Ameryllis (Hippeastrum) 2026 - Blooms begin

 

On 8th January 2026, these were potted up and put on the window sill.  Now, just 36 days later, we already three flowers.  Our newest, a Christmas gift, has 2 scapes (flower stalks).  So do some of the others that I have mis-treated badly during their last growth season.

Amaryllis 2026

I have re-potted the amaryllises, with very cold, almost frozen bulb fibre that was stored in the shed.  All the bulbs are smaller than I remember from last year. Though, last year there was only a slight refresh of the soil, we got two flowerings from some of the bulbs, so I'm expecting them to be tired.  This year will be mainly leaves.

After re-potting I like to soak them for an hour or two, but as it's so cold (below zero for the daily peak) that will have to be missed out as well.

The very top one is new - a Christmas gift, so I'm expecting flowers from that one.

Let's see how it goes. 

Amaryllis, 8 days on

You can almost see them grow. It is worth noting that the ones with little growth are also the ones with the most root disturbance in the re-potting process.  I'm very surprised that the one on the right is performing so well.

Amaryllis

After a terrible year for the amaryllises last year, I have today repotted them, and added a new one that we received for Christmas.  They were kept in the dark when they failed to die back at the end of last season, but the room they were kept in is too warm.  I'm reluctant to put them in the garage, in case they get eaten - we sometimes have a mouse in our garage.  Some are ready to go, others seem dormant still. 

I am very surprised, but it looks like we will get some blooms.  The pot on the far right contains the oldest bulb, now with two 'children', it is shrinking, so is unlikely to flower in its own right. 

The new one is in the pot in the middle, as you can see it is almost grown.  

they are now in their 'wet' phase, and must be kept flooded for a couple of days.

Amaryllises in Autumn

I moved the amaryllises inside to dry out.  After completely drying out in June / July and losing all their leaves, a spell outside, with good watering and feeding, had brought another set of leaves, so I was beginning to be happy that not too much damage had been done.  Maybe, just maybe, we would get some blooms after Christmas.  

One had decided to flower in summer (https://3cephas.blogspot.com/2024/07/amaryllises-in-summer.html), but the others seemed OK.  I love these lilies, but was rather disappointed when another started to bloom.  

Still, as always the flowers are glorious, so I'll just have to enjoy it early!

Amaryllises in Summer

The amaryllises have been poorly treated. In late spring, when the weather was colder than normal, they were evicted from the lounge and forced to take residence in the greenhouse.  This provided the wrong sort of environment, too cold and dry for their main leaf growth.  They also suffered predation.  When it warmed up a bit, they were moved to a sunnier location, but by then the leaf growing season was mostly past.

This one, and one other, is so confused, that while we were away it decided to have another go at the year, and grew a flower.  I'm always pleased to see them, but I rather doubt we will have any blooms in March next year.  It also has a self-seeded poppy for company.

Frost Damage

Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the Garden, we are promised that the cold weather will return.  Since I started travelling on the bus, I have stopped liking the cold weather.  It's not being ON the bus that's the problem.  We are protected from the wind, and even the ones without heaters have enough people on them to raise the temperature a degree or two. The problem is waiting for a bus.  No comfortable (relatively) train station, nicely covered, and partly underground.  There is just a bus shelter with barely enough roof to keep the rain off, or sometimes just a pole stuck into the path.  I just have to stand there and wait. 

I could walk to the next stop - it's only three or four minutes away, but the bus could pass me as I do - and it has happened a number of times.  Alternatively, I could walk four or five stops and still the bus doesn't come.  It's on those occasions, whether I've walked or not that I get very cold.

Other things have suffered in the cold too.  The water gets in, freezes, expands and pushes things apart.  If you're visiting my house - take care.  I hope it will be fixed soon. 

Meanwhile, I have been potting the amaryllises and dahlias in preparation for better weather.  Next week contains February 9th, which was my Dad's birthday.  I remember there being snow on the ground for almost all his birthdays.  Let's see what the week brings.

Amaryllis Update (Last of 2008)

Amaryllis

The Amaryllises have moved into the next phase - the growth phase. Now the blooms have died, and the stalks removed, the plants are moved outside, because there's no fear of frost and the small flies that inhabit the dead leaves from last year are too annoying inside the house. So now we must keep them wet and well fed for 5 months, then dry them out, in the airing cupboard for replanting around mid-December, and new flowers for Christmas - I hope. Lets see how it goes.

Amaryllis Update

The amaryllises are still progressing well. I have added an album so that the progress can be more readily seen. I'll add another update next week, when hopefully there will be flowers. Now it is important to get the watering right, so that the blooms last a reasonable time. Soon I will add the results of my other plantings. old tomato seeds(2005 & 2006): only a few old beans: none old peas: one of twelve sunflowers: good lupins:good

Amaryllis

Amaryllis Progress

The amaryllises are making good progress. Two in particular are growing fast. I have a great sense of anticipation of a red flower, but whatever they do, even if they are all from the pink and white one, I'll still be pleased with them.

Today has been sign-on day, I visited the job-centre to confirm that I am still looking for work. I tried the bus today. As expected its cheaper than the train - about 20% less, which is good. As with all bus routes its anything but direct and so takes slightly longer than the train. At least I don't have to change. I walked for about 20 minutes to the bus stop, its not the closest one, but it was a nice day for a walk. Coming back I got off the bus even further away, and scared some cows in a field, as I walked past them.

I have confirmed that the view from our upstairs window, that Jo and I were discussing during the week, is Brentwood. The large white building is the shopping center with the flats above, and the spires are the two churches.

We won!

Last night, we attended a quiz night at church. The quiz night was in aid of the Atrium fund (we still have some loans to pay off for the atrium). There were 5 tables of eight or more people each. One of the table was filled with the winners of previous quiz nights. On our table we had a good mix of people, so that all of us could play our part, and there was not too much discussion because there was not too much overlap in our knowledge. By the third round we had a 2 point lead over the table with the previous winners on (Jokers excluded). On the last two rounds we managed to increase our lead, although somewhere along the line we had dropped half a point as compared to our closest competitors.

I surprised myself, and should learn that my instincts are better than my thought processes. We could have scored at least one more point if I had paid attention to them. I surprised my self also, that I began to feel distinctly competitive, although there really wasn't anything at stake, not even pride. We were not expected to win after all, and the prizes would not even set you up for tomorrows lunch. OK, so pride, in some form, is all that could have been at stake...

The 5 Amaryllises that have survived from last year, look like they are about to produce 4 flowers. I'm hoping that one of them will be red:

Things I do

One of the things I do, when I supposed to be working, is blog. Another is to sit with three or four Firefox tabs hitting next blog, just to see what there is. How annoying is it when people remove the header! If you're one of them -put it back! I won't read your blog, I'll just hit the back button. By the time I get to this, it's usually late or very late. Last night it was just late. Some of them are just distasteful, or gross, lots are in languages I have no understanding of (being mono-lingual). (that should be ... languages of which I have no understanding). Some are interesting and a very few get book marked. Last night I found this amarylis #3. Apparently, these amazing flowers can be forced to bloom twice a year. Very interesting to see the pictures and read the comments. Mine is on its last flower. The earlier pictures are here. Nearly time to cut off the stem, and feed them like mad.

A fatherly duty, and a pleasure, is to take the children out for 'top-up' driving experience prior to their driving tests. Mike (who you can see below as Luigi) has just failed his, and is therefore keener than usual to practice with his Dad. We have just come back from such a practice, and there will be another tomorrow, I expect. More likely, as the football pitch is waterlogged. He does very well, and I don't understand why he didn't pass. Only one thing to fix from my point of view. He really must look in the direction of travel, not at the good-looking girl going in the opposite direction.

Amaryllis

Many years ago these lovely bulbs were all the fashion. We were given a pink and white one. It flowered regularly for a number of years. We were also given a dark red one. This was not quite so reliable, but the flowers were much bolder. Both the original bulbs got very big, and died in a cold snap, when they were left outside overnight.

After some years of neglect, in early 2006 I found 5 bulbs, dried up in their pots at the back of the garage. I potted them up, and they produced loads of leaf. All 5 were alive. Just waiting for the right conditions to thrive. This year, after again being neglected over the late summer, there are two that are doing well, one of which is flowering.

Here are a couple of pictures of the Amaryllis

Almost midnight on Jan 30th.

8am on Feb 1st

10am on Feb 3rd

You can almost see these things grow!

Given the right conditions and a little care and attention (it's called love!) anything or anybody will thrive. The other three bulbs are now inside, in the warmth and sun, and have lots of water - that's how you get an amaryllis started. They are all smaller, so are unlikely to flower yet.

I can't wait to see if the flower is red or pink & white!