Amaryllis Season is back!

[Daethen]

Anyone got advice on how to grow more than leaves on these?

[NYCorchidman]

There is no trick. When conditions are good, they will grow many leaves.

The most important factors are lots of sun (at least half day, but all day sun is preferred for best results), and enough watering during the growing season.
Potting soil for these should be well draining, otherwise the bulb can rot.
Never allow the soil to go dry as this will really hurt the growth. Drought will reduce the growth severly and can cause the bulb to go dormant at wrong time. not a good thing.
Good watering is very very very important.

Fertilizing does not hurt but these do fine without much fertilizing. I only fertilize when I remember or feel like it, which is about once a month at most and I still get at least 12 leaves on all my bulbs, and 2 to 3 flower scapes each season.
They say one flower stalk for every 4 leaves. This is of course general rules as certain varieties seem to make more stalks than others, but of course the more leaves, the more stalks.

[Daethen]

Wow, I have only ever gotten 4 leaves and no scapes. The present leaves are over 2 feet long. It was a half price Walmart special but I would still like to be able to bloom it. It is in my green house. Gets full sun at least half the day and shade clothed sun the rest. I fert with my chids and have tried not to let it get dry. I may have to water a bit more. It came with coir bark to plant it in.

[NYCorchidman]

How long have you had it?
Is it from this past Christmas??

If yes, then it will most likely grow more leaves in the next few months. 12 leaves do not appear all at once.

For example, mine usually send up 3 or 4 at the same time right after blooming (or some at the same time as flowers). Then more leaves follow one at a time.

If you have had it over two years and it is still growing that way, I would toss it.

Amaryllis being so common and there are so many exciting varieties to try.

I recommend buying the largest possible bulb from a good online vendor. That way, you get a good bulb and the good bulb will stay that way for years.

If you are buying from big box store, try not to get the last leftovers. It is just not worth it.
If you choose to buy them from big box stores, try to get them as early as they are available and plant them right away.

Often you will see the qualities are not that great.
Red blotch diseases are all too common, and the bulbs are already sprouted in that paper box all distorted.

If you can open the box and check the condition of the bulb, then try to get a healthiest possible one with no red or brown marks. Avoid soft one and only pick firm one. you don't have to squeeze too hard. lol

Anyways, when you get it from a good source, you don't have to worry about all this.

[Daethen]

I got it right after last Christmas. I gave it a dry rest last winter. Probably shouldn't have. It grew the leaves this fall and they are very healthy looking. The bulb itself is green/white and shiny. I will give it a while before giving up (I am that way with plants). If I can get it to flower, I will probably fall in love and get more.

[NYCorchidman]

You got it last winter and it grew leaves in the fall of 2013?? What did it do during the summer??
That is really odd!

Well, then time will tell. If conditions are right and the bulb itself does not have virus, then it will eventually get big and start flower again.

Good luck.

[Daethen]

It grew one set of leaves right away (4) then those died back and I let it stay dry and cooler for the summer and all of a sudden it started growing leaves again so I started to water it. It now has four new huge leaves.

[RosieC]

That's really odd timing, usually they dry off over the winter and grow spring/summer.

Maybe it will right it's self, hopefully these leaves will stay all summer and you can dry it off over the winter.

[Daethen]

So I should give it a dry winter rest? Should I unpot it when I do? Should I give it new medium every year? Sorry, but I want to do right by it so I am picking your brain. The odd timing is probably my fault. It sat dry all summer and then it got moved to my humid warm greenhouse last fall.

[NYCorchidman]

You can grow amaryllis evergreen but you can also dry it out. Let the leaves be your guide.
If some leaves turn yellow in the late fall, then the bulb is indicating that it is going into dormancy.
You want to stop watering then, and resume watering when you see flower scapes or leaves emerging again in the spring.

You can grow amaryllis in the same soil for 2-3 years or more without harming them, although I don't think it is a bad idea to repot annually. Try not to disturb the roots. You really don't have to get rid of all the old mix like you would with orchids.

The odd growth seems like your mistake as you mentioned. When you dry them, they will go into sleep.