Remember what Kathryn told me a few months ago: you do not need to set your amaryllis in full dormancy (cold, no water and dark). You can keep them cool (50F or less) and water less, but give them light, for the fall period. Then around Christmas bring them into the warmth of the livingroom, water a bit more. They will send up their flower stalks in no time.
Layth said not to fertilize when the flower stalk appears, because the bulb may rot. Look, it is more overwatering that kills bulbs by rot! I took an amaryllis that had just recovered from having a cross cut in its base and planted it in wet compost and it is doing just great! Of course it already had a leaf and flower stalk beginning, so I knew I could do it.
I think it is intuition that enables one to do things right. For instance, a plant that is in its "spring" phase, as amaryllis are in winter, very eager to shoot forth all kinds of leaves, then you can do things you cannot do at other times.
Do others of you have this idea sometimes - that it is intuition? I cannot say long experience, since I have not been growing amaryllis since I was a child, just about 7 years or so.
Carol
