What a lovely crinum in your photo Larry.
I have two amaryllis going out doors for two years now. The foliage is healthy looking but they have not bloomed. Do you have any suggestions on how to get them to bloom? I know it is probably to late for this year.

Mine bloomed the first year, and never again--nice leaves, but...
I have it in a pot, which is outside in spring and summer and comes inside in the fall.
I'd love to try the crinums, too, but--what's the secret to getting them to bloom?

Hi Lynn and Renée. If you grow amaryllis bulbs in a pot, they need to be crowded in order to bloom well. That goes for crinums as well. As I mentioned in the tip, there should be an inch or less space between the bulb and the edge of the pot.

If you grow amaryllis in the ground, you need to convert them to a summer blooming cycle, if you haven't already done so. After they were first grown in a pot to bloom during the winter, plant them outside once there is no chance of frost. They probably won't bloom for you during the first summer. Harvest the bulbs in the fall once frost threatens. Rinse the soil from the bulb, let it dry, and then store it in a cool, dark place (above freezing) for the winter. When you plant it out the next spring, it should bloom for you, given the bulb is large enough to bloom. A good blooming size bulb is about 3" in diameter or larger.

When you plant the bulb in the ground, make sure that it gets plenty of sun during the day. Avoid sites that are continually damp or wet. Plant the bulb so that it is about an inch below the soil level. Note that this is different from planting one in a pot, in which case you need to leave one third of the bulb above soil level. I use regular, run-of-the-mill potting soil for my potted bulbs. If you have a saucer under your pot, make sure that it's not continually full of water. Potted bulbs should be placed where they get plenty of sunshine. If you grow them under lights, the leaves should be quite close to the light source. Don't let any of the leaves or buds touch the light bulb, though, as they will eventually scorch.

Hope this helps. Please be sure to let me know if you have further questions.

Mine has been outside against the house for over a year now. I hate to dig it up. The foliage is lovely, just no blooms. Maybe next year it will bloom?

How big is the bulb, Lynn?

I would have to dig it up to see that. They had bloomed in the house before I put them out in the spring. They were nice big bulbs.
Maybe I would go out tomorrow and gently move dirt from them without lifting them:?

I have mine in a pot (I thought I was being nice to it with a big pot, lol) which I brought indoors for the season. The leaves are still big and healthy. Do I just let them wither away and then dig up the bulb for storage?

I dont get much freezing temps a few early morning freezes very little where it freezes all day. I am concerned about my crinums I have them in a large pot they bloomed for me in the summer but I have left them outdoors this year should I bring them in for the winter. I have quite a few in large pots.

Lynn, since your bulb has bloomed before, the bulb should still be the size it was when it bloomed or even bigger. Yes, I'd gently remove enough of the soil to see if the bulb is smaller than it was when you planted it outside. Amaryllis blooms best outside when it gets pretty much a full day's sun.

Renée, I'd leave the bulb in the ground until frost kills the tops.

Barb, in your climate you can leave the pots outdoors, unless frost threatens.

Mine is in a pot, which I brought inside.

Sorry, Renée. I forgot you had yours in a pot. I bring my potted ones in after the first frost. I store them, pot and all, and then simply set them outside or in the ground in the spring. I repot the bulbs every two years or so.

Thanks!

I got mine last fall and planted it in a flower bed. It bloomed twice this year but the flowers were small and few compared to the huge foliage. I still got a lot of foliage and it is crowding the bed. I did not know I was supposed to dig it up.
I think I would be happier if it was in a pot, I could bring it into the garage during the winter. We did get into the twenties twice last winter but only a day at a time and we did not have a ground freeze. I do get a ground freeze once in a while. This bulb was the size of a base ball when I planted it.

Thanks, Susan, for sharing your experience and lovely photo.

Thanks!