Position the bulb so that its nose is above the rim of the pot and its shoulders are above the soil. Place the potted bulb in a warm, light-filled spot free from drafts. Allow the soil to dry out on top before watering. When the first shoots appear, begin to water with a half-diluted, blossom booster fertilizer. When the buds start to open, move the pot to a cooler area to prolong the bloom. It will take 6-10 weeks to produce blossoms.

Once the plant has flowered, cut off the spent flowerheads and continue to fertilize and water the plants throughout the summer into the fall. Do not cut off the leaves. Pots should be maintained outside for the entire summer into the fall in full sun. Before there is any danger of frost, bring the pots inside and store them in a cool (approximately 55 degree temperature) area. Water very lightly, leaving the soil barely moist. Do not fertilize and leave the plants for about 10 weeks.

At the end of 10 weeks, bring the plants into a warm environment (approximately 70-84 degrees) and cut off any remaining foliage leaving 1-2 inches above the neck.

Begin regular watering with a blossom booster fertilizer and keep in as sunny a place as possible.

Amaryllis do not like to be transplanted. It is recommended that each year you remove about 2 ¼ inches of soil from the top of the pot and replace it with a rich mixture of 1 part soil, 1 part composted manure or compost and 1 part peat moss.

Note that bulbs with less than 4 leaves will probably not produce a flower. Also note that most bulbs, before being sold, are heavily fertilized to produce the largest blossoms possible. Because of this, most bulbs do not produce another flower for 15-18 months. After this ‘initiation’ period, Amaryllis bulbs usually bloom yearly.