Amaryllis - care at home: rules of planting, content in a state of flowering and rest, treatment of common diseases

Large inflorescences of the most varied colorsin the form of bells, planted on a tall flower stem, and exuding a delicate, delicate aroma - is an amaryllis. Care at home for a unique beauty flower is not at all complicated, which allowed him to win the recognition of florists all over the world, from beginners to professionals. Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of its content. They are based on creating the most natural conditions for the amaryllis. For a quality and full-fledged care, the flower will "thank" the regular flowering to two or even three times a year.

Amaryllis - description, groups, individual features

The perennial blooming bulbous plant was brought to Europe from South America several centuries ago. Its leaves are oblong, rectilinear, arranged in two rows, they can be up to half a meter in length, not more than 3 cm wide. The bulbs from which the amaryllis grows may exceed 10 cm in diameter. Of these, the nascent peduncles, which in the periodflowering ends with inflorescences of large funnel-shaped flowers of a variety of shades. Each flower consists of six petals, the tips of which have a pointed shape.

All kinds of these plants can be divided into three groups:

1. With non-standard inflorescence.
2. With unusual coloring of the inflorescence.
3. With a modified form of petals.

Regardless of the type, care for the amaryllis is approximately the same and can differ only in some specificity.

Care of the plant begins with the creation of optimal conditions for

. Before buying an amaryllis, it is necessary to make sure that it is possible to create suitable conditions for it, approximate in nature to its southern homeland:

1. Light is preferable bright and diffuse. The plant is best kept on the south-western or south-eastern windows. The southern window will also be a good option, but in the period of high solar activity, the amaryllis will have to be shaded.
2. The stem will grow strictly vertically only if the pot is regularly turned.
3. Humidity in this case is not critical, but regular treatment of leaves with a soft and damp cloth will prevent the appearance of parasites. A flower loves a wet shower, especially in hot weather. It is necessary only to watch, that the moisture has not got in the blossoming buds.
4. Spraying bulbs that are at rest are categorically prohibited.

These are all the important rules on which the daily care of the amaryllis is based. The technique of performing more specific manipulations depends on what period the plant has come into life.

Rules for vegetation and flowering periods

Spring vegetation is the time when the amaryllis needs the maximum amount of light and heat, but the temperature should not exceed 25 ° C.The flower buds begin to water as soon as it grows to 10 cm. If done before, then all the energy of the plant will go to the leaves and the flowers will have to wait.

Quality bulbs give a few arrows, the optimal is the presence of 1-2 peduncles. Superfluous need to be removed, otherwise the flowering period in the next year will pass without the formation of inflorescences. On average, the amaryllis blooms twice a year. The optimal time for forcing is the period from December to April. Spring and summer - a period of rest, plants in these months have time to recover.

With the right approach, the flowering time can be set for any month. To do this, approximately 8-10 weeks before the planned time, pots with plants in a state of rest are transferred to a warm and bright room, they begin to water little by little, adjusting this indicator to external conditions.

The very period of flowering of the plant lasts up to three weeks. All this time the amaryllis needs careful and uniform watering, enough light.

Tip: The thermophilic flower is adapted to drought, but it is very poorly tolerated by excessive amounts of moisture. To maintain the plant in optimal condition, it is necessary to monitor the quality of the soil. It must be moist, but you must not allow the formation of puddles, leading to stagnation of the liquid.

You can artificially prolong the flowering period. To do this, put the pot in a cool place without direct sunlight. Experienced flower growers recommend cutting off the arrow with the flower immediately after opening the bud. In the vase, the amaryllis is about the same size, but this approach will relieve the load from the bulb, ensure a quick restoration of the plant at rest and ensure its faster flowering.

When the amaryllis is flowed, the quality of watering is gradually reduced to zero. As soon as the arrow and all leaves go away, the pot can be placed in a cool place and put the plant in a state of rest. It is not recommended to trim the leaves, you need to wait until all the organic matter has moved to the bulb. The minimum rest period of an amaryllis lasts three months. If stimulated earlier, the bulb will not have time to gain strength and will soon die.

Amaryllis transplantation and propagation peculiarities

Adult plant is transplanted every 3-4 years, approximately 4-5 weeks after the death of the peduncle. Manipulation is quite simple. You need to lay on the bottom of the pot a drainage layer of 2-3 cm thick, sprinkle it with sand. From the bulb we detach the children, they can then be planted, growing new plants. Even if there is no plan for further planting of children, they should be removed together with dead scales and rotten roots. The bulb is treated with a liquid fungicide and planted in new soil, cover it by two-thirds.

Amaryllis planting is not particularly difficult. You just need to perform a number of simple manipulations:

• First you need to assess the quality of the children collected during the transplant. On the onion should not be dents, traces of fungal damage, cracks, signs of rot. It is necessary to have your own root system with strong roots. Sluggish drooping bulbs of a soft consistency usually do not settle down.
• After the fixation of the babies, the rest period is not carried out. The flower constantly needs watering and feeding. Then in just a couple of years the bulb will reach mature age and another year will be able to blossom.

When planning how to care for the amaryllis, it is necessary to take into account the plant's preferences for the soil. The substrate must consist of two parts of turf ground, which is bred with peat, humus and sand, taken in one piece. The diameter of the pot for the bulb should be two centimeters above the size of the concrete head from all sides.

Common problems, ways to solve them and prevent

Despite the simplicity of care for amaryllis, many beginner growers make mistakes that affect the condition of the plant.

• Pale flowers indicate an excessive amount of direct sunlight. Darkening inflorescences and leaves on the contrary indicate an unnecessary abundance of coolness and humidity.
• If the leaves have lost their brightness and the flowers are drooping, this indicates a lack of watering.
• Yellowness on leaves is a sign of the vital activity of pathogens.
• Amaryllis does not bloom when the rest period was too short, the soil lacks nutrient components, the plant suffers from cold and lack of light.

With the unique appeal of a flower, one should not forget that it is toxic. In its juice contains a dangerous alkaloid, which can cause severe poisoning.

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