A withered knight's star regularly raises the question of professional pruning. Read here when and how to properly prune an amaryllis after flowering.
Fading should be removed regularly
Cut knight star in stages - how to do it right
A lovingly tended amaryllis enchants us with its blooms well into February. The end of the flowering period marks the start of the summer growth period, which in turn ends in an autumn resting phase. One of the key factors in the care program is a gradual pruning, in combination with a balanced water and nutrient balance. That is how it goes:
- Rinse faded flowers as soon as possible
- In February/March, cut off the yellowed, withered inflorescence stem 5 cm above the bulb
- At least now the growth of the leaves begins
- Fertilize every 14 days from April to July and water regularly from below
In July, gradually reduce the water supply. From August, the knight star receives neither water nor fertilizer and stays in a cool, dark location. Now the onion pulls in the leaves and stores the nutrients in them as a reserve. Cut off the leaves only after they have died.
Cultivate evergreen amaryllis
English gardeners found out that a knight star does not necessarily need a dry, dark dormant period in autumn. Instead, the plant takes a semi-shady location at a cool 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. The amaryllis receives water in sips so that the leaves do not retract and turn yellow.
After 3 months, repot the Ritterstern and shorten the leaves to 10 cm. Then place the pot in a sunny, warm window seat and water regularly. When the first buds sprout, the usual care program begins.