Store the bulb in a paper bag or a box with peat, sawdust or perlite. Allow the pot, or the bulb to remain in that cool place — without watering for at least six weeks, usually 8 to 10 weeks. Many gardeners choose to repot amaryllis bulbs each year. If you want to, or if you stored the bare bulb, select a heavy pot.

The amaryllis will now continue growing and eventually blooming. Even when you have done everything right, it sometimes happens that the amaryllis, despite all effort, does not bloom. This means that surroundings have not been good enough for your amaryllis to create a flower for another year.

With proper care, an amaryllis bulb will grow and bloom for decades. One grower claims his bulb has bloomed every year for 75 years! How often does an amaryllis bloom? The plant generally blooms once a year.

After the flowers fade, cut off the flower stalk with a sharp knife. Make the cut 1 to 2 inches above the bulb. Don’t damage the foliage. In order for the bulb to bloom again next season, the plant must replenish its depleted food reserves.

Dig your bulb up and store it in a cool, dry, dark place (like a basement) for anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks. Amaryllis bulbs in winter go dormant, so they won’t need any water or attention. When you want to plant your bulb, place it in a pot not much bigger than the bulb, with its shoulders above the soil.

Amaryllis grows leaves but no flowers if you try to get the plant to rebloom too quickly. The bulb needs time to store up nutrients, followed by an essential dormant period. During this time your amaryllis has no flowers, just leaves. Only then should you stop watering and let the bulb dry out.

Place your potted amaryllis in a light, warm position. Water it every couple of days, and feed with Hadeco bulb food. In late autumn, stop watering and let your bulb have a well-deserved rest. Repot every two seasons.

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Gradually dribble in the soil mix so that the neck and shoulders of the bulb are above the soil. Firm down and water sparingly. Once new growth is noticed, water again with tepid water and keep the soil just moist. To cover the soil of indoor containers, use pebbles, moss or a shade-tolerant groundcover.

Watsonia Bulbs are available for sale from the following nurseries

• Col DREWITT – Phone /Fax 03 97379827. 8-10 Henderson Hill Rd. Silvan 3795. “Bulbs & Trains for the Garden”
• GENTIANA NURSERY. 138 Olinda-Monbulk Rd, Olinda VIC 3788. “Large range of rare and unusual plants..”
• TESSELAAR BULBS – Phone: 1300 428 527.

Watsonia Bugle Lily Plants Flowers soar almost a foot (31 cm.) above the foliage and may be orange, red, pink, coral, white, or yellow. Blooms are 3 inches (8 cm.) long and last several weeks, making them an attractive cut flower.