A few days before Christmas I was walking through the greenhouse of a Home Depot and I came across this new way of growing an Amaryllis. At first I couldn't believe what I was seeing it looked like the brain child of a sadistic Amaryllis grower. It reminded me of this one time when I was working in a bonsai nursery and these two older ladies walked in and walked out in a huff but not before I got an earful of how "mean" we were for growing trees in such little pots. When I saw this Amaryllis I had almost the same reaction as those two ladies some years back except I didn't yell at anyone and threaten to call the Arbor Day Foundation.
I don't know if I think this is the worst idea ever or the best. You can't tell by the photo but you insert the amaryllis through a hole in the bottom, then add soil and then you insert the plug on the underside.
On the plus side I think it could be a great solution to the problem we all experience at least once, the toppling Amaryllis. I had it happen a few times last year and once I convinced myself I didn't have a ghost knocking them over I realized they kept falling over because the Amaryllis were top-heavy.
But if you think about it this is probably the worst idea ever because of the problems I foresee with things like rot and creating a perfect breeding ground for pests. Today when I went to Home Depot I made sure to take a camera with me so I could blog about this. I made note of the website so I could look it up and post this entry. Here's a quote from the website
The process is quite simple, requires little or no maintenance and no previous experience or horticultural expertise.
I'm not sure who they're quoting there but I have to be weary of anything that is made to sound to be so simple and fool proof in regards to growing a plant. I'm curious if anyone has bought one of these and what their experience has been. If you can't wrap your brain around how this is growing you can see the demo on the company website right here.
Love your blog:)Very informative. Hope you don't mind my linking you.
ReplyDeleteOdd idea. Another bad idea for growing amaryllis is in an amaryllis vase, which is set up like a hyacinth vase only bigger. I tried it once and the problem, as you can imagine, is the whole bulb eventually just flops over because there is nothing to support the large flower stalk.
ReplyDeleteI saw these, and didn't see how they could be too healthy for the amaryllis. But, I only really got the fever for flower gardening a year ago. Guess its good to see my assumption as a newbie was on target this time...
ReplyDeleteI do have a question, I bought 4 amaryllis (in regular pots) around Christmas and 3 of them have beautiful flowers on them while one only has several leaves and sign of a flower stalk. Is it possible that sometimes we get a bulb that is just a "dud"? Or, is it more likely to be a late bloomer?
Anyway, love your blog. Keep up the good work.
Carol,
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about those Amaryllis growing in those hyacinth vases when I saw the pic of the bulbs you're forcing.
Tom,
Thanks for visiting and commenting. The short answer to your question is that there aren't any "duds" they will all eventually flower. There is the chance that you bought a juvenile bulb and it may need a year or more to flower. I planted some too around Christmas and I am only now starting to see signs of life in some. If you go to the main page of my blog there's a short entry on Amaryllis and what I learned about them the past year.
BTW tom,
ReplyDeleteI just tried to check out your blog but your profile is private. If you want people to be able to see your blog you can sign in using the "other" option on blogs that allow it. You can still use your name "Tom" and add the url separately so people can still visit it without going through your profile.
Throw-away society. That vase is good for one season, the blooming, and then plant and pot are expected to be tossed when the bulb begins to rot.
ReplyDeleteToo much of the plant life in the marketplace is thought of in this fashion, and few folks have the patience to keep the leggy amaryllis plants around to restock their bulbs for the next bloom cycle.
It's sad.
I didn't know your blog was 'interactive'. I came here for another look on your entries and realized you had comments.
ReplyDeleteHow does it create a breeding ground pests? The plug prevents it from draining?
I think this is marketed to people who want to use it as a houseplant (if that's possible) so there's limited exposure to bugs.
I'm the type who likes little "grow your own" kits and I think I would be guilty in purchasing this as a christmas gift for someone. hehe.
Hey DS thanks for stopping by and glad you found the comments section.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking the container would be a great spot for little flies to hide in and reproduce. I know last year I had a little problem with them in my Amaryllis pots and I was allowing them to dry out. This just seems like it would be harder to spot them with this and eradicate them.
And I know what you mean about the kits they are sort of a guilty pleasure of mine.
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ReplyDeleteI have used these weird pots for two years now and have had great success both times - no pests, no rot, and you do NOT throw away the ceramic pot. At the end of the season, the bulbs came out healthy and the same ones are blooming again this year. I have been forcing amaryllis in the house for years and this has been the best solution to toppling flowers yet. The only problem I have had is with an amaryllis with double flowering shoots - they have a hard time getting all that foliage through such a little space on top. I don't know, maybe I have just been lucky with this product. I love the ones I have. Thanks for the blog, love that too!
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts on these Amaryllis pots. I guess if it works for you that's all that matters. The way I take care of my bulbs they double in size and produce very large roots. The last Amaryllis I bought I placed in a ten inch pot and this spring it was already pot bound. I don't see how these vases can provide enough room for good root growth but if it works for you and you like it that's all that matters.
On a 50% off After Christmas Sale I found several Amaryllis Holiday Centerpeice Kits to be forced bloomed in water, they were bedraggled and crying out for saving. I bought all they had ... like the ladies in Home Depot in your story Tom I was horrified at this treatment. To my disgust when I took them out of the package the bottom of the bulbs had been sliced off...I am trying to save them and grow roots again....should I give up and "get over it" or are my efforts futile ? Any suggestions.
ReplyDeleteGrannyGoose, Do the bulbs have leaves growing? If the leaves are still trying to grow, there's no harm in you trying to save it. If the cuts are not healed I'd dust the bottoms with a fungicide.
ReplyDelete