How to separate Amaryllis bulbs properly is one of the most popular gardening questions. Most gardeners want to grow them in their garden because they’re so beautiful. However, their heavy bladders can be frustrating if you try to transplant them into your garden. Here are some of the different methods.
First, prepare the new planting location and their new pot first if there’s any requirement for soil preparation. Ensure that the soil is moist for several hours prior to unsoaking for easier digging. Then, gently dig up the entire bulb with a digging fork using the stem as a guide. Dig a hole of at least two feet outside of the base and add a couple of inches of soil to help retain some of the moisture retained in the bulb.
Next, you can pull the bulbs out with your garden fork by separating the “v” shaped group of cells with your fingers. Do this carefully and don’t break the stem. Then, twist each bulb forward and off with your fingers. It’s important to get all the v’s separated otherwise you’ll end up with an amaryllis instead of a bright spot.
Once you’ve successfully managed to get all the v’s to separate, you need to take them back to your flower bed or garden. On the new plant, press the base firmly down and gently twisting each bulb forward and off with your fingers. Be very careful when you do this as you can injure yourself if you’re not careful. The bulbs are delicate and can easily break if you’re not careful. If you do accidentally break an amaryllis bulb, just remove it and try again.
After you’ve taken each bulb off and properly arranged them, carefully lay them back in the vase or container. You can then cover them with an inch or two of dirt. You should remember to do this right away because if you leave them for any longer than this, the roots could eventually be damaged and will need to be cut off. The soil they’re in will help hold the roots in place. Just be patient because it can take a few days for the amaryllis to properly root in the dirt.
Now that you know how to separate amaryllis flowers the correct way, you need to remember a few important pieces of information. The most important tip is never cut off the stem of the flower until after it has completely rooted itself in the dirt. You can risk killing it by doing so, as it has tiny, fragile roots. Secondly, it’s important to remember that separate bulbs don’t always come out clear. Sometimes you’ll see a white “sliver” of tissue sticking out of the flower, which is what you’re seeing when you remove it from the pot.
On the second day of taking these tips on how to separate amaryllis flowers, it’s time to put the remaining flowers into a separate pot and add some extra dirt to the pot. When you repot the flower, you should water it very lightly and watch it carefully to see if it comes out all the way. It may take a few tries, but eventually you’ll have a beautiful flower to put in your home.
I’ve found it quite surprising that one of my favorite gardening books recommended this method to how to separate amaryllis flowers! I wasn’t sure how to approach it, since I was only beginning to grow flowers myself. Fortunately, I had recently read a book on growing plants (the best one I’ve ever read!) and learned how to separate amaryllis flowers just by following the steps mentioned in the book.
