Tallest Amaryllis Competition - Help Needed, Please!

[Bumblebee1612]

At our New Years Eve Party, a group of friends were each given an Amaryllis bulb. We are going to meet up at the end of March and need to take our (hopefully) flowering Amaryllis with us to be measured. There is the promise of a prize for the tallest plant.

I have searched Google to try to find out how to get an Amaryllis to grow tall, but haven’t found the answer to my question. I have discovered that overwatering and feeding the bulbs with alcohol are both causes for stunted growth, so will avoid these methods!

I am wondering whether to put something like guttering around the bulb to encourage the stem to search towards the light. Would this work?

Incidentally, I have not planted my bulb yet, although the rest of the group have all started theirs off. I was going to wait until the end of January before starting mine.

Any suggestions? Thank you.

[Togo]

No need for you to avoid alcohol Bumblebee. :))
I think that regular turning of the pot or container would be a big help, as the shoots will be constantly trying to face the light. Don't know if you have seen this site. I will have a look around for how to make tall. You need to think about getting a secure stake in there before planting up methinks.

https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-grow-amaryllis-indoors/

[Togo]

Would you believe that it looks as if depriving the bulb of light makes it grow tall.... Think I would get planting Bummblebee.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1385965/amaryllis-growing-too-tall

[Prudie]

Lots of light helps but I'm not sure why you haven't planted it yet. You have only just over 9 weeks to go. When I've had them the stem continues to grow even when it's flower has opened.

[Togo]

I was thinking that Prudie, but the site I found after seemed to indicate that lack of light made them grow tall. In which case I would have a length of tubing, perhaps something like a length of plastic downspout, over the bulb to make the stem grow tall. I would though want a good secure stake in place, perhaps through the hole in the pot and fastened to a good base, to keep a likely tall stem from bending or breaking.

[Bumblebee1612]

I haven’t planted my bulb yet, as I was thinking that the days are getting longer and hopefully warmer, which means that the number of weeks from planting until flowering would be reduced. The instructions on the box say 8-10 weeks to bloom.
I was going to add some extra weight to the pot and also make a wigwam of some sort, as I know that the plant is likely to topple.
I was thinking of growing the plant in drainpipe (don’t know why I called it guttering) as I was thinking it would encourage the plant to grow up to the light.
I have seen this done with leeks to encourage long white growth.
Oh, and I have just had my Friday night gin, so no worries there!

[Togo]

I make my rhubarb shoot up like that Bumble. :))

[Bumblebee1612]

Less than one week to go until judging takes place!

My Amaryllis is currently 26 inches from bulb to tip of the flower bud.

I have moved it into the warmest and sunniest room in the house to try to encourage the flower bud to open.

I have been told that the competition is for "Best in Show".

It looks like I am still in the competition!

[Bumblebee1612]

Great news!
I won!
My amaryllis had one flower bud open on the day.
It was also much taller than any of the others, most of which had finished flowering, even on their second stem.
It was good fun, and a great idea for a New Year/spring activity.
Our next competition is to grow the tallest sunflower!