Hippeastrum Flowering

[fred]

I have just had my first hippeastrum open in flower
this one is called Summerglow

[Tobi]

Beautiful bloom Fred. I'm not familiar with this plant. I'll have to do some
reading about it.

[BillC]

Lovely bloom Freddie, forgot to pot mine up this year, the bulbs are still hidden somewhere in the garage.

Tobi, there are zillions of them in Holland. I think of the Dutch growers as the fount of hippeastrums; indeed of all Amaryllis type plants. The Dutch bulb fields in spring are an incredible sight. Well worth a visit.

Bill

[fred]

yep you are right about them in Holland Bill
thats why my Father grew them it was his little memory of home plus my Mother loved them

[adespo]

I have about six bulbs growing all summer and they just keep growing leaves. Any tips on making them bloom?

[fred]

they like a good potting mix plus after the leaves start to die off the bulbs go dormant as soon as winter starts I do not give them a drop of water untill the first day of spring I start watering once a week untill the weather starts to warm up then I water twice a week.
I find they like the morning sun but I do not give direct sunlight in the afternoon as mine are under 70% shade cloth.
I also fertilize then once a year with dynamic lifter just sprinkle a few pellets on the top of the potting mix and when I water them I wet the fertilizer as well.
the leaves start to grow they get to about 5 or six inches long and then a flower spike can be seen on the top side of the bulb

I do not water the leaves at all just the pots.

[Tobi]

Thanks for the info Fred and Bill C.

[evagentry]

beautiful flowers Fred, one of mine looks just like this but I never knew what the name was, I have had it for about ten years now and it blooms each spring.

[Tess1]

wowee fred, that is a beauty

[fred]

I have almost 100 of them as my father grew them I brought them here after my father passed away
I am the only one of my family that knows how to grow them

[cupcake]

Gorgeous bloom! I have one I keep in the porch and bring into the lounge when it flowers. I let it rest over summer then start watering again when I remember! lol! but it flowers when it feels like it!

[fred]

here is a pic of one of my fathers hippy's the second one to flower it has opened today.

[fred]

here is another pic of one of my Fathers Hippy's that I grow.

[Tess1]

The hippies are stunning!

[fred]

thanks Tess I have got about 40 more in spike at the moment

I have around 100 of them hehehe

[fred]

some more pics of my Fathers hippy's that I brought inside today.

[Tess1]

fred, they are stunning, absolutely stunning

[mayres]

Fred do you let these go dormant every year or try and keep them green year round? I have read that people in Florida growing them outdoors in flower beds have them green year round so was wondering if there was any value if growing them indoors in trying to keep them green year round instead of allowing them to rest like daffodil and tulip bulbs?????

[fred]

what I do Mike is on the first day of winter I do not give then another drop of water till the first day of spring
during winter the leaves die off and I clean all the dead matter away from the bulb but they are still potted

I find with doing it this way they flower better and the bulbs don't rot during winter I grow them in a shade house so the frost wont touch them
the frost will kill them pretty quick here
as they are my Fathers I don't want to lose any of them
my father showed me that way and I carry it on for him

[fred]