Children of all ages can really benefit from gardening and having hands-on experiences planting flower bulbs.

It is a great way to learn about the life cycle of flowers and plants and to see how bulbs develop.

So here’s a guide on how to plant an Amaryllis bulb!

Step 1.

Choose a container.

Find a good sized pot for planting the Amaryllis bulb.

The container may be clay, ceramic or plastic, but should have drainage holes in the bottom!

The bulb should have about 2 inches of room around the sides.

Good sized container for planting an Amaryllis bulb.

Step 2.

Add soil to the container.

Place a small amount of potting mix in the bottom of the pot.

Center the bulb in the middle of the pot.

Then add additional potting mix, firming it around the roots and bulb.

Important! Leave the top third of the bulb uncovered.

Step 3.

Place the Amaryllis bulb.

Nestle the bulb into the center of the container.

The bulbs should feel firm and have plenty of room for the roots at the base.

Add a little more potting mix, but remember! You have to leave the top third of the bulb uncovered.

Tamp down the soil around the bulb with your hands to settle the potting mix.

Placing the Amaryllis bulb in the container.

Step 4.

Water around the bulb.

Water enough to keep the soil moist, and avoid wetting the portion of the bulb that is above the soil.

The first 2 inches of soil need to be damp for proper growth.

Care should be taken not to over-water!

To maintain a healthy moisture level around the bulb, your soil needs to be well-draining and moist but not soggy.

Well done!

You planted your Amaryllis bulb.

Share your blooms! Tag us @bloomaker and use #bloomaker! We might feature your photo on social media and our website.

When will the Amaryllis start to bloom?

Week 0-5

In these few weeks you will see stalks coming out of the bulbs en grow taller and taller.

Week 5-6

You should now see the buds growing bigger and bigger.

Week 6-9

The Amaryllis should now show their beautiful blooms and you can enjoy these blooms for several weeks!

For some amaryllis varieties it can take 4-12 weeks to wake up and start growing!

Tip! During flower stalk elongation, turn the pot each day to keep the flower stalk growing straight.

Fun Facts about the Amaryllis.

Did you know…?

An Amaryllis plant can live for 75 years when properly cared for!

The U.S. imports more than 10 million Amaryllis bulbs every year.

Amaryllis blooms during the spring and summer. Flowers attract carpenter bees and moths which are responsible for the pollination of this plant.

Greek mythology has a story of a maiden named Amaryllis who grew scarlet flowers in her walking path after her heart was broken. When the flowers grew, the man she loved was enamoured, her heart was healed, and thus the flowers got their name.

Amaryllis blooms during the spring and summer. Flowers attract carpenter bees and moths which are responsible for the pollination of this plant.

The origin of the name Amaryllis is the Greek word for sparkle. It was reclassified in the 1800s under the genus Hippeastrum, which is derived from the Greek words for horse and star.

Word "amaryllis" originates from the Latin word "amarus" which means "bitter". Name refers to the bitter taste of the bulb.

Amaryllis has green, strap-shaped leaves arranged in two rows. Leaves appear after the flowers.