Amaryllis After Flowering Care Tips

Could you please give me some instructions on how to get an Amaryllis plant to bloom again and what to do after it finishes flowering? Thanks!!! Anna

Hi Anna,

Large, red, tubular flowers and long, green leaves on amaryllis plant
Amaryllis Plant

Amaryllis After Flowering Care

Now that your amaryllis plant is finished blooming, follow these steps to help it flower again next year:

Pruning an amaryllis plant after it has finished blooming

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.

Water and fertilizer

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.

Remove and store amaryllis bulbs

It’s now time to remove the  amaryllis bulb from the soil. Carefully clean the bulb and place it in a cool, 40°- 50°F (4.4°-10°C) 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 will sterilize the bulbs and they’ll never bloom again. Keep your bulbs in this dark, cool location at least 6 weeks.

Replant amaryllis bulbs

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 in a small pot. Situate the bulbs so the top third of each is above the soil line. 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.

Conclusion

You can read all my tips on how to care for an amaryllis plant in the Popular Houseplant section of the website. 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.