I’ve been the lucky recipient of Amaryllis bulbs for the past few Christmases. They did what they did best: bloom in a very spectacular fashion right around the holidays, and then die.
In December 2015 I was DETERMINED to bring my three bulbs back to life again. So after their big showy bloom I did some research and clipped off the dead flowers, put the plants in a sunny corner, and gave them an occasional watering. Once the risk of frost was past in the spring I sprinkled a bit of slow-release fertilizer in each the pots and moved them outside so they could take in some sunlight and gather enough energy to produce their trademark showstopper blooms at the end of the year. Come fall, I brought them back inside, trimmed off the leaves (which had died back naturally) and put them in a cool, dry, dark corner of the basement where they could think pretty thoughts.
A few weeks ago I repotted them with care and set them on our south-facing window. I don’t exactly have a green thumb, but I was hopeful.
Here’s where we’re at right now:
This one miiiight have a bud coming out but I’m not quite sure yet. The second bulb (it’s in the silver pot behind) is looking a little scraggly and has yet to show something other than leaves. The third one, well, it’s not looking good. The bulb seems green and healthy but it’s not taking in water and is refusing to budge.
Maybe my cold storage wasn’t cold enough? Or perhaps I didn’t fertilize or give them enough down time? Do you buy them new every year or regrow them from the bulb? If you have tips, I am all ears.
Some of you have probably heard about the Caring & Sharing Exchange. It’s a local charity that provides assistance to individuals in need during Christmas and the back-to-school season. Well, I just received an email with an urgent appeal.
First, the good news: They WILL be able to provide help to 15,511 individuals in Ottawa this holiday season, which is almost as many as were on their entire list in 2016 (16,012). YAY. It is so nice ti know there are so many generous people in Ottawa.
The sad news: there has been been a massive increase in demand this year and there are 23% more names on the list. As of today, the organization has a waiting list of 4,155 individuals, which is almost a thousand more than the same time last year.
My dear friends. This is important. These are our neighbours.
You can make a monetary donation, or do what we did, sign up for the Christmas hamper program.
Now in its fourth year, the Sponsor-a-Hamper program is different way for the community to help those in need. Donors are given a grocery list, we shop, and drop the fixin’s for Christmas dinner off to one family. We bring the girls for the planning and shopping part. It’s a great lesson in giving and did my heart good knowing we helped one family.
Because the Christmas Exchange Program assists so many people across the entire city, sponsors are able to choose the size of family they would like to sponsor, along with their preferred location in the city (based on availability of course). So far this year, more than 275 families have been sponsored by caring individuals and groups within the community, but there are still hundreds of households waiting to be matched with a kind sponsor.
Can you help a neighbour in need? More information is available on the Caring and Sharing website at www.CaringandSharing.ca. Thank you friends. xox
