by Penny Pawl, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
Last year at holiday time I was given a most unusual gift: an amaryllis bulb encased in wax. I had no idea such a thing existed, so I immediately looked online for how to care for it.
Amaryllis bulbs are sealed in colored wax in Holland with only the leaf end visible. While they remain in the wax they don't need water but should be kept in a warm, well-lit place. My present was a red-blooming amaryllis in red wax, but a friend posted a picture of hers and it was a white-flowered amaryllis in white wax.
Initially some leaves appeared, then two flower stems emerged seemingly overnight. The leaves never did grow beyond four to five inches. The flower stems developed wonderful red blooms that made a big display.
The bulbs I received had all the nutrients they needed to bloom. But I needed to know what to do when the blooms started to fade.
Once the flowers on one stem faded, I cut back the stem to the wax coating. The wax was cracking but I decided to wait until the other flowers faded before removing it. Then, as instructed, I would remove the wax and plant the bulbs in soil.
A few days later, the remaining flowers had died down and I cut the stem off. I could see the wax breaking up on top. Because there were two flower stalks, I had assumed there were two bulbs but there was only one—a large one about the size of a softball. I had read that you can leave the bulbs in the wax and they might bloom again, but I decided that I would remove itcarefully
On the break-free day, as I began to remove the wax, I realized that ordinary kitchen shears were not up to the job. I used a heavy pair and it was quite a task. When I finally got all the wax off, I was surprised to see that the bulb had no roots. It looked as if they had been cut off.
As for planting the bulb, I followed the instructions of fellow Napa County Master Gardener Cindy Watter. Before plantingthe bulb in soil, I looked it over. It had some soft spots, possible signs of rot. I left the spots alone, but I did remove the outerlayers of dead skin.
After planting the bulb in a pot, I put the pot in my passive solar hothouse, gave it a dose of worm compost and watered it. Toforce a re-bloom, the potted bulbs should be kept in darkness for six to eight weeks to store energy. Be sure to water them during that time; don't let them dry out. When they are moved to a sunny location, the light stimulates the bulbs to bloom. I will be trying this technique on all my amaryllis as none of them bloomed this year.
Some websites say to throw the amaryllis bulb away after it blooms. But others suggest planting it in soil, as I did. A friend told me she has kept a waxed amaryllis in its wax for three years and it continues to bloom. So the choice is yours.
Do not water waxed bulbs; they may rot. If you repotted them in soil, keep the soil damp. Some sites recommend storing the bulbs in the dark. However, a friend told me she leaves it all year in her sunny kitchen garden window, watering occasionally.
Library Talk: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a talk on “Planning a Cut Flower Garden,” on Thursday, March 6, from 7 pm to 8 pm, via Zoom. This summer, your garden can include beautiful, colorful flowers to cut and bring into your home. Join the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County to learn about the best annuals, bi-annuals and perennials for cutting, along with soil preparation tips, starting seeds indoors, and direct seeding techniques. Click here to register!
Workshop: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a workshop on “Spring and Summer Vegetables” on Saturday, March 8, from 10 am to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa. Come get your hands dirty in this hands-on vegetable growing workshop. Learn what to plant now and what to plant later when the weather warms. Soil prep, irrigation, seed starting, transplanting and potential problems: we'll cover it all. Click here to register!
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions on Mondays and Fridays from 10 am until 1 pm at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa. Or send your questions to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description of the problem.