Question:
“The Hardy Amaryllis I ordered are blooming now. The red blooms are spectacular, and just as I had hoped….This is my first time with Amaryllis, how long should I wait after the blooms fade before relocating them? I’m not sure if the foliage will die back in my zone or not. – Angela”

Answer:
The best time to transplant the Hardy Amaryllis is in late summer or early fall, after its foliage has died back turning a yellowish-brown. Hardy Amaryllis foliage will die back in all zones as it goes dormant in the fall or early winter.

Some people (for different reasons) want to transplant an Amaryllis bulb while it is in bloom or lush with foliage (a blooming-transplant or green-transplant). While not ideal, relocation of an amaryllis during this stage of its life cycle is still possible. Relocation will not damage the bulb as long as you transplant enough soil attached to the bulb and its root system. I recommend excavating the bulb with 5-7” of attached soil below the bulb and about 6-10” on every side of the bulb. This will reduce root/bulb shock. Be sure to dig the new hole for the bulb before you dig up the bulb so that the freshly dug bulb has less exposure and time to dry out before going back into the ground. It would also help to water the new bulb location before inserting the bulb-soil mass; this makes the bulb’s new home additionally hospitable and nourishing. Make sure when replanting that the bulb is planted under soil only 2-3 times its mere bulb height. It’s easy to replant bulbs too deep when transplanting to a new location.

If the bloom or foliage dies back after transplanting the bulb – don’t panic. You haven’t lost your bulb, just this year’s bloom. All bulbs are susceptible to root shock just like other plants, no matter how “Hardy” they are. There is no need to amend or fertilize the soil to attempt a bulb and bloom resuscitation for the same season you transplant. You can look forward to blooms and foliage the following year in the new location!

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