Why Aren't My Amaryllis Blooming?

Is your amaryllis growing in the shade or direct sunlight?

Have you been fertilizing your amaryllis excessively?

Have you been watering your amaryllis often?

Have your amaryllis gone through a dormancy period?

Indoors and outside, the amaryllis needs bright conditions but not direct sunlight for flowering. Place an amaryllis houseplant near a window that receives morning sunlight and remains bright in the afternoon but doesn't receive direct light at that time. Grow outdoor amaryllis in bright shade or in a spot that receives dappled sunlight, such as under a tree.

Rich soil or excess fertilizer encourages lush leafy growth and no flowers in amaryllis. Amaryllis in a container doesn't need fertilizer until after the flower bulb appears. Fertilize the garden bed before planting outdoor amaryllis. Evenly sprinkle a ready-to-use, 6-6-6, slow-release fertilizer at a rate of about 3 ounces per 10 square feet. Mix the fertilizer into the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Don't fertilize the amaryllis again before flowering.

Too much water can encourage leafy growth without flowers. Established outdoor amaryllis tolerates drought. Water an outdoor plant when the soil is dry to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Apply water until the soil is moist to the depth of the bulb roots. Overwatering an amaryllis houseplant can cause bulb rots. Water an indoor plant after planting in its container, and don't water it again until you can see the roots through the drainage holes. Water indoor amaryllis when the potting soil is dry to a depth of 1 inch.

An amaryllis that doesn't experience at least two months of dormancy won't flower. Dormant amaryllis is a bulb. Its leaves and roots have dried and withered away. Usually, this happens naturally at the end of the growing season. Dig up outdoor amaryllis and place it in a dry shady place for eight weeks before replanting it. Place an indoor plant in its container in a dry place at temperatures between 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lifting outdoor amaryllis, or removing an indoor plant from its pot, too soon prevents the plant from storing up energy for flowering the following year. In-ground amaryllis should not be lifted for winter storage until fall when the foliage naturally dies down. An indoor plant can be placed outdoors when the final average frost date has passed or grown indoors for the rest of the growing season. Bring amaryllis in a container inside before the first average frost date in fall.