And if they do not bloom the first year just keep up the regimen of feeding and moving them outdoors in the summer and you should be rewarded with blooms.
The first time I bought an amaryllis from a big box store they had gone on sale after Christmas and were really cheap. they were in pretty bad condition and the lady marking seasonal stuff down said they were going to be thrown out. Why not buy a beautiful bulb and give it a chance to do what it is destined to do. Having it survive to bloom in subsequent years was a big bonus. Now I have a small collection that I add to each year.
Yes, I take the wax off. I was afraid water would get between the wax and the bulb and cause it to rot. These are such resilient plants. Just give them half a chance and you will reap great rewards.
My most recent one was growing in a southern window in December. Its bloom stalk was almost 18" high when my youngest grandson crawled up on the sofa, put a firm little hand gently around the stalk and lifted it right out of its pot. He turned and said "Granny, what is this?". I gently took it from him and told him all about it. I put it back in the pot and two weeks later here is what we had.
Grand Cru
The green leaves are now almost 18" tall. smiles
