Q & A Amaryllis
 Q: I received a potted Amaryllis as a holiday gift and it is magnificent in bloom. How do I care for the plant after it has bloomed?
A: Many gardeners like yourself, are introduced to the plant as a holiday gift. Instead of discarding the plant after flowering, try these tips to bring your plant to bloom the following year. Like any other bulb, the amaryllis will restore its blooming power through water, fertilizer and sunshine. Remove the stems after flowering, so the plant doesn't waste energy forming seeds. Attention needs to be on feeding the foliage. Move the plant to a sunny window and continue to water. Use a water soluble fertilizer twice a month to create healthy leaves. Move the pot outdoors once the danger of frost has past. Select a spot where the plant will receive at least four to six hours of sunlight per day. When the foliage dies back, usually in late August, stop watering and fertilizing and lay the pot on its side. Bring indoors after the first hard frost. Sever the spent foliage and store the bulb in a cool, dark place for two months. With bulb still potted, remove and replace top soil, but do not disturb the root system. Do not repot! Time your blooms for 9-12 weeks from return from dormancy. Place plant in sunny spot and resume watering. Repeat process for repeat blooming.
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