Winterizing Your Bulbs
Cut back the flower stalks in the late spring. As you notice your flower stalks getting old, discolored, or soft in late May or early June, use sharp scissors to cut off the flower stalks. Leave 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) of stem right above the bulb so that they can regrow in the next blooming season. Don’t cut the leaves of your amaryllis, just the stalk with the flower on it.
Dig up your bulbs carefully if they are planted outside. Use a gardening spade to gently dig a hole around your bulbs and pull them up if they are in the ground. Leave the roots intact and try not to rip or tear them as you uproot them. If your bulbs are in a pot already, leave them in the pot. If any of your bulbs have white or black mold spots on them, they are probably rotting and you can dispose of them.
Place each bulb in its own pot with soil, leaving the top 1/3 exposed. Replant your bulbs in a 1 US gal (3.8 L) pot with the roots facing down and cover it with potting soil. Leave the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed so that it doesn’t get too wet and start to rot.Variation: If your bulbs are new and you haven’t planted them yet, keep them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place, like your basement or your kitchen pantry. Make sure the temperature stays above 40 °F (4 °C). If you’d like to, you can mix your potting soil with 2 tbsp (14 g) of fertilizer to keep your bulb healthy as it winterizes. Choose clay pots with holes at the bottom for drainage. If you don’t have any pots, wrap your bulbs in newspaper or paper bags instead of replanting them.
Put your bulbs in a cool, dark place for 5 to 6 weeks. Take all of your pots and move them to a cool, dry location in the dark, like a basement. Make sure the area you put them in won’t get below 40 °F (4 °C) so that your bulbs don’t freeze. You don’t need to water your bulbs or replace the soil as you keep them in storage. They will survive just fine on their own.
Getting Your Bulbs Ready to Bloom Again
Put your bulbs in an area with 8 hours of sunlight in the fall. Most amaryllis bulbs are ready to flower in early October. Bring them up from their cool, dry place and put them in a sunny location, like an east-facing window. If you live in an area that rains a lot, don’t put them outside. Your bulbs could get too wet and rot.
Cut off any yellow or soft leaves. Take a look at your bulb and see if there are any leaves that look discolored or soft. Use sharp scissors to cut them off about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) above the bulb. You might have to cut off all of the leaves, and that’s okay! They will regrow as your flower blooms.
Replace the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) of dirt with fresh soil. Use a gardening spade to take away the top layer of soil. Replace it with fresh potting soil mixed with 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (14 g) of fertilizer so your plant has fresh nutrients to absorb as it starts to bloom. You can buy potting soil at most garden supply stores.
Replant your bulbs in the ground if you’d like to keep them outside. If your bulbs were originally part of your landscaping, dig a small hole in the ground with your gardening spade. Cover the bulb with dirt, leaving about 1/3 of it exposed, and pat it down gently to keep it in place.Tip: If you plan on keeping them outside, plant them in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.
Water your bulbs once a week to watch them bloom. Keep the soil in your pot damp so that your bulb can bloom again. Try not to overwater your plant, or it could start to rot. Amaryllis bulbs will keep blooming for decades if you winterize them every year.
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