Your first job with an amaryllis after it blooms is to cut the spent flower stalk down and shift your focus to keeping those green leaves alive. The leaves are your ticket to bigger, bolder flowers next season. Leave them growing in the brightest spot you can find in your home.
The very first step is to cut amaryllis flower stalk down to about 2 inches (5 cm) above the top of the bulb. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears for this. Don't touch the leaves though. Amaryllis care after blooming centers on those long, strap-like leaves that will keep growing for months after the last petal drops.
My first amaryllis sat on the kitchen counter with nothing but leaves for what felt like forever. Months went by with no flowers in sight, and I almost gave up on it. But that patient stretch of leaf care paid off the following winter with three flower stalks instead of the single one I got the first year.
Here's why those leaves matter so much. Each leaf acts like a tiny solar panel that captures light and converts it into sugars and starches. The plant pushes all of that stored energy down into the bulb. Over the spring and summer months, the bulb uses those carbohydrates to build new flower buds deep inside its tissue. More leaves and more sunlight means a fatter bulb and more blooms next time around.
I moved one of my plants outside for the summer and left another on a windowsill. The outdoor bulb grew fatter and heavier by September. It pushed out two thick stalks the next winter while the indoor one only made a single thinner stalk. You can see the sunlight difference in the results right away.
During this leaf-growing phase, give the plant consistent care. Water the pot when the top inch of soil feels dry to your finger. Feed it with a half-strength liquid fertilizer every 2 to 4 weeks from spring through midsummer. Once nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C), move the pot outside into full sun. Outdoor light is far stronger than anything a window provides.
The real magic happens when you give the bulb a proper rest. Stop watering in late August and let the leaves die back on their own. Once they turn yellow and dry out, trim them off. Then move the bulb to a cool, dark place like a basement or garage. Aim for temperatures between 40°F and 55°F (4°C and 13°C) during this rest phase.
Leave the bulb alone in that cool spot for 8 to 12 weeks without any water at all. This dormancy period is what tells the bulb to prepare for its next round of blooms. After the rest period ends, bring the pot back into a warm room, give it one good watering, and place it near a bright window. You should see a new green shoot tip pushing up within 2 to 3 weeks.
Your whole cycle runs on a simple yearly rhythm. Cut the stalk right after blooming, grow the leaves from spring through summer, and force dormancy in early fall. Wake the bulb up in late autumn by moving it to a warm bright room and giving it a single good watering. You should see a green tip within a few weeks.
Stick to this schedule and your amaryllis will reward you with stronger flowers every single year. The bulb gets a little bigger each cycle, and you'll notice more stalks and more blooms as the years go on. It's one of the most rewarding plants you can grow because the payoff keeps getting better with time.
Read the full article: Amaryllis Plant: Complete Growing Guide
