Has anyone ever sent you an Amaryllis plant for Christmas? If they did, you may have gotten hooked. There’s something miraculous about watching the leaves shooting up, inch by inch. After four to six weeks, a fresh bud emerges, and finally, after a few days, bursts into a glorious trumpet-shaped flower. The white, red or pink blossoms lift your spirits and help you through gloomy winter days. If you order the plants online, they’re fairly expensive. But during November and December, you can buy them for under $10 at grocery and home improvement stores. Hurry if you love magical amaryllis. Because by January they’re gone.

Amaryllis plants are sold as kits, complete with pot, bulb and soil. Once watered, they bloom within 6 to 8 weeks. They make wonderful gifts that the recipient can enjoy for weeks, and think of you.

Why would you want several? Because they give you hope on dreary days as you watch them grow, inch by inch. I have scads of the bulbs by now, and I plant them in stages , so that I always have one or two coming up all through the winter, and into early spring. It’s also fun to plant two or three in one pot, which makes a beautiful show when they finally flower.

Now, here’s the best part. Once the plant has bloomed, it will flower again next year if you store it correctly.  If you think that sounds like too much work, it really isn’t. Here’s what you do:

Snip off the flower after it blooms. After that, the leaves will keep growing in that same pot,  When it gets warm you can  move the plant outside for a few months. In early fall, cut off the leaves and remove the bulb from the pot, roots and all. Then,  wrap the bulbs in newspaper, put them in a brown paper bag, and leave them in a cool dark spot until the following winter. This is called the dormant period, and it’s important. I usually label them as to color and size, so I can plant more than one of the same type in one pot.

Around the middle of November, I start  by  planting the bulbs in fresh potting soil. You might want to trim the roots. Just plant them heads up, and when you want the process to begin and unfold, soak them with water and give them some bright sunlight during the day. Water lightly once a week. Then watch the magic begin.

Amaryllis started appearing in stores last week. Hurry if you love Amaryllis. These bargains won’t be around for long.