Hi Anna,

Amaryllis Plant Flowers

Now that your amaryllis plant is finished blooming, follow these steps to help it flower again next year: Cut off any dead or dying flowers that still remain. When the stem starts to droop and sag, cut it back to the top of the bulb. It’s important that you continue to water and fertilize your amaryllis plant for the next 5-6 months; this encourages new leaves to develop. When these new leaves start to turn yellow, around October, cut the stem back to about 2” from the top of the bulb. It’s now time to remove the bulb from the soil. Carefully clean the bulb and place it in a cool, 40°- 50° dark place for a minimum of 6 weeks. Although a refrigerator seems to be an ideal location, do not put amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples. Apples sterilize the bulbs and they’ll never bloom again. Keep your bulbs in this dark, cool location at least 6 weeks. After this rest period, replant the bulbs in a small pot with drip holes in the bottom. Remember, amaryllis plants like to be a little root bound. Plant the bulbs so the top third is above the soil. Be sure to re-pot your amaryllis bulbs about 8 weeks before you want them to flower. Let me know if you need more information on getting amaryllis bulbs to re-bloom.

These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Learn more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants