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| PREPARE AMARYLLIS FOR WINTER REBLOOM | |
| Published: September 23, 1997 | |
Bulb can bloom again with fabulous flowersQ:After an amaryllis bulb has bloomed indoors, can it be made to rebloom the following year? I have kept several potted bulbs outdoors. The plants have healthy foliage.A:Yes, they will rebloom if you follow a few simple steps. In late summer, turn the pots on their sides to allow the plants to dry out. In early fall, cut off all the foliage and store the bulbs, in their pots, in a dark, cool place, leaving undisturbed for 8-10 weeks.Around the end of November or early December, bring them out in the light, a sunny windowsill works best. Add a little fresh potting soil to the surface of the soil and water well one time. As soon as the tips of new leaves appear, begin watering when the soil is dry, and feeding with a houseplant fertilizer once or twice a month. A flower stalk should appear before the leaves open fully, about a month after ending dormancy. After each flower finishes blooming, cut the stalk and allow leaves to grow. Continue feeding as you would any other houseplants, putting the plants outdoors when danger of frost has passed. In August, stop fertilizinging and repeat the cycle. Searching for bluebellsQ:From my childhood growing up in south Louisiana, I remember a garden plant that we called bluebell that had delicate branches with many small blue bell-shaped flowers hanging from it. In a gardening publication, I located a picture of it under the name Hyacinthoides non-scripta. I am trying to find a source for these plants. Can you help?A:Wood hyacinth or Spanish bluebell are the common names for this old-fashioned spring-blooming bulb with wisteria-blue flowers. It is also sometimes called squill or scilla. To complicate things, the botanical name has been changed a couple of times, presently to H. hispanica; while H. non-scripta refers to the related English bluebell that performs better in cooler climates.The bulbs are listed in my Dutch Gardens bulb catalog as wood hyacinth (Scilla campanulata or S. hispanica), and there are several varieties that have violet, pink or white flowers as well as blue. We are advised to avoid the mixed color packets of bulbs as the colors tend to "muddle" when planted together. The unscented, bell-shaped flowers bloom in April and hang from 12-15 inch stalks. Considered a fine choice for naturalizing under deciduous trees, the plants are reported to reseed, multiply, and spread lavishly. To order a Dutch Gardens catalog, call 1-800-818-3861. When to transplant azaleasQ:We are taking advantage of the "cooler" weather to clear out beds, and would like to know if we can transplant some azaleas now.A:Although azaleas may be transplanted any time if they are moved with a ball of intact soil, you are likely to get far better results if you will wait to transplant them during their dormant season (late winter to early spring) before they bloom. |