February 1, Amaryllis Mosaic & Change Of Life
January 31, 2010 by Puna
Filed under Photography
I won this flower at a bunco game in December. I remember vividly because 1) I don’t win a lot and 2) I won it after a controversial call in which I caused a “scene.” It wasn’t that I wanted the amaryllis, it was just that I thought I was right in an argument and people were telling me I was wrong which wasn’t the case. When I am “me,” it wouldn’t be a big deal but that night I was obsessed by a foreign unreasonable entity and I couldn’t let it go for some reason. I seem to be having quite a few of these little out of character “incidences” lately. Please, nobody state the obvious.
My friends however, have been exceedingly nice and have forgiven me, not because I deserve it, but because they are gracious.
So this flower was the result of my shameful behavior.
When I brought it home it was a tiny little bulb. Since I kill just about every living thing that requires photosynthesis to live, I gave it oh, a week before it dies at my inept non-gardening hands.
I put it in my bathroom and every once in a while, I would throw in a handful of water from my faucet, cupped casually in my hands. Well, that sucker grew. And it grew.
It grew four inches a day it seemed. The husband would come home from his trips and go into the bathroom and exclaim out loud, “What the heck is that? Is it going to eat us?”
Finally the claw-like bulb opened to this beautiful flower. I took a quick photo in the bathroom and I brought it downstairs so everyone can enjoy it. However, I think the displacement is killing it. I knew it! I kill everything. So I’m moving it back upstairs to the bathroom again, and I’m going to baby it and pray over it and love it until it comes back to life again.
Now I bet someone is going to tell me that amaryllis have a short life span. That the bulb will die eventually. That I was supposed to trim it down or other gardening advice. But if you do, I’ll take it and I’ll do it. Because I want it to live…I want it to live…
If it lives, it means that my little incident was not for naught. It means that my soul will be healed. It means that…now I’m being unreasonable again. What the heck is going on?
It’s Mosaic Monday again! It makes Mondays more fun I think.
I want it to live too and be uncharacteristic it keeps us wondering (:
Flowering Period
Bulbs will flower in 7-10 weeks as a general rule. In winter the flowering time will be longer than in spring. Set up your planting schedule between October and April with this in mind. To achieve continuous bloom, plant at intervals of 2 weeks for stunning color in your home or garden.
After-Bloom Care
After-Flowering. After the amaryllis has stopped flowering, it can be made to flower again. Cut the old flowers from the stem after flowering, and when the stem starts to sag, cut it back to the top of the bulb.
Leaf Growth and Development. Continue to water and fertilize as normal all summer, or for at least 5-6 months, allowing the leaves to fully develop and grow. When the leaves begin to yellow, which normally occurs in the early fall, cut the leaves back to about 2 inches from the top of the bulb and remove the bulb from the soil.
Bulb Storage. Clean the bulb and place it in a cool (40-50 deg. F), dark place such as the crisper of your refrigerator for a minimum of 6 weeks. Caution: Do not store amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples, this will sterilize the bulbs. Store the bulbs for a minimum of 6 weeks.
Plant Again. After 6 weeks you may remove bulbs whenever you would like to plant them. Plant bulbs 8 weeks before you would like them to bloom.
Thank Kristyn, I am going to wait until the leave turn brown and then I’ll put the bulb in the fridge. I’m not sure what the whole apple thing is about…
Your amaryllis is beautiful, Puna, and great job on the mosaic. I think at some point we all behave in a manner that embarrasses us later. Forgive yourself – your friends have.
Toni, thank you…
WOW that is something else!!~ There was a reason you had to have that flower…now you know it will envade your home because from the looks of it, it is already! That thing is gorgeous! I loved your Bunco story, I play bunco too, however we have not had little outbursts yet……YET key word!
I’m sorry your feeling bad.
It looks like its grown in to a beautiful strong amaryllis, Job well done!
As a macro lover I just adore the two images to the left.
Yes…what good fun!! What a gorgeous flower..and so ‘artfully’ captured. Beautiful!!!
It is beautiful!
It will live forever in your lovely photos!!!
That is really beautiful, Puna. We have an amaryllis and after it flowered and died back I stuck it outside for the winter. I’m hoping that it will flower again if I bring it into the warmth of the house and start watering it in the spring. We’ll see!
Try not to feel bad about the moodiness. We’re all like that sometimes.
Hahahaha, Puna! That is quite a funny story to go along with your mosaic. Great macro shots and the amaryllis is stunning. All of your photos are so beautiful, Happy MM!
“Since I kill just about every living thing that requires photosynthesis to live.” You’ve just described me! Maybe I should try an amaryllis…
Good luck with yours. I hope it lasts!
gorgeous shots!
Beautiful blooms!
I have an amaryllis from last year and I hope it will bloom again. I guess I need to take it out of its pot, LOL!
It is a gorgeous flower! I’m glad that Kristyn knows what to do.
That is just plain gorgeous! Aren’t you glad that you were delicately persistent? Isn’t that a nice way of saying it? lol thanks for sharing, puna!
Gorgeous flower. I have NO green thumb in me at all…so I know how you feel.
What a beautiful subject to use for a mosaic! Love the cheerful colors!
Wow, your amaryllis is gorgeous!!!! Isn’t it amazing how fast an amaryllis grows once it gets going?? It literally gets taller between morning and evening!!
Love your hubby’s comment about it eating you
Kelly
Gorgeous flowers! I am completely incapable of keeping plants alive. I leave that skill to my husband.
Maybe the happiness that nurturing this flower has brought to you IS a sign. One that you should be gentle with yourself and the occasional mistakes that we all make. It’s wonderful that you’re able to talk about it with your friends. They should, but not all relationships have that kind of open communication