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South African amarillis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amarillis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amarillis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amarillis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amarillis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amaryllis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amaryllis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amaryllis gave a name to the extensive amaryllis bulb
South African amaryllis gave a name to the vastness of the amaryllis bulb
South African amaryllis gave a name to the extensive amarillis bulb.flower growers like their relatives: hippeastrum, daffodils, galantus, clivia and onions.
But in the homeland of the plant, as well as in Australia and in the southern states of the United States, where the Amaryllis were taken out more than a hundred years ago, culture has already become common. Slender peduncles up to 70 cm in height can be found not only on alpine slides and in curb design, but even on garbage heaps. This is due to the ease of care for amaryllis and the reproduction of plants, giving instead of the usual dry seeds juicy, ready-to-germinate bulbs.
But in the Russian conditions, where the climate is much harsher, it is almost impossible to grow amaryllis in the open field. Large bulbs of plants, reaching 10 cm in diameter, are not too cold-resistant.
The air temperature of –9 ° C becomes critical for them. The long green foliage and flowers of the crop suffer from less frost. Therefore, in the middle zone conditions, amaryllis is indoor plants with a pronounced vegetation period and a dormant time.
Amaryllis Life Cycle and Home Care
The flowering of the indigenous inhabitants of South Africa occurs in autumn, which begins in March and ends in May in the southern hemisphere. This circumstance determined one of the local names of Amaryllis - Easter Lily. The bulb that has awakened after the summer holiday produces one or two bare peduncles topped with several large buds. Inflorescence can include up to 12 buds, and hybrid plants produce up to 20 flowers simultaneously.
Amaryllis blooms at home for 6 to 8 weeks, and only after the peduncles wilt, dense leaves are shown above the ground.
They remain for the whole winter, when the foliage is dry, this indicates the approach of a new dormant period, for which the bulbs need dry content at a temperature of about +10 ° C.
How to care for amaryllis at this time? While the bulb does not show signs of life, it is important to protect it from drying out and rotting. If the air temperature is higher, in order to prevent the death of the root system, it is advisable to slightly moisten the top layer of soil. At low temperatures, watering is dangerous because it threatens with the development of rot and fungal infections.
During growth and flowering, amaryllis care at home is to create a comfortable environment, watering and feeding plants. The optimum air temperature in the room where this culture is contained varies within:
- 20–22 ° C in the daytime;
- 18–20 ° C at night.
Amaryllises do not like it when the room temperature or humidity changes dramatically. At home, plants grow on mountainous slopes, where the air is not too saturated with water vapor. At home, amaryllis also does not need increased humidity, which provokes the development of fungi under dry scales.
Amaryllis care is impossible without watering and fertilizing the plant. To moisten the soil around the bulbs need to dry the top layer of the substrate. Irrigation water is first defended or filtered.
Fertilization is carried out in two weeks during flowering of plants, and then with the active growth of foliage. It is best to use compositions for flowering crops with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium. A surplus of nitrogen slows down the development of buds, such an onion abundantly releases foliage, and is also susceptible to red burn, a common bulbous disease.
Amaryllis
Landing Features 
At home, most species of bulbous crops are transplanted before the start of a new growing season. With regard to amaryllis, this is not true. This inhabitant of southern Africa is more useful to be in the new soil immediately after the withering of the flower stalks, when the growth of leaves is just beginning. Such a measure of care for amaryllis, as in the photo, will allow the plant to quickly restore the reserve of forces expended during flowering and prepare for the coming rest period.
To facilitate the release of earthen coma and roots from the old container, the soil under the bulb is abundantly moistened. The pot is removed so as to keep the maximum number of roots and soil on them. Then the bulb is transferred to a new, larger than the former, in size container with a prepared drainage layer and a small amount of moist fertile substrate. Empty spaces around the coma are filled with soil, which is subsequently compacted and watered a little.
It must be remembered that an amaryllis bulb after transplantation by 1–2 thirds remains above the soil level, and the distance from it to the edge of the pot should not exceed 3 cm.part of the plant should remain wet. When children with their own root system are found on an adult bulb, they are separated and deposited in separate pots of a suitable size.
The primer for planting amaryllis should be loose, light and have an acidity level of about 6.0–6.5.If it is not possible to purchase ready-made mixture for ornamental bulbous, the substrate is made independently. To do this, take:
- in equal quantities of turf and leaf ground;
- half the volume of humus and the same amount of peat;
- is a small amount of perlite, which can be replaced with coarse sand or vermiculite added to the soil.
Before planting the bulbs, the substrate for amaryllis at home must be steamed or disinfected in another way. If this is not done, juicy roots and scales attract the attention of a wide variety of insect pests from onion flies to nematodes.
Deciding on a transplant in the summer, when the amaryllis has a rest period at its height, the florist can disrupt the natural life cycle of the year and lose a year or two of the opportunity to admire the bright flowering of a South African plant.
The main enemies of amaryllis when grown at home:
- excessive watering, as a result of which the decay of the root system and the bulb ends begins;
- lack of conditions during the hibernation of the culture;
- low air temperature, for example, when taking a pot to a balcony or garden;
- is a dense substrate in which the roots lack oxygen.
Reproduction of amaryllis at home
Amaryllises, like other bulbous, at home can be replicated using:
- children formed on adult bulbs;
- different bulb divisions;
- seed.
Vegetative propagation methods do not have any special features. But the seeds of amaryllis, as in the photo, are very different from those that are formed after pollination of other closely related species.
These are not dry black scales, like those of hippeastrum, but succulent small bulbs, even inside the fruit, sometimes giving roots and forming a tiny sprout. On the one hand, such planting material facilitates the production of new plants, but on the other hand, it is very difficult to protect tiny bulbs from germination.
Within a few weeks after amaryllis pollination at home, the bulbs are ready to give life to young specimens. Therefore, do not hesitate. Seeds are sown, slightly deepening the bottom, in a wet mixture of peat and sand and put in a well-lit place.
On rooting and the appearance of green leaves from 3 to 6 weeks. With proper care, amaryllis, grown from seed, blooms after 4–5 years.
Depending on the development and size of the onions, in the first year they may abandon the rest period, growing up next year and giving new foliage. Artificial hibernation is not necessary for such plants, but additional lighting for young Amaryllis will be useful.
If the seeds are not planted immediately, they are stored in hermetically sealed bags in a home refrigerator. It is important that no water gets inside the tank and the bulbs are not exposed to sub-zero temperatures. From time to time, seeds are removed and inspected for mold or traces of drying.
