color of flower from bulb

Question

I planted a dozen assorted colors of amaryllis bulbs 10 years ago. They bloomed a second year. They never bloomed again. Now I have four patches of 50 or more plants in a tight circle with green leaves. I want to separate them and plant them again. Can I tell by the bulb what color they will be?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, you cannot tell their color until they actually bloom. These plants, unlike many others, also bloom better when somewhat crowded. If you have had problems with your plants flowering, then your soil could be lacking phosphorus, which is responsible for blooming in plants. A soil test would confirm this. In the meantime, however, it will not hurt to add a phosphorus rich fertilizer or some bone meal to the soil where your plants are (or will be) growing.