Friday, October 23, 2009

Gift of Amaryllis, Beauty Under $20



AMARYLLIS for a GIFT
You do not need a green thumb to give a gift of a splashy red, ice cool white, lime green, or candy cane striped white and red amaryllis for the holidays. This photo shows my red amaryllis from last year's Christmas, which will bloom again this year.
October or November is an ideal time to buy an amaryllis bulb, and your local plant nurseries will have them now, or very soon.
Bulbs can cost $5 or $10, add a ceramic pot, a tiny bit of potting soil, and your gift is ready to go.
Buy it planning on 8 to 12 weeks before it blooms, so right now is a great time to buy the bulb. Need I say that you too deserve an amaryllis, so you may want to buy more than one bulb.
A hardware store chain in my area is selling these bulbs in a pot for $5 this week, now that is almost unbelievably cheap!
If you buy the bulb separately, plant it in a pot that is only slightly larger than the bulb, with a bit of potting soil to anchor it, and be sure the pot has a hole for drainage and a saucer to set on. Just water once a week and put it in a sunny spot indoors.

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