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Amaryllis & Paperwhites      

Potting	Select a container 2 inches larger in diameter than the bulb and several inches deeper. Fill the bottom of the container with soil. Place the bulb in the soil and fill the voids around the bulb with more soil. The neck of the bulb should remain exposed. Firm the soil around the bulb.
Watering	After planting, thoroughly water the soil. Refrain from watering again until you see active new growth. Regularly water the planter to maintain moist, but not soggy, soil.
Fertilize	Once the bulb is actively growing, fertilize with a water granule fertilizer every other week.
Exposure	Place the newly planted container in a warm, shaded place for the first 2 weeks. Once the flower bud is visible, place the planter in bright, indirect light.
Blooming	Prune the spent flower buds. Leave the flower stalk on the plant until it has turned yellow.
Saving Bulbs	After flowering, amaryllis should be kept growing indoors until the weather warms in spring. Water as needed and fertilize every 2-3 weeks. When spring arrives (after the last frost), you can either set the pot outdoors or slip the bulb with roots intact into the garden. Water and feed the bulb every 3 weeks for the summer. Remove entire plant from soil by August 1. Shake off excess soil; prune foliage to the neck of the bulb and place in paper bag. Store in cool and dark location. Repot in November.

Potting	Container should be slightly deeper than the height of the bulbs. Add a layer of washed pebbles to the bottom of the container. Place the paperwhites in the pebbles. Fill in around the bulbs with remaining pebbles.
Watering	Water the container to just below the bottom of the bulbs.
Exposure	For the first week, keep the planter somewhere cool (but below 40 degrees) and dark. After that, move the planter to a bright location that doesn’t receive direct sunlight.
Blooming	Paperwhites take an average of 3–4 weeks to bloom.
Saving Bulbs	Unfortunately, paper white bulbs cannot be saved for another season of bloom; dispose of them once they stop blooming.

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Select source information provided by the University of Minnesota Extension, www.extension.umn.edu.

Last Updated: March 2012