Amaryllis Challenge??

[Horus]

More images of The Monster,
Looks like it will be in the region of 10" across if measuring any two flowers


Not all flowers are open yet, the lowest two flower buds belong to the second stem.


On the first stem there will be 6 flowers, 4 are nearly open and there are 2 smaller ones yet to open.
The very top two flowers belong to the second stem


This is the Amazon bulb which looks like it is not far from flowering, the colour of this one should be interesting.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@H - Your Monster is pretty phenomenal. I don't believe I have ever seen an Amaryllis with 6 flower buds. Have had the odd one over the years with 2 flowers though.

You've definitely WON on that account cause I highly highly doubt either of my 2 will have more than 4 buds. Am anticipating 8 total off of each bulb but to get 6 would be over the top. Going to be real interesting if both flower stalks have 6 and a 10" span is super good too. More than lovely.

Today I MUST stake up Superstar as I think yesterday when I wasn't here it put on about 3". Suddenly the tallest stalk is even taller. They sure do definitely move once they get going.

[LovelyLadyLux]

This is Superstar today Just brought in a Y shaped heavy stick from the maple tree I pruned on Saturday and will be propping her up as she is getting top heavy and starting to lean.



The bloom buds are still closed tight but I'm guessing by this time next week they should be in full bloom.



This is Minerva. Just starting to move and today I've noticed another bud just peeking out from the leaves in the middle so will be getting TWO bloom buds off her her too. I'm thinking Superstar will be finished by Christmas and Minerva won't have started but should be blooming for Jan 1st.



Saturday I did go into the shed and rooted around and while I couldn't find the big square brown orchid pot I've had for years I found this one. Forgot I even had it. It has two little holes on either side so will let in a tiny bit more light but it is bigger across the top so the roots of orchid #2 will get a bit more light.





This is the sum total of blooms on my big Christmas cactus this year The one branch is absolutely LOVELY and the rest of the plant is just plain green. Thinking of decorating it just to make it look festive.



My yellow Christmas cactus has finished blooming and is looking healthy so am hoping it'll grow large. I love Christmas cactus as they're pretty hardy and usually easy to bloom.

[Mad Dilys]

Red Lion #1

Minerva still not moving

Apple Blossom & Red Lion #2

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo Bud


Monte Carlo is a bit of sprinter methinks.

[Horus]

Well everyone seems to be getting there with plenty of flower buds, we should be seeing some nice flowers shortly from you both.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@MD - WOW your Monte Carlo is really off to the races. Given that it has two stalks coming in at different times you're really going to get a lovely extended flowering time from it.

Course NONE of US have seen what Grandad is growing ........ Am sure he is getting ready to produce a magnificent specimen and then try and convince all of us he grew it in his warming closet!!!

[Mad Dilys]

Talk about luck of the draw! If I had just bought Monte Carlo for my first bulb then Minerva for the next, I might have thought it was a complete failure and vice versa, except after my Minerva I wouldn't have bought another one.

I'm very happy with what I've got and for £5 each including a china pot I think they were worth the money.

By the way regarding the leaning to the light - round Monte Carlo I have put very thin sticks because that's all I had - then held the four sticks together with a bit of Sellotape. Though I'm still turning the pot it hasn't moved, though it does have a small clear area that it could move from side to side in. It seems that the shoot is seeking contact rather than the light. I wonder if naturally they grow close together and their stems are supported by their companions? I rather think Bluebells do the same if I remember - the ones on the outer edge of the clump aren't tall and straight. I'll check it in the spring.

[Horus]

I think you may well be correct MD, The one in the kitchen window actually leans against the frame and seems happy to do so. As soon as I rotate it, it collapses to one side, almost as if the leaves had snapped, turn it back and it is rigid again. My Amazon bulb which has two stems but no leaves as yet is very tall and although the stems are rigid enough they do tend to try and lean or curve to one side and often this is not towards the light, so they may be seeking some sort of support. This morning I had to firm up this particular bulb in it’s pot because you could actually see a gap around it in the compost where it had rocked itself loose.

[Horus]

Took these shots last night, The Monster is nearly fully open and the Amazon bulb 'Tres Chic' next to it is much further open today and looking very nice, I will take some more images of that one today. The flowers are very vivid and attractive, but much smaller in diameter than The Monster's flowers are, maybe about half the size. Although I think that they are a longer trumpeted flower and probably they will be a good overall size when they are all fully opened together.


Doing my shopping today and picked this lovely Poinsettia in a pot up in Tesco for just £3

[LovelyLadyLux]

Lovely lovely flowers H. Am on the run right now, more in a bit but SUPERSTAR is 29.5" high now (no flowers yet)

[Grandad]

They are fantastic H

I am also on a horticultural forum, WHY? you may ask. Well they do have other topics of interest but I mainly contribute to the Blog section.

However, my tag line on there is "I don't have green fingers......just a green eye for those that do"

So the fact that my two Amaryllis are simply not moving is true to form.

[Ruby Slippers]

I would put a photo on of my poinsettia - if I could make it small enough, which I can't!

[Mad Dilys]

The monster is really beautiful, such a delicate colour. I had one that colour many years ago and my husband was so enthralled by it he put a piece of black velvet behind it to emphasise the dainty colouring.

I do have an Apple Blossom shooting, I wonder if that will be a similar colour?

My bulbs are really getting fat, so glad I put them in bigger pots, it's a squeeze never the less.

By the way my campanula growing in the crack in the foot path is still blooming, rain, snow, It just keeps coming - I'm amazed because it's a this year seedling that started to flower about the end of August I think and hasn't stopped. It's mother is a very small plant living iin a crack in the wall about 4 ft above and that finshed flowering mid-September I would say.

[Horus]

I would put a photo on of my poinsettia - if I could make it small enough, which I can't!

Can you not re-size it RS?

[Horus]

@ MD, I often do that with stuff I am taking a photo of, I have a board that I made that opens out with a wing on each side to keep it stable, so its like looking into a stage set. It is made from white Melamine faced hardboard but I can also put A1 sized black card on the back if I want to, it comes in handy for various stuff, maybe I should try it behind the flowers of my Amaryillis plants and see how the photos turn out.

[Ruby Slippers]

I would put a photo on of my poinsettia - if I could make it small enough, which I can't!

Can you not re-size it RS?

Short of trying to find my laptop and downloading the photo from my iPad, and making it smaller - no! I've tried to on the iPad but it won't go small enough. Sorry, folks!

[Horus]

I would put a photo on of my poinsettia - if I could make it small enough, which I can't!

Can you not re-size it RS?

Short of trying to find my laptop and downloading the photo from my iPad, and making it smaller - no! I've tried to on the iPad but it won't go small enough. Sorry, folks!

Does this help at all?
https://www.lifewire.com/edit-photos-on-ipad-4103734

[LovelyLadyLux]

@H - if it isn't too difficult I'd LOVE to see the Monster against a black background. He or she is truly lovely - large flowers with such a delicate pattern.

The only downside to an amaryllis is the blooms go away! Wish they had the stamina of an orchid and last out for a few months.

I hope it is your plant to try and continue to grow the Monster. MD has commented that all her bulbs have gained in girth so am figuring the Monster has also probably gained a bit too. Definitely be nice if he could be kept 'til next season and curious if he'll produce again. I'm positive in time he would but I'm sure the prepping process on these guys really saps them.

My Minerva has finally started to move. Will take photos tomorrow or this weekend.

Few days ago I but a branch from outside, shoved it in Superstars pot so the top was equal with the bloom bud. Now I'm thinking the stake is too short but it might be enough to keep the flower head from breaking over.

Still haven't gotten the orchid fertilizer. Tomorrow is D-day as I WILL have to water tomorrow but given I now have a gift certificate I just need to find this nursery and hopefully they will have orchid fertilizer. No big deal if they don't but I just wanted to give the two of them the plunge into a lightly fertilized bath.

[Mad Dilys]

My Minerva still isn't moving!

Grandad, I've been thinking, as I have photographic proof of the dormant Minerva, if I don't get a bloom I'll ask Tesco for a refund.

I complained about some eggs once, because they weren't fresh. I didn't want a refund just for them to check up on their supplier. quality control is a big issue with me. I used to have a licenced Egg Packing Station ( More of that another time ) and the white of these "Fresh" eggs laid like water in the pan, a sure sign of age. I'd guess about 3 weeks or so. They immediately gave me a full refund though I stressed I didn't want a refund I just wanted them to acknowledge the fault.

[Ruby Slippers]

No, Horus. I've tried all that, but still can't get the image small enough to put on here. Thank you anyway.