does anyone else plant Amaryllis at Christmastime?

I am in LOVE with these tall flowering bulbs. I am not frugal though, I buy new bulbs every year in November ( usually a sale of $4.99 each ) that come with the pot and dirt and bulb. I like to pick as many different types as I can see, but this year I chose 3.
Red Lion, Minerva and Apple Blossom.

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...363ece_300.jpghttp://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...17cb59_400.jpghttp://mcdn.zulilyinc.com/images/cac...1448391267.jpg

As a bit of fun I taped my 3 grown kids names to one of the plants each ( random ) and I announced it would be a race to see who's grew tallest, fastest and who's had the most flowers. Absolutely NO favouritism was shown as I have watered all 3 the same. They all sit in the same window getting sun.
I am looking at them now and wow!! Minerva ( DS#2's ) already has a 12" stalk! The Red Lion stalk ( DS#1 ) is about 6" now and the poor Apple Blossom ( DD's) is a stump! O.k. not a stump but the stalk is only about 3" out of the dirt!

I wonder if planting DS#2's in this odd vase I have made the difference. I cannot find an image that looks like it but almost no soil is used and the bulb is placed inside on the bottom but it has to grow up inside the long-ish neck, Well it was a bulb just like the other two and within days it seems this thing came peeking out the long neck! Crazy fast!

The best part is the cats cannot reach where i have these!!

I have an apple blossom one growing now. It is the second year for this bulb. I hope to grab a couple others when they go on clearance. They are truly beautiful. My 4 year old is thrilled to watch it grow. He collected all the rocks to put in the bottom, of this vase. Last year it got very top heavy, the small pot they come with doesn't work very well. I can't wait for some blooms!

Silly photo uploaded rotated...

@mrsf1sh , I have a photo somewhere of my eldest standing next to a very tall one we grew one year, he was about 2-3 yrs old. The memories of that always choke me up.
Usually I try to " time " the planting so that they are in full bloom on Christmas day, but at the rate DS#2's is going his may be all done on that day?? lol!

I'd hoped for a Christmas bloom... not to sure about what the next 3 weeks will bring. when do you usually plant?
I only remembered that I had my bulb in the garage when I saw a display at rcss. It had been dormant for 9 weeks, and seems to be doing okay. The 2nd day after planting DS was suppose to be watching a TV show while I put DD down for a nap....found the poor bulb drowning after he got the watering can out and gave it a drink....didn't have to water for 2 weeks!

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Originally Posted by mrsf1sh

I'd hoped for a Christmas bloom... not to sure about what the next 3 weeks will bring. when do you usually plant?
I only remembered that I had my bulb in the garage when I saw a display at rcss. It had been dormant for 9 weeks, and seems to be doing okay. The 2nd day after planting DS was suppose to be watching a TV show while I put DD down for a nap....found the poor bulb drowning after he got the watering can out and gave it a drink....didn't have to water for 2 weeks!

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lol!! eager beaver with the watering can....I planted these ones almost 2 1/2 weeks ago ( I think? my brain! ) BUT I always ask the expert gardener here ( DH ) his advice on when, and he gave me the green light.
I feel that they will all be fully flowered before Christmas....sigh.

i've had them in the past but i haven't had one for many years now.. i keep saying that i'll buy one but never get around to it.. perhaps like mrsf1sh i'll wait til the clearance :)

I bought 3 double Nymphs in different colours - regular (white with red specs/veins), pure white and pink. Regular Nymph is quite common, but I've never seen white and pink before. I planted all 3 in one planter, was hoping they will bloom at the same time, but looks like one will bloom much earlier, spike is already 4 inches tall and the rest are just starting to grow.

I can kill plastic plants so I tend to avoid real ones..

yes and yes and yes and I love them. I save them and grow the same bulbs year after year. I have all those you picked out and then a bunch more in my amaryllis collection. I even have some youtube vids posted on how to take care and keep your bulbs going year after year but I am too shy to link them here :) Great choices, you will not be disappointed with them.

All of mine are in cold storage right now. I dig them out in late Oct and give them a rest and then plant in Jan/Feb. The ones you buy now are forced to bloom around xmas time. I am so tempted to buy more!

Do not plant them too deep. 1/3rd of the bulb with the neck should be sticking out of the soil. Just like in those stock pictures you posted.

^^^ very nice @tobiwobi !! See a smart person would save and replant, I MUST start doing that!! Never knew there was any difference in the ones they sell in Nov for Xmas shoppers. How do they force a bulb to bloom?

there are so many pretty ones out there.. i would have a hard time choosing.. i am fond of these ones though..

http://www.mattslandscape.com/graphi...utterfly_2.jpg

update! And it is actually NOT even a race anymore because DS#2 plant has 1 ginormous stalk with 2 flowers in full bloom already and 2 more attached mid bloom AND a second stalk about half way up the first! believe it or not DD's looks only about an inch taller since I first posted this and that is it!
DS#1's looks like it may be a promising 2nd place finish.

Hi there!
I have a suggestion for D Penguin.....wait until after Christmas and buy a FAKE one at Michael's!

I have one like that but I like to give the kits as gifts as the are not too extravagant and can brighten the winter.

Ok, I finally got one today. It's the Minerva that walker purchased also. They were on sale for $6................something at the Superstore so I decided to get it. It has two sets of leaves growing already, hopefully this means two stems. Mind you, they're only about half an inch so far. I'll keep you posted.

Not impressed with the white one. It was only 4 1/2 inches tall and flowers look misshapen, nothing like fully open Nymph with broad rounded petals. The other two are taking their time, looks like they will be considerably taller.Attachment 301812

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Originally Posted by Bloodymary

I bought 3 double Nymphs in different colours - regular (white with red specs/veins), pure white and pink. Regular Nymph is quite common, but I've never seen white and pink before. I planted all 3 in one planter, was hoping they will bloom at the same time, but looks like one will bloom much earlier, spike is already 4 inches tall and the rest are just starting to grow.

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Well, the first flower stalk is quite tall now, probably about 12 inches.. the second one is just starting to peak up from the bulb.

While I was planting the bulb I accidentally broke off a tiny bulblet, it was only an inch long, if that. I decided to plant it anyway.. well, wouldn't you know the darn thing is bringing up its own little leaf? I wonder how many years til it has a flower :rolleyes:

A very quick final post about the 3 I planted on behalf of my 3 kids. The one that had my DD's name on it was supposed to be an Apple Blossom?? BUT it never even flowered at all??!! What a rip off! Lots of tall green leaves, no flower. So this year I am going to try and save the bulbs and replant them, does anyone know if that " dud " Apple Blossom one should be chucked out or could it still produce a flower next year?

I would give it one more chance, walker... but then again, it's easy to say that... following through, for me, is a whole different story :P

OK, forget twelve inches... I haven't measured but I bet it's closer to 24 inches now.. the thing is a beast. Hopefully it doesn't get all spindly, then it won't be able to hold up the flowers... THEN I'll be annoyed.

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Originally Posted by walkonby

A very quick final post about the 3 I planted on behalf of my 3 kids. The one that had my DD's name on it was supposed to be an Apple Blossom?? BUT it never even flowered at all??!! What a rip off! Lots of tall green leaves, no flower. So this year I am going to try and save the bulbs and replant them, does anyone know if that " dud " Apple Blossom one should be chucked out or could it still produce a flower next year?

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Just leave it in the pot and give it more fertilizer through the year.

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Originally Posted by Poirot

Just leave it in the pot and give it more fertilizer through the year.

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oh!!! really? @Poirot can I leave all 3 of these Amaryllis plants in their pots and they will " restart " on their own next year? ( provided I give them fertilizer in the year ) Do I have to trim them all back short first or anything? Should I leave them in the window or put them somewhere else to store away? Also the one that never produced a flower at all but just gave me tall green leaves, will that one produce a flower next year? Ty in advance if you know.

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Originally Posted by walkonby

oh!!! really? @Poirot can I leave all 3 of these Amaryllis plants in their pots and they will " restart " on their own next year? ( provided I give them fertilizer in the year ) Do I have to trim them all back short first or anything? Should I leave them in the window or put them somewhere else to store away? Also the one that never produced a flower at all but just gave me tall green leaves, will that one produce a flower next year? Ty in advance if you know.

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I leave mine in pots all year.I treat like regular houseplants I fertilize ocassionally with house plant fertilizer.I just leave the leaves of the plants.Then about a year later I just put them in the basement in their pots without watering them for a couple of months then bring them upstairs put them in front of a window start watering them a little bit then so will start growing again and blooming again.I had an amaryllis last years doing this.My current two amaryllis are 2 and 3 years old now.

So... the taller of the two stalks is now between 24-26 inches and the bud has broken.. it'll be blooming very soon. The shorter stem is quite tall also - probably about 20 inches.

hooray!! flowers soon!!

I'll take a picture when they're both blooming

It tipped over and both flower stalks broke off, it was too top-heavy. at over two feet tall with all that weight on top, I'm not surprised :( Sad but not surprised. I should have had it in a heavier pot. Oh well, maybe next year.

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Originally Posted by GoJays

It tipped over and both flower stalks broke off, it was too top-heavy. at over two feet tall with all that weight on top, I'm not surprised :( Sad but not surprised. I should have had it in a heavier pot. Oh well, maybe next year.

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so sorry to hear that gojays. here are mine currently in bloom from saved bulbs. I hope you keep yours for next year. I have a collection of bulbs accumulated over the years and I plan them several per pot, here are three in one large pot, two out of three in bloom, not bad. And then when they're done I just cut off the stems, pop some annuals between bulbs and out they go for summer.

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