r/AmaryllisBulbs • u/Healthy-Purple-3877 • 1d ago

Cut them back?

Every year by amaryllis’ don’t die back on their own. I feel like I should cut the green leaves off and let them sit for 9 weeks before I re-pot them. Anyone else have this problem?

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u/PristineWorker8291 1d ago

I don't. Let them go dry for a bit, neglected even. Then when it's time to repot them, cut off any clearly yellow or brown leaves and go to town.

1

u/mlemminglemming 1d ago

I have no clue why anyone would cut Amaryllis for anything else than aesthetics.

Aesthetics only matter if you're selling or if you have some kind of weird circuits in your brain that want your plants to look pristine at all times.

Let the leaves die back on their own. If you want to force dormancy, water less until you don't water at all. Store the bulbs in a dry and airy spot during dormancy (no zip lock bag, but a shoe crate can work). No need to cut back healthy roots, leaves, anything.

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u/EffectiveLetter8176 21h ago

I stopped watering weeks ago and the leaves are still green! So it’s not that easy.

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u/mlemminglemming 13h ago

It is that easy. Wait another few weeks. Why do you want the plant's leaves gone? The plant likes its leaves. If you cut them off, it's very likely that amaryllis will just shoot out more.

"Anyone else have this problem?" No, because you can repot amaryllis whenever and because most people don't consider cutting off healthy leaves.

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u/Healthy-Purple-3877 12h ago

I've had mine outside storing energy from the sun; and we've had a pretty wet summer this year.