Amaryllis, also called belladonna lilies, are one of the largest lily flowers in the garden. The plant has long strap-like leaves. The flowers grow on hollow stems from 12 to 24 inches long. Three to five flower buds are on the stem. The flowers are 5 to 6 inches across and come in many shades of white, red and pink. The flowers bloom before the majority of the leaves grow. In temperate winter areas, the flowers can be grown in the garden. In cold winter areas, lift them for the winter and replant in the spring; or grow them in pots.
Choose a pot that is 2 inches bigger than the bulb. Amaryllis bulbs are the size of a softball or small grapefruit. They prefer to be a bit pot bound in containers. There should only be 1 to 2 inches of space between the bulb and the rim of the pot.
Place a paper towel in the bottom of the pot. Fill the bottom of the pot with enough soil so when the bulb rests on the soil the upper third is above the soil. Water the soil in the pot so it drains through the holes of the pot.
Place the bulb in the pot on top of the soil. Fill the pot with soil pushing it down the sides of the pot with your fingers or a spoon. Water again.
Place the pot inside a decorative heavy container. Amaryllis plants like to be in small pots but are large plants. They have a tendency to become top heavy. Placing the pot inside a heavier container helps counteract the top heaviness.
Put the amaryllis in a sunny location but away from heating vents. Water when the soil is dry. Fertilize every two weeks with a water-soluble plant food. The plant will seem to grow overnight and could be blooming within four weeks.
Plant amaryllis in the garden in a location that receives afternoon shade.
Dig the soil up to a depth of 12 inches. Add half as much compost as there is soil. Mix in well.
Plant the amaryllis bulb in the hole so that the top of the bulb is exposed and not covered by soil. Plant a potted amaryllis so the tip of the bulb is not underground.
Water so the soil is moist to below the roots of the amaryllis or the bottom of the bulb.
About this Author
Katie Rosehill holds an MBA from Arizona State University. She began her writing career soon after college and has written website content and e-books. Her articles have appeared on GardenGuides.com, eHow, and GolfLinks. Favorite topics include personal finance - that MBA does come in handy sometimes - weddings and gardening.