This is the last of my three amaryllis bulbs to bloom. Since I do not live in a place where these can live outside all year long, I tend to treat these as ‘annuals’ and don’t try to get them to rebloom again.
However, this year, I think I will try to “summer these over” and see if I can get them to bloom close to Christmas time next year.
I celebrate Christmas with a lot of plants… paperwhites, amaryllis, poinsettas, Christmas trees, pine boughs, wreaths of evergreens, to name a few. Some are “fake” plants, I’ll admit, but many are real. I think even non-gardeners would find Christmas much different without all the plants and the symbolism around those plants and how we use them.
Each year, I like to read a little book I picked up several years ago called “Decking the Halls” by Linda Allen. It is full of interesting stories about the traditions around plants like mistletoe, holly, evergreens and rosemary and how they came to be used by the Christians in celebrating Christmas. I find it all very interesting!
Speaking of traditions around plants, is anyone attempting to keep a yule log burning for the 12 days of Christmas?
I can’t believe you have been throwing them out! they bloom 3-4 times a year for me! I jsut set them outside for the spring summer and fall, water and fert as a normal potted plant, then I let them rest by not watering them all fall, some die back, some don’t. I cut the foilage off before bringing them back in and I start watering them again when i see new growth. It’s easy and they get better every year 🙂
I too can’t believe people treat these bulbs like annuals. LOL. I’ve done a lot of lurking in stores just to find them and here people toss them out. LOL.