Planting

• When you purchase your bulbs, you need to decide if you want to plant them immediately or store them for later use. If there are sprouts already on the bulb, you must plant immediately, or the sprouts will die. If there are no sprouts, you can store your bulbs to plant at a specific time. Store them in a dark, cool place to make sure no sprouting occurs; the ideal temperature for storage is between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can store them in a drawer in your refrigerator, as long as you don't put any other foods in the drawer with them. Enzymes from some foods can sterilize the bulbs.
  
  Make sure the pot you intend to use for planting has a drainage hole. The soil must be able to drain, or else the bulb can rot from over-watering. Use any pre-mixed compost for planting, so long as it drains well; these mixes are available at most nurseries and garden centers.
  
  Hold the bulb so that the roots dangle down into the pot, then fill it in with your chosen soil. Tamp the soil down firmly with your hands as you plant to avoid air pockets. Plant the bulb so that the nose and shoulders stick up above the edge of the pot. Water the soil so that it is all damp, then tamp down again to be sure the roots are securely in place.
  
  

Continued Care

• Place the potted amaryllis in a warm place with direct light. The temperature should be constantly above 68 degrees Fahrenheit, day and night, to promote immediate growth. Never expose your plant to freezing temperatures (32 degrees Fahrenheit or below), as this will permanently damage the plant and the bulb.
  
  For the first week after you plant the African amaryllis, do not water it. Amaryllis plants are extremely susceptible to over-watering, and the bulb will rot if exposed to too much water. If you keep a plate under the pot for drainage purposes, make sure you empty it every day to avoid standing water seeping back into the soil.
  
  For the following two weeks, water only enough to keep the soil immediately around the bulb moist.
  
  Once the stalks begin to appear, water more frequently, keeping the soil constantly moist. As the stalks grow, rotate your pot a half turn every day to make sure the plant is exposed to the light source equally on all sides. Otherwise, the stalk will begin to lean toward the sun as it grows.
  
  Remember that the stalk can grow fairly large; stake the plant if necessary to keep it growing straight. Feed it with bulb food or fertilizer from a nursery or garden store; usage varies by product, so follow product instructions for amount to use and how often to feed.