Amaryllis, Hippeastrum has faded – care after flowering

Although botanists with a love of detail make a subtle distinction within the amaryllis genus, experienced hobby gardeners do not let this irritate them. Amaryllis and hippeastrum, in everyday parlance, refer to the pretty bulbous flowers that bloom in winter, often called knight stars.

care at a glance

Proper care after flowering

In order to care for an amaryllis after flowering, it is helpful to know about its vegetation rhythm. In principle, the hippeastrum grows and flowers counterclockwise botanically. After the winter flowering, which usually reaches its peak during the Christmas season, the growth phase begins in spring. This important stage in their development lasts well into the summer. The tropical beauty then enters a period of rest in order to draw strength for renewed winter blooms. An Amaryllis thus transfers the rainy and dry seasons of the native subtropics to the Central European latitudes. The better you are able to offer a knight star a simulated, tropical microclimate, the more successful the cultivation will be.

A flexible rethinking of the life cycle thus creates an excellent basis for adequate care after the hippeastrum has withered. Another factor to consider is the specific needs of a bulbous plant. The flower bulb serves as an outlasting organ and at the same time as a storehouse for nutrients. In addition to balanced fertilization by the gardener, an amaryllis independently creates power reserves. It does this by pulling in the above-ground parts of the plant after flowering. Interrupting the process would severely weaken the flowering plant. The result would be a shriveling flower bulb with decreasing strength and resistance to diseases.

Care aspects after flowering

• In February, cut off the wilted inflorescence at the upper end of the hollow stem
• The stem of the inflorescence is not removed until it has withered
• All of the foliage remains attached to the bulb until the amaryllis feeds it itself
• Water regularly from March to the end of July, preferably from below
• From May additionally fertilize every 14 days until the beginning of the dormancy period

In this condition, the Hippeastrum is of course not so nice to look at. So there is nothing wrong with wearing them in a remote room. You can place the knight star in a semi-shady to shady place in the garden or on the balcony. The water and nutrient supply continues seamlessly, because the amaryllis is already laying new buds inside the bulb.

care during the dormant period

In August, the Amarayllis enters its growth pause. Parallel to the tropical dry season, she now wants to gather fresh strength for the next flowering period. Your reserves of nutrients are bulging and the buds for the next flowering are created inside the bulb. Stop watering and fertilizing now. After all foliage has withered, cut them back in September or October.

• Set up the dry Hippeastrum in a shady place
• Temperatures no longer exceed 15 degrees Celsius
• However, the mercury column must not sink below 10 degrees Celsius

A knight’s star can easily spend the period of dormancy in the cellar. You are free to leave the bulb in the dry substrate or wrap it in newspaper when potted.

New life of Hippeastrum from November

When winter is just around the corner, the amaryllis slowly ends its period of rest. At this point, she is not getting water. The next step in the care protocol is to transfer to fresh substrate. Commercially available compost-based potting soil, which is made more permeable with plenty of quartz sand, is best suited.

• Remove the amaryllis bulb from the pot
• Carefully remove the old substrate and discard the rest from the pot
• At the bottom of the pot create a drainage made of small pieces of pottery
• Plant the hippeastrum so that half of it is sticking out of the substrate
• A place by the bright, warm window at a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius is now welcome

As soon as a first bud appears, start watering. First, moisten the substrate just a little. The danger of rot is particularly high in this phase. Experienced hobby gardeners therefore press the onion a little from time to time. If it feels soft, the location is either too wet or too cold.

A good opportunity for propagation

The vast majority of amaryllis varieties form small bulbs. Transplanting the flower bulb into fresh substrate provides an excellent opportunity for creating more specimens. All onions with a diameter of at least 2 cm are suitable. They are cut off with a sharp, disinfected knife. Potted in small planters, they are cultivated like an adult hippeastrum from the start. However, it takes several years for amaryllis to develop a first flower.

Care during the flowering phase

With the beginning of December, the anticipation of this year’s flowering increases. Experienced hobby gardeners prefer to water their amaryllis from below to avoid the risk of mold. To do this, fill the coaster with water and let the capillary effect run free for 20 to 30 minutes. The roots suck up the water without allowing moisture to accumulate in the substrate. After half an hour, the coaster is emptied again.
If the Hippeastrum now finds a light, not full sun place, with temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, the flowering lasts particularly long.

In February, the cycle starts again with care after flowering. It can go on like this for many years.

Amaryllis does extremely well in hydroponics

One of the biggest threats to an amaryllis during post-bloom maintenance is rot and mold. Watering from below is considered a proven prophylactic measure. If you want to be on the safe side, choose hydroponics for the flower bulbs. In this case, the flower thrives in purely inorganic material, so that contact with rot-causing soil is excluded. Expanded clay, perlite, seramis or vermiculite are just a few examples of suitable substrate choices.

• Amaryllis bulbs prefer a diameter larger than 10 cm
• Fill a special amaryllis vase or hydro pot with substrate
• In this case, the flower bulb may be completely covered

Water and nutrients do not reach the flower bulb, but are located in the lower part of the vase or in the planter. The alternation between the rest period, the flowering phase and the growing season is taken into account accordingly.

diseases and pests

Despite its high toxin content, amaryllis can be afflicted by the following diseases and pests:

Daffodil
flies Although their name suggests otherwise, narcissus flies also infest amaryllis. The females lay their eggs on the bulb and the larvae slowly hollow them out. Since the maggots also overwinter here, the Christmas blossom of the amaryllis either does not appear at all or appears only stunted. In the early stages of an infestation, a hot water treatment can still save the Hippeastrum. Soak the onion in 45 degree hot water for 2 to 3 hours.

Red Burner (Anthracnose, Pseudopezicula tracheiphila)
This fungal disease manifests itself as small red spots surrounded by a yellow border. Over time, they flow into each other and turn reddish brown. Now the tissue begins to dry up and the affected leaf falls off.

• Create cool temperatures and low humidity
• Cut out and burn infected plant parts
• Spray a diseased dried onion repeatedly with garlic tea
• Alternatively, mix 100 g of lime, 6 g of sulfur powder and 10 g of ammonia and spread on to form a paste

A bath for 1 to 2 hours in 44 degree warm water has a preventative effect. Then let a dry onion dry out again.

Thrips – thunderflies
They seem to be omnipresent, the 1-2 mm small black thrips. Their harmful sucking activity can be recognized by countless shiny silver dots on the leaves. Most of the time, the pests cavort in hordes on the underside of the leaves.

• Release natural predators such as lacewing larvae or ladybugs
• Spray repeatedly with garlic tea made from 150 g garlic and 2 l water
• Apply organic insecticides based on neem oil
• Set up sticky traps next to the hippeastrum

Mealybugs and mealybugs
The tiny pests are white, light brown or pink. If they occur, the infestation can be recognized by small cotton balls. The pests suck the plant sap and at the same time release a toxin that can trigger sooty mold. Since the females are capable of virginity, the brood multiplies explosively. There is therefore an immediate need for action when you see the small, white balls on your amaryllis.

• Immediately isolate affected amaryllis in a bright, cool place
• Wipe away mealybugs with a cloth soaked in alcohol
• The fight should be carried out several days in succession
• Cut off heavily affected parts of the plant
• Hold hippeastrum at an angle over a basin and rinse off the lice
• Spray repeatedly with a solution of 15 ml spirit, 15 ml curd soap, 1 l water

Conclusion
When a hippeastrum has withered, many hobby gardeners prematurely decide to dispose of it in the compost. You could still enjoy the magnificent blossom that unfolds at Christmas time for many years to come. If you are familiar with the special requirements of an amaryllis, you will automatically know how to take care of it after flowering. If the exotic flower beauty finds conditions similar to those in its subtropical homeland, half of the way is already done. A successful alternation between dry and rainy season encourages the knight star to bloom spectacularly every year.