I doubt that ETG would want the bulb back. When I have had bulbs replaced, I've kept or discarded the first one. The nurseries really don't want them back. There is a good chance that their stock of Samba has started to break dormancy in their warehouse, so a new one may be showing growth. I got my orders yesterday from WFF and RC. I was worried that the severe cold on the East Coast would have damaged them in transit, but all the bulbs look great. They are in their pots and out on my sunporch. All are really dormant, no tips showing at all. After Fiat's experience I will keep a close eye on how long each one takes to break dormancy. I don't expect any blooms for Xmas, I'd be thrilled to have blooms in late January.

Barbara, Thanks for updating your new bulbs from WFF and RC. This morning I tried prying off, with my fingers, those dry skins around the 4th new grow. Not much success. Took a pic anyway. Still can't tell if a scape coming out. It looks a bit fattier though, a good sign? And I wonder why those other new leaves are all pressing around the poor thing stuck under there? Also, it seems to be the "flush of Fall leaves" scene that even the cut-off leaf (side of the right new leaf) is re-growing back... Oh, please please let it be a scape!

Oh yeah! That's a scape alright! Woohoo!

Fiat, don't give up on Samba..it is just doing a very, very slow dance on you To me as long as the bulb is not rotting, or shrinking in any way, it will eventually do its thing, in time.

Fiat, finally a scape!!

Tarev & Margaret, Are you sure it's a scape? I want it 100% sure, then I can rest for now (still look forward to the bloom). No, I am not giving up on my Samba at all! I too reckon it deserves its natural time of growing/blooming and so I am not deserting it, instead tending it more as I can (set a nightlight beside it like the one for my peacock). Thank you, everyone.

Yup! Very sure Fiat! Give maybe a couple of days..you will see a more definitive stalk pushing and pushing all the way up! Love that stage when it comes..you will just wonder how the heck did it fit in that bulb

Thanks for re-assuring, Tarev. I found this sale from WFF: Clivia 'Golden Dragon', 1 plant in 6" clay pot with saucer for $75.95. Sure too expensive, but the flower is really beautiful (I thought I never like yellow flower, but now.. )

Wow that is lovely! Super ouch on the pocketbook though! I am still scouting for my Clivia ..I did find something in Amazon but quite young..will search around in local nurseries..maybe there are nice leftovers.

Ok, more observation, more surprise, some new finding, some presumption, one problem, and another new grow!



Since the dark skin around the bulb has dried up and broken apart, I peeled most of it off and the light-color fresh skin showed up. From pic1&2, one side of the bulb has an apparent bulge-out bum which I thought was some mutate (deform) when it arrived with dark skin covering the bum. Now I assume it's a baby pop still hold on to the parent bulb. I can see the 1st and 3rd new leaves grew starting from the pop and followed parent's neck curve (under parent's skin) to the top then shoot out. If it is a baby, sure it loves to grow! So the mother has grown a leaf and (hopefully) a scape from center. Now from pic3, see a problem come for the scape: the light comes from slight angled skylight; if I turn baby's leaves to the light, they will block the scape; if turn mother's leaf to the light, it will block the scape and baby's leaves will fall over to press and cover the scape. Alternately, I can turn the side of the scape to light, but all leaves (baby's and mother's) will turn to center to cover the scape! I really couldn't find a good angle to turn for the sake of the scape. Any suggestion?

And then, it comes another new grow from the mother at center on one side of the 2nd leaf (another side is where the scape out). From pic3, the new grow is blocked by the crazy 're-grower'. I have to bend the re-grower down to see the new tip behind. It mostly looks like a leaf though. I'll see if it can out-grow the 're-grower' later.

Fiat the scape will push way out, very tall, so I do not see any problems and the leaves will just grow taller and fan, droop a bit..no problem really.

I try not to disturb the bulb at this point, I just let it grow. Right now the only scape I see is still the one in the center previously identified.
If there are babies, it will form at the base of the bulb near the root zone area, just like most bulbs do. But that will be way down the road. For now the bulb is just busy pushing out that scape.

You would eventually do quarter turns of your container as the scape grows tall, to keep the balance of its growth, since it will follow the sun as it continues to form and mature.

Thanks, Tarev. Guess I worry too much (too anxious).

Fiat, just like a first baby eh, not quite sure what to expect or what you should be doing.

You're welcome Fiat...keep calm and have fun!

Just turn the vase each day a quarter turn. It will do just fine.

Just an update on my Peacock: now it has 4 leaves and 1 scape.

Going good Fiat! How's the roots..r they visible yet??

Tarev, you mentioned 'roots' and I went to check: Alas! The only one I posted 10 days ago has grown two times longer, and there also appear 3 other roots showing around other places. I think this peacock is vigorously growing now and I hope there will be the 2nd scape coming soon

Still no luck for the Samba. Talked and sent pic to ETG today and got disappointing response: wait a little more to see if it wakes up. Also they do NOT recommend growing A. bulbs in rock/water stating that "Amaryllis perform much better when they have the nutritional support of soil to resupply the bulb with some of the vast energies being expended in producing so many extravagant blooms. Without this supply of energy coming in, the bulbs do not bloom as well, nor as long, and often cannot produce the last of their blooms." which I don't believe is true, at least partially. Any way, wait can I, but how long?

Well, I have experimented with it and it works for me...so it is up to you if you want to move it later on to the traditional soil media. I just hate gnats indoors and I hated the snails and slugs that always manage to evade the baits at times outdoors, so I opted to find alternative ways to grow mine. I still have a batch of them in soil, and I just do not see any difference really in how they speed up their growth. What I do see is, they love lots of water in our very dry locale. And I love to see the condition of the roots too. However, it is really a balancing act since the container has no drainage..that is why in glass I use clay rocks and I really allow those rocks to approach dryness before I add more water so the roots are not suffocated. I try not to give too much fertilizers on these bulbs..seems once application after the blooms are gone is enough.

It is kind of like growing some orchids, so many ways to grow them..just have to find which one works with your watering and growing habits.

Hi, Another surprise! The fresh bright skin that under the dark dried top skin I peeled off two weeks ago is now turning dark. I think ok as long as the new growth keep growing up. But just wonder how/why this is happening?
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