Edited January 19,2024
Amaryllis blooms are one of the highlights of my houseplant collection. In this post, I share how I personally store my Amaryllis bulbs. You will find video and images with step by step information on my site.
About the Amaryllis Bulbs
The Amaryllis bulb has a healthy outer skin that looks like paper or shriveled up paper. This outer covering usually is a result of the bulb being stored after harvest. It is all good and natural for the plant. Each type of this plant has a large amount of root at the bottom of the bulb. Be sure to pick a Christmas variety of Amaryllis to ensure you get a bloom during the early winter days. Most of the varieties grown in the Netherlands can take up to 12 weeks to bloom after they’ve been potted.
What You Will Need To Store Amaryllis Bulbs
Perhaps the most important thing needed when storing the bulbs is a cool and dry location. Luckily, I have a basement in our country home that is just perfect to store bulbs and tubers. I guess If we didn’t have a basement I would store in my garage or a room closet that stays around 50*F. I talk more about that space later in this post. Here are items to round up for this project:
- Clean container to put bulb in
- wood chips/ shavings like pet bed liner material
- brown paper bag
- Plastic grocery bag
How to Store The Amaryllis Bulb
After the Christmas or December Holiday season, I usually start my Amaryllis bulbs for indoor enjoyment. Let’s face it, it is just too busy during the last months of the year to start new plants indoors. This means once the bulb is done blooming as we head into late winter and early spring it is time to start storing the spent bulb. I like to move the bulb to a clean garden center style container with enough soil to cover the roots. I then place wood chips around the top of the bulb. The container is placed into a paper bag so it can breathe but not get wet. It is best to store the bulbs at 50*F. A humid location like in a basement is recommended as well.
Thank you for watching the video. You can find my videos on Bren Haas Channel on YouTube.
What The Amaryllis Looks Like After Storage
If you follow the directions listed above you will most get a healthy amaryllis bulb that is ready to be planted when you get it out of storage. The bulbs always have a few extra layers of the ‘skin’ that is like paper. I peal a lot of that off leaving maybe 1-2 layers. Most years when I am able to store the bulb in my basement that stays at a comfortable 50*F the bulb doesn’t get too dry. If the bulb gets dry or too warm it will start sprouting a new bulb.
The bulb in this picture has lots of the skin layer but I can feel the heart of the bulb. Don’t panic! Just peel back some of the layers and go ahead with planting.
Amaryllis Cool Storage
The bulb that has been cleaned can be stored in a cool (40-50 deg. F), dark place such as the crisper of your refrigerator for a minimum of 6 weeks. Note: I have never put my bulbs in a refrigerator. They say that APPLES will effect the bulbs so do not store in the same refrigerator. My Dome Greenhouse during the winter months provides the same type of conditions as a refrigerator so that is what I do!
Other Posts About Bulbs
Bulbs and tubers are an important addition to making my home garden colorful all year-round. You can find more of my experience with these on my blog at the links below.
Q&A About Bulb Storage
Recently I received question about what to do with some ‘wet’ amaryllis bulbs that my reader was gifted. I put together a vlog to help him out using my personal experience.
The video is part of my YouTube Channel. Be sure to check out my website for all updates first! Leave comments and additional questions below.
Let’s Connect
Do you grow Amaryllis Bulbs? I would love to hear what you thought of this article and if you have any additional tips to share with me and my readers. I appreciate you taking the time to read this post so be sure to comment on my site and tag me on social media links @brenhaas.
Happy Amaryllis Growing,
17 responses to “Everything You Need To know About Storing Amaryllis Bulbs”
hi Bren, I ordered quite a few amaryllis bulbs on line along with some pre chilled hyancinths. They took longer to get to me and now i am leaving town for a week with no time to pot them up. Should I leave in box they came in till I get home about a week) or ???
Hi Bren,
My mother died late last year and, visiting my father today, I discovered two amaryllis bulbs that she’d probably deposited in the basement right before she died. I remembered her explaining to me how she would be keep the amaryllis bulbs in the dark basement for a part of the winter. Then she would bring them up to the kitchen and, as kids, we’d watch as the green stalks grew day by day. At some point, I think she’d plant them, but I can’t recall how she did that or when she did it.
So my question is simply: is it too late to salvage these bulbs? They must have been down there for at least 3, if not 4 months. They look pretty dry now and I’m fairly certain they should have been brought out long ago.
Any advice would be appreciated. If there is any hope they could be salvaged, I’d like to try. For mom’s sake.
Can I store amarillis in a plastic tote?
I do not recommend storing Amaryllis bulbs in a plastic tote. You want to keep the bulbs in a cool, dry location that doesn’t collect moisture. Cardboard box containing the bulb wrapped in paper bag works great. I hope this helps Sandra.
Bren,
I just reviewed what you sent me today on 1-20-2024.
It was very informative and I learned a lot more on how to take care of my bulbs!
I liked your new update and how to care for the Amaryllis bulbs I received very professional and I was impressed with your quick response back to me!
Thank you for the video as I have watched it and liked it!
It helped me a lot as I am a rookie at this! The bulbs are drying out nicely! You are the Amaryllis “Queen” in my eyes! I would love to send you some of my free bulbs for you to grow then show all your followers. Send me a ship to and I will share my goodness with you for free!
Just grow them and show us all the results!
The bulbs are from Hadeco the world’s largest producer of bulbs.
The Ole saying! Grow & Show
Thanks again for the update!
Steve Shumski
Ferndale Washington
Thank you for leaving feedback Steve – very kind of you!
Hey can I get some bulbs too?
I too was given an amaryllis in wax. It has finished blooming. Is it worth trying to save it, or are these wax ones one bloom only?
Thank you for stopping by my website Barbara. I did a video and added some photos of the wax covered Amaryllis I wintered over after they were done blooming. I hope you check out how that went for me on my blog at https://brenhaas.com/wax-covered-amaryllis-bulbs/
I just received 35 bulbs for free and now 12-30-23.
They were in a plastic bag and wet. I now have in my garage and letting them dry out. They’re from Hadeco
Do I dry then place in a paper bag with dirt? I live in Ferndale Washington can I leave in ground or best to grow in pots?
I also want to note that you can look up information about growing Amaryllis on your states extension office where you will find local growers with actual research. One of my favorites is from Minnesotta at: Minnesota State University | Growing and Caring for Amaryllis . There is a list of extension sites on my website at: State University Extensions Websites.
Hey Steve – Check out my latest VLOG linked below. I hope this helps you out with your storage process. I still hope you consider letting a few of these bulbs bloom. You have some real beauties according to the tags you shared with me. https://youtu.be/7HEgVbmwZsQ
I have an amaryllis bulb in wax. I’m letting the foliage die back. Then I will peel the wax off. I plan to store it in a paper sack for the rest of winter. Here’s my question, since amaryllis is a fall bloomer, when should I plant it?
I have a Red Lion amaryllis kit from this year (Christmas 2021) that I did not plant. Does it expire? Can I save it still in the box it came in for next year? How long can it be saved before planting the first time? The box has not even been opened.
Obviously I am not experienced at growing any sort of plant. 🙂
I would take the Red Lion Amaryllis Bulb out and wrap it in paper to keep it save from moisture. Store in a cool dry location! I hope you come back and tell me how this goes for you!
Hi – Thank you for the article. I don’t have a 50 degree F. basement; can I safely store bulbs in the refrigerator?
If you have a cool storage area in a dark / low light space this would be best. I am not sure how the refrigerator temperature at 37* would treat the bulbs. They need to be stored for at least 8 weeks.
I’ve got 2 bulbs that are ready to be stored so I will run an experiment and see if this works. I am going to pack up the bulbs in clean bedding wood chips and store in one of my cloth white bags. The bulbs will have to be monitored to be sure they don’t get dried out or wet and start to rot. Let’s DO THIS! If I have time between planting in the dome this weekend I will try and do a video featuring what I do for this Amaryllis bulb storing in refrigerator experiment.
STAY TUNED!