A knight's star only fulfills our hopes of an opulent blossom if it can extend its roots into the right soil. Read here which substrate you should ideally plant an amaryllis in.
In which soil should you plant an amaryllis?
The ideal substrate for an amaryllis consists of a mix of equal parts potting soil and cactus soil, supplemented with perlite, or alternatively 1 part standard soil, 1 part pricking soil as well as quartz sand and lava granules. Low humus content and good drainage are important.
Recommended substrate recipes
With a view to the origin of an amaryllis, the nature of the soil there allows important conclusions to be drawn about the appropriate properties. In the Peruvian Andes, the wild species Hippeastrum vittatum thrives in permeable soil that has a high proportion of mineral components. The following recipes come very close to this structure:
- A mix of potting soil and cactus soil (€12.00 at Amazon) in equal parts, supplemented with perlite breathing flakes
- 1 part standard soil, 1 part pricking soil and 1 handful of quartz sand and lava granules
- Alternatively plant in pure, peat-free coconut fiber substrate
The proportion of humus should be kept as low as possible in order to avoid the risk of rot forming on the onion. Please only plant the tuber deep enough in the soil so that half of it is exposed.
