Hey, Frank. The second bulb that I'm throwing in looks a little worse for wear. I don't know what this lady did to it when she was re-potting, but I've nursed seemingly lost causes back to health before and this doesn't seem lost in the least. I'm sending it because the roots are the most impressive out of all the babies and where there are roots there is hope!

Many, many thanks to you Maria and Jodi for helping me with this great bulb! Glad also to hear that my troubles were beneficial to you jumpin4joy.

Larissa, I received the cute little guys and gave them a little cleaning and dusting with Captan as I have learned to do. They should be growing nicely soon! Again, thank u!

So, on with the show...Here are photos of the 'Lemon Star' as it has progressed:

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Thanks again for all of your help! If you would like pollen from it, just let me know!

-Frank

It's lovely, Frank! Lemon Star is looking good! You may need to stake her scapes as they age, so they don't lean too much and pull her right out of the pot, but other than that, she looks great!

Thanks for sharing! Now I know what to expect... my Lemon Star is just beginning to show a scape tip! I'm so excited!

I've been watching the thread waiting for pics! I'm so glad she finally bloomed! I love yellow :-)

Can one use sulphur powder as well if a bit of rot/mould is supected?

Anna--

My local amaryllis dealer (akin to a crack dealer for us bulb junkies) swears by sulfur powder for her bulbs-- and because her's look freaking amazing, I'm going to believe her and use sulfur, too.

So far, no mold!

Ryan

Jodi and everyone else on this post, thank you for your generous sharing of your knowledge.
Pat

Jodi and everyone else on this post, thank you for your generous sharing of your knowledge.
Pat

We're happy to help... if any piece of information is beneficial, and helps someone grow or save a sick bulb, then I'm thrilled to have shared!

Gardening is all about sharing! Whether it's information or actual plants, what good is it if we keep it to ourselves? Mother Nature's bounty is too wonderful to be kept a secret!

There's no such thing as a "green thumb"... it's simply applied knowledge!

I wanted to share and update on the 'Lemon Star' progress. This bulb has been through it and has proved to be very tough so far!

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Some different perpectives:

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And then the seeds...oh, I do hope they make it all the way!

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What is that stuck in the middle? Could it be? I think it is!

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A THIRD scape! This is a first for me and I am soooo excited!!!

I am so thankful for this forum and the generosity of knowledge that is shared so freely by you all! Hope you enjoy my proud daddy bragging on my bulb a little!

-Frank

Hi Frank,

So glad to see that your Lemon Star made a full recovery.

It looks like the seedpods will make it.

Congratulations on the third scape too.

Good growing,

Blanca

I am glad, Frank, that yours turned out so great, and I'm happy to have helped by sharing a bit of information! Maybe mine will push up a third scape, and maybe it will be generous with seed pods, too! I can't wait!

Great photos, Frank, and great growing! Isn't she a beauty up close?!

I am so happy for you, it looks so glorious!!! you must be so proud of your baby!!! Congrats!

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all enjoy your day!

Thanks Blanca, Jodi and Maria! She is a beauty and I am such a proud daddy!

It is time for an update on this awesome Lemon Star bulb! The third scape is blooming while the first two are almost finished making seeds. I selfed the first two, but I am trying some crosses with the third scape! The wildest part is that this poor bulb only has put out one little root...he is one tough cookie!

And now for some photos!

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More pics of the others to follow. Thanks for allowing me to brag on my kid some more! haha!

-Frank