Amaryllis are very popular and anyone who was lucky enough to win one of Edith's bulbs in the recent raffle will be keen to try and re-grow these stunning plants for the following year. Here are her instructions on how to do it.
Plant in December/January in a plant pot (with hole in the bottom) so the compost is halfway up the bulb. The sunshine needs to ripen the bulb for flowering the following year.
Water by standing the pot in a washing up bowl or bucket with about 3" of water, so it has a good drink to start it off.
Place the potted bulb in a warm semi-dark position until the first sign of growth, then put in a very sunny position. Once growth has started, feed with water (half pint water with three drops of Tomorite) once a week from the bottom by standing the plant pot in a deep saucer. Watch it grow.
Once the flowers have died, cut off the dead heads as they will take goodness from the bulb. Leave the stem until it has turned brown, indicating the sap has gone down into the bulb to help with next year's growth. Once brown and dried, cut off.
Continue to feed with water (half pint water with three drops of Tomorite) once a week, leaving the bulb in a sunny position all the time. At the end of October, cut off all leaves and cease watering. Leave in a sunny position until re-potting in December/January when the whole process starts once more.
Edith Butler
March 2026
Photo courtesy of Lyn Kilbride