Hardiness Zone: 8a
Vicky from Jacksonville, NC
Plant new bulbs in the ground in late September or early October and you'll see flowers in the spring. Bulbs should be planted about 1 ft. apart and just deep enough so that the tips ("noses") stick above the ground.
The soil should be nutrient-rich and well drained. The site should receive plenty of sun with some afternoon shade.
Use a low nitrogen fertilizer and make the first fertilizer application as new growth begins, then repeat the application when the flower stalk is 6 to 8 inches tall. Apply a third application immediately after flowering when the spent flower heads and old flower stems have been removed.
You can plant amaryllis left over from the holidays in the spring. Plant bulbs directly in the ground, pots and all, after first acclimatizing them to the bright outdoor light. Make sure the pots are well drained.
Ellen
I also live near J'ville, NC, and I have amaryllis in my yard that I transplanted from my grandmother's yard. I transplanted them last spring, which is late, so they didn't bloom. They did, however, come up and grow nicely. I planted mine with the top of the bulb just at ground level. I am not a gardening expert, I just did what my grandmother told me. I do know they like sun. My grandmother has had amaryllis for years in her flowerbed up next to her house (which may protect them from harsh cold), and they keep coming back year after year. They need to be thinned out when they start reproducing. Good luck.
I have 5 amaryllis planted outside. They do just fine here in Alabama. Plant them in spring. Plant just teem enough to cover the root ball. Plant in full sun or very little shade. If you get snow where you are at, you might want to consider mulching around them very well in the winter months, or plant them in a big pot and sit them outside in the spring and bring them inside in the winter.
Tops of bulb part needs to be above soil.
We are in Lexington, NC, and have had amarylis that were transplanted from San Diego in our yard for about 5 years. The blooming is not as prolific as it was in CA, but we do have nice blooms. The bulbs that are planted near the sides of the house do the best, but the ones near the street are still alive, and had more blooms that the previous year.
