Treated well, amaryllis blooms again

'Tis the season to debunk myths. No, I'm not going to challenge your belief in Santa Claus. But I am going to call into question the way people grow amaryllis.

OK, so you brought home your fat amaryllis bulb, or it arrived in the mail, some weeks ago. If that bulb was out of soil, it should have at least had some fleshy roots still attached. Without those roots, the flower bud seated deep within the bulb will either never appear or else make a poor showing.

An amaryllis bulb needs to be grown in potting soil, not water, as some people suggest. Their roots, in contrast to those of hyacinth, which is often grown successfully in water, need plenty of air. Amaryllis roots will rot in water. Furthermore, you'll never get your amaryllis to bloom again next year if it's growing in water and the plants are too expensive to throw away after they've bloomed, as we do with forced hyacinths.

After your amaryllis's blossoms fade, give the plant the best possible growing conditions -- bright light, and adequate water and fertilizer -- to feed next year's blossoms. The better the growing conditions, the more leaves the plant grows, and more leaves means more flowers. For best growth, put the plant outdoors in spring to bask in the sun all summer.