The Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) impresses with its magnificent blooms in the dark season. Find out here why you should store it in the cellar before flowering and how to properly care for your plant so that it produces a full bloom.
When should you take amaryllis out of the cellar?
The best time to take amaryllis out of the cellar is in November. Wake the plant from dormancy by placing it in a warm, bright location to encourage flowering in December.
Why should you store the amaryllis in the cellar?
The knight's star, also called amaryllis, blooms at Christmas time in December to February. Butbefore flowering, the plant needs a rest phase to replenish its energy reserves. To do this, place the tuber in a dark and cool place during this time, ideally in the cellar.
How do you properly store the amaryllis bulb in the cellar?
After their growth phase in summer, you should stop watering and fertilizing from August. After a few weeks the leaves will dry and you can remove them. Be careful not to let the amaryllis get frost as it will react with irreparable damage. InSeptemberyou can store the tuberin a dark and cool place, preferably in the cellar. There it stays calm for a few weeks atoptimal temperatures between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius without watering.
When is the best time to take amaryllis out of the cellar?
InNovemberyou can wake the amaryllis againfrom its dormant phase Now is also the right time to move it to a larger one if necessary Repot the pot (€16.00 on Amazon). However, the pot should only be a thumb's width larger around the tuber. Always make sure to wear gloves when working with the amaryllis as it is very poisonous. Water and fertilize it to give it enough nutrients to form in December.
How do I care for the amaryllis after the rest phase and the flowering phase?
Now place the amaryllisin a warm and bright location, preferably on the windowsill, so that the flowers can develop. However, it must not be exposed to frost, cold drafts or hot heating air. Room temperatures around20 degrees Celsius are ideal. After about four weeks the first bud forms.
What happens if I don't store the amaryllis in the basement?
If you don't have access to a cellar, you can of course store the amaryllis tuber in another location during the resting phase. It is important that the resting place is as dark and cool as possible and frost-proof.
If you do not give the amaryllis bulb a resting period, it will not be able to gather enough strength for the flowering period. As a resultit usually doesn't bloomor only blooms miserably. In the worst case scenariothe plant dies
Tip
Attention, risk of confusion
The amaryllis is very poisonous and can be fatal even in small quantities. Most of the poison is found in the storage tissue of the tubers. When storing in the cellar, be careful not to confuse the amaryllis bulb with other edible bulbs! Store them separately and clearly labeled.
