Amaryllis Challenge??

[Mad Dilys]

I did repot mine in the next size pot with water retaining gel but I agree an even bigger pot would be better I think.

I used baking soda on my grapes when I had a lot in Luxor which had previously suffered from mildew, and it worked like a charm. I had the biggest crop just as the supermarkets opened and decided to sell seedless grapes. The market for the traditional ones disappeared, so I grubbed them all in favour of Okra which sells really well especially if very small.

I have also heard of using milk and baking soda, but haven't tried it and powdery mildew may respond better than the type you have.

Bicarbonate of soda is non toxic and I think worth a try. Makes an interesting Google - we use it on my grandson's feet in the summer too.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I spray baking soda mixed with water out of a spray bottle I have with a coarse spray onto my zucchini & squash to stop mildew & white powder looking fungus that seems to lurk everywhere here. It totally stops the white stuff but I didn't start spraying it early enough in a late season to make much difference to my plants.

This year I'm trying zucchini & squash again but I'm going to light start spraying even BEFORE I see the white stuff starting on the leaves. Will do that with the begonias too IF I see even a hint of mildew.

[Mad Dilys]

The first time I grew yellow courgettes I thought they had the dreaded mould, but it was just marbling in the colour of the leaves.

We don't grow any other kind now. The only thing I use normal zucchini/courgettes is for bulking up a stew. It's very strange how the yellow ones taste like sweetcorn, to me at least. Delicious anyway.

Oh must mention yellow beetroot, Mmmmm.

[Mad Dilys]

The two Amaryllis I chose to take seed from are now opening their pods. Perfect timing as my daughter is coming soon for a short holiday and will take the seeds back and try to grow them in her garden in Ibiza.

I've chosen a place on the edge of a border of Alliums (decorative onions by any other name) They won't be weeded, it's sheltered and irrigated so we might be able to see if they are growing. Worth a try I think.

[Horus]

Interesting to see how they go on.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Minerva has sadly met her demise in the trash. Superstar is growing. All the leaves - 6 of them - are growing but they've all got brown blotches and it rather looks somewhat like a leaf would look that is coming into autumn and turning brown. The leaves are definitely not growing quickly so am not sure if that is a good sign of anything or not. With other amaryllis the leaves have shot up like the flower stalk has but this guy is related to Grandad's slow poke and is dottering along. Guess time will tell. Once the weather gets better I'll put him outside and see how it goes.

[Mad Dilys]

Just thought I'd say that I found, by accident the ideal place for my Amaryllis, which is under the window sill in the bay window facing due south.

They are supported by a long low stool which stops the leaves from flopping. The leaves are broad and a rich dark green 3ft to 4ft tall that make a quite exotic background for the rest of the pot plants. I shall leave them there if possible, just trimming later if need be. I have no intention of cutting them back and can't put them outside as last year's plants were totally consumed by snails and slugs. I'm tempted to repot them, they are in 15cm/6inch pots at the moment, maybe I'll wait until next season.

[LovelyLadyLux]

I still have Superstar going - kind of, sort of. It has produced 3 totally long light green (albeit in the light) leaves one of which totally broke over in a very wet kind of way. Almost like the leaf had way too much water (but the plant didn't and isn't water logged). The other two leaves are only held up by a branch I shoved in the ground from the garden and then tied in place.

The other side of the top of the bulb still has 2 or 3 very stunted and brown holed leaves sitting and doing nothing.

All in all it is a really odd bulb, not growing particularly well and the actual bulb size has shrunk so I'm not holding that it will actually grow sufficient to make it. Once monsoon season is over (if ever) and the temperatures warm up it'll go outside onto the patio and can grow or languish all summer. Kinda hoping it'll make it as the flowers it produced where gorgeous but have my doubts.

[Mad Dilys]

I noticed that with Amaryllis if any part is damaged instead of just getting dry and shrivelled, flowers and leaves usually go horribly wet and soggy first. Weird.

[LovelyLadyLux]

The leaves of my Amaryllis are like that. They're not looking healthy unlike other Amaryllis that send out dark big strapping leaves that shine. These are pale wet looking fall over at random leaves that just exude "I'm not healthy"

[Grandad]

Many months ago my wife insisted that I bin my Minerva because it was showing no sign of life. I removed it and, as far as she knew I had binned it.
Actually I just put the bulb on my workshop bench with the intention of giving it another chance this year. While clearing some junk off my bench yesterday I was surprised to see that even with no soil or water the bulb has started to shoot. Now what do I do, pot it and nurture it? If so I could be well ahead of the game this year.

[Grandad]

I thought I would record it before repotting.
It turned a right angle because it was towards the edge of my bench and the growth took the easiest path.

So this is Minerva.

[Horus]

That is a flower spike Grandad, it will bend back once you put it in a pot

[LovelyLadyLux]

WOO HOO! You're going to get a GORGEOUS flower!

I've seen amaryllis flowering in the store in boxes (the ones that didn't sell) and while they might take a while once they're set to go THEY ARE SET TO GO!

I must say yours IS a bit of a Laggard though OR maybe a Keener for this year!

My amaryllis "Superstar" is still in the pot inside BUT has only ever produced a couple of really wet wet leaves. I've never had any other amaryllis like it and I highly highly doubt it is going to be a good bulb. It isn't really growing but it did have 3 flower spikes and produced probably the largest bloom of any amaryllis I've ever had. It'll go outside soon but I'm not too sure it'll make it to flower again.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Checked out my amaryllis yesterday and All the little leaves on the one side of the bulb neck have just turned soft and died. Will remove them today and the two big leaves I've got staked up have now flopped over as close to dying so I think I'm going to remove it - will bin it as it sure isn't looking like it is going to grow.

Grandad's will be gorgeous though. A super lovely splash of colour!

[Grandad]

Oh well! So much for me trying to be leader this year. I left the pot with the recovering plant on the garden wall on Monday evening in error. Yesterday morning the healthy flower stem was broken. I am guessing a squirrel jumped off the fence onto it.
So I will now have two bulbs to join the rest of you later in the year. Here's hoping

[Horus]

It will very likey just throw up another flower spike

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Grandad - as Horus says your amaryllis could be throwing up another flower spike. Usually they do produce 2.

This is my SUPERSTAR and he/she isn't looking too Superstar-ish now.......rather the most pathetically weak amaryllis I've ever had. I had 3 flower spikes and multiple blooms but now ..... the leaves are the worst I've ever seen and the other leaves at the top of the bulb are just dead sooo am maybe going to put it outside and if it grows it grows but am thinking it will be visiting the bin soon. Want to get it out of my way

[Horus]

Mine are all outside taking their chances.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Mine is going out. I've never had an amaryllis with such 'mushy & wet' leaves and only 2 of them as the other ones never got beyond 2" in height before they rotted and died. So this is going out. Getting tired of walking around it too. Bulb is considerably smaller as well so I doubt I'll be seeing it flower next year.