Question: A friend gave me an amaryllis bulb as a gift. What do I do with it? Can I just plant it in a pot? How deep should I plant it? Also, how do I take care of it? Right now there are no leaves or anything. It's just a big bulb.

Answer: Lucky you to have a friend who's given you such a thoughtful gift! Amaryllis are absolutely stunning plants, especially when they're in bloom. And, with any luck, you'll be able to enjoy the bulb for many years to come.

To grow these large and colorful flowers, start by potting the bulb. Select a pot that's only 2 to 3 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb, and make sure there's a drainage hole in the bottom. Pots without drainage can lead to a rotted bulb.

Fill the bottom of the pot with a few inches of high-quality, sterile potting mix from the garden center. Set the rounded base of the bulb on top of the soil to check the level. Add or remove soil in the bottom of the pot until the top third of the bulb sticks out above the rim of the pot, then fill in around the bulb with more potting mix until the pot is nearly full. Leave a half-inch of headspace between the top of the soil and the upper edge of the pot to catch irrigation water and help it percolate down into the soil instead of running off. Water the planted bulb by taking the pot to the sink and running a gentle stream of water over the soil. Allow the pot to fully drain before moving it.

Locate your potted amaryllis bulb in a room that's between 60 and 80 degrees F. The warmer the room is, the faster the bulb will grow. Set the pot on a sunny, south-facing windowsill, if possible. Water the pot when the soil is dry to the touch. Do not water too frequently, as constantly saturated soil can cause the bulb to rot.

In three or four weeks, you should see signs of growth. The first thing to emerge from an amaryllis bulb is the flower stalk, so be careful not to damage it in any way. Turn the pot a quarter turn every three or four days to keep the flower stalk from growing crooked, and stake it as soon as it grows to a height equal to the height of the pot. Amaryllis flowers are very heavy, and they'll easily topple over without support.

Once the flower is in full bloom, you can move the container to a slightly cooler room with a little less light to make the flowers last a bit longer, if you'd like. The plant should remain in flower for several weeks.

Once it is finished blooming, cut the flower stalk off 2 to 3 inches above the top of the bulb. Soon, the plant will develop thick, strap-like leaves. Continue to grow the bulb as a houseplant by locating it in a very sunny window and watering only when dry.

During the summer months, your potted amaryllis can go outdoors. Be sure to regularly fertilize it with an organic, water-soluble fertilizer once a month, and put it in a shady area of the garden.

Come fall, move the plant indoors into a cool basement or garage and let it shift into dormancy. During the next 8 to 10 weeks, do not water the bulb at all and cut off the strap-like leaves when they die back.

After the dormancy period passes, re-pot your amaryllis bulb with fresh potting soil, water it well and bring it back into a sunny window of the house.

Send your gardening or landscaping questions to tribliving@tribweb.com or The Good Earth, 622 Cabin Hill Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601.

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