Plans to Grow My Apple Blossom Amaryllis in the Ground
Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 3:00PM I was happy to receive an Apple Blossom Amaryllis as a Mother's Day gift. It came in a wooden box, and the tips of two bulbs were just visible above the surface. It has grown quickly and is now in full bloom.
May 10
June 4
June 7
June 8
June 13: Now it is in full bloom, and see, two more bud are coming up!
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) will grow outdoors in zones 7b - 10, and my only other amaryllis has reappeared and bloomed each year since I put it in the ground. I am very fortunate, because it is much easier for me to grow amaryllis in the ground than to remember all requirements necessary to get it to bloom again indoors. So Apple Blossom will go into the ground, too.
I have moved my amaryllis indoors to preserve the longevity of the blooms. Once blooming is finished, my plan is to put the amaryllis outside in bright light, then gradually move it to a permanent location in a sunny spot that receives some afternoon shade. I will plant it in well drained garden soil that is high in organic matter. Bone meal is an excellent organic source of phosphorus, which stimulates root growth and flowering, so I will mix bone meal into the soil before planting. I will cut the faded blooms off but leave the stalks until they have turned yellow, because the plant must store nutrients in the stalk in order to bloom next year. I will fertilize it monthly through the summer with an organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion. Mulching is beneficial, especially during fall and winter. Next year when new growth begins, I will begin fertilization again by working bone meal into the soil around the plant and resuming fertilization with fish emulsion.
Then, hopefully, next year I will be again be blessed with these fabulous blooms!
For an update on how the Appleblossom Amaryllis did once I planted it in the ground see this May, 2017 post: Apple Blossom Amaryllis Update
Reader Comments (14)
Fingers crossed Debs that it will do well for you planted out :)
I need to follow your example and get my bulbs in the ground. I have far too many pots!
Appleblossom is my favorite. It is one of the few fragrant amaryllis. All my Appleblossoms are in pots. I've put other cultivars outdoors and they thrived there. I like Amaryllis in pots because the bloom season is a different time than the ones in the ground.
This year I am going to experiment with NO dormant period. Friends in warmer climates tell me that theirs do not get a dormant period outdoors. I wondered whether dormancy is forced so bulbs for sale can be easily shipped and became the norm because some 'expert' said to do it. Outdoor dormancy is not forced in our climate -- they die back from frost and return when the weather warms.
How lucky you are to be able to grow these beautiful flowers outdoors. I find that, even in the house, Apple Blossom is one of my most reliable bloomers.
Here in the tropical north of Australia I leave my Hisspiastrum in the ground year round. I heard that a period of drought forces them to flower. They normally flower just at the end of our dry season, and I find that they will be spurred on to flower by cutting off the leaves, since they never die down in our climate.
They are so beautiful! I've never heard of them growing in the ground before, I think mine might rot with all our rain, though it must be wonderful not to have to do all the fussing that is needed when they are indoors!
I love the bloom of the amaryllis, but in the past I have had bad results trying to get them to over-winter. Now that winters here are getting milder it might be a good time to try again. Thanks for the inspiration, the photos are gorgeous.
That's my all-time favorite Amaryllis (although I don't have any in my current garden). I also plant mine out after their initial spin in a pot. They do well outside here as well but most visitors are surprised to find they can be grown in the ground - I hope that remains true even with the current drought.
That is wonderful you can grow them in the ground. I have saved them each year until I finally just gave up since it was always having to store them until the next growth spurt. They were always a reliable plant to bloom though.
I find it interesting that you got your Amaryllis so late in the year as we only get them just before Christmas here for the holiday. We are zone 4b I think so they might not make it through our cold and snow winters. I have had the Apple Blossom one before too. They are gorgeous. Yours are really sweet in the wooden box. Good luck with it. Thanks for visiting me and leaving your comment. Pam
Oh yes, you are very fortunate to be able to grow Amaryllis in the ground. I simply end up discarding mine after the holidays (if I have any), because they're just too labor-intensive for me. 'Apple Blossom' is a beauty!
That photograph of the flowers on june 13 is beautiful. Unbelievable, from bud to big beautiful flowers in a weeks time.
Dear Deb, that is one beautiful Amaryllis! Here in Southern California Amaryllis are usually forced inside in the winter time. They also can be grown outside, but I wasn't positive if that are different varieties from the ones that you force in the winter.
Sounds a little demanding your maintenance regimen for the Apple Blossom Amaryllis, but if you can keep up with it it will certainly like it :-)!
Warm regards,
Christina
I've planted 3 "Red Lions" in the ground in an east facing planter. The house shields the hot afternoon sun. They've been in the ground 3 years with a drip irrigation watering - 15 min each morning. They've grown and spread. The flowers this year are almost as big as my open hand.