Time for hot tea and amaryllis to enjoy and share

By Peggy Walker, R.D.

I had considered writing about holiday…Christmas holiday that is…baking and sharing a rich dessert recipe today, then I thought better of it. No, not today.  I don’t even want to think about food today.  So let’s not talk food. Think flowers instead of food.
So take a break from whatever you’re doing and run to town and find an amaryllis bulb or two.  There’s still time.  If you get it started today you just might have blooms by the 25th or if not, by New Years!  Pot one for yourself and one to give.  I love a big red one!  And the white, and the pink, and the orange colors….  Amaryllis is probably the easiest blub to force into blooming, if you treat it right.
Start with the right sized pot. This plant likes to be root bound so the pot you choose needs to be no larger than 1 ½ times larger than the diameter of the bulb itself.  If you want to place it in a pretty container for show then just re-use a small plastic pot (with a drain hole) you might have on hand that will fit down into your chosen container.  Fill the pot with a good potting soil mix.  Place the bulb in the soil so the top half is above the soil line.  Water it once and put it in warm, sunny place (inside).   Water sparingly until the flower stalk appears and keep it in bright light. Do not overwater! This can cause the bulb to rot.  And, there’s no need to fertilize at this point.
When the blooms open you can move the plant to a cooler, not-as-bright spot to keep it looking pretty longer.  Later, after the flowers fade, cut off the flower stalk about 2 inches from the bulb but don’t cut the leaves.  Put it back in a warm, sunny spot for the rest of the winter.  Fertilize it with a houseplant fertilizer, per the directions, to keep the leaves growing and to get it ready to go outside in the spring.  Plant it outside after the last frost.  Amaryllis are also pretty blooming in summer flower beds.
Or if you want to get it to re-bloom for Christmas: Keep the plant in its pot in a sunny place outside through the spring and summer; continue to water and fertilize is as needed.  Stop feeding and watering in the fall and cut off the leaves after they turn yellow.  Move it to a dry dark place inside for about a month.  Then move it to a warm room, water once and wait.  When the bulb sprouts, place it in a bright window and it should start blooming again by Christmas.  Or, your third option is to just put the old plant in the compost pile and get another bulb to start over next holiday season.
And while you’re out today you might as well pick up a poinsettia or two for the season.   No work or waiting on them to bloom!  They just need a bright location in a comfortable temperature range of 68 – 72 degrees and not lower than 60 at night.  Keep them in their special protective wraps while taking them outside to avoid a chill… they don’t like sudden temperature changes.  But do take off the pretty foil paper that usually comes wrapped around them because they don’t like to sit in water once you get them home.  Poinsettias will stay pretty well into the New Year for your holiday enjoyment!
They’re not poisonous, but don’t eat them.

Recipe of the Week
Instant Spiced Holiday Tea
Mix up a cup, sit back, sip, and watch your amaryllis grow!

1 cup lemonade-flavored iced tea mix
1 cup orange flavored breakfast drink mix (Tang)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ – ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (per your taste)
⅛ -¼ teaspoon ground ginger (per your taste)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently mix with a large spoon or spatula. Store in a canister or jar with a tight-fitting lid or in zip-top bags.  For one serving: place 2 heaping tablespoons spiced tea mix in a cup; add 1 cup boiling water and stir gently.  Makes 2 cups mix. Easy to double.