European explorers didn’t call Canada the “land of ice and snow” for nothing!
It’s usually cold now. So why are the plants outside blooming and reblooming in late September?
Take this miniature rose. A gift from my husband in late June (after the ankle-break), it’s flourishing outside. Again.
And this cyclamen, also a gift — from our neighbour.
Now, you may recall that I consider myself an expert on getting amaryllis to rebloom.
People ask: “Cynthia, how do I store my amaryllis bulbs during the fall so they’ll rebloom at Christmas?”
I immediately get puffed up with self-importance! You see, I’m famously bad at the domestic arts, but I’m good at this. I know about reblooming amaryllis.
“Stop all watering in mid-August,” I say with great authority. “Come September, pluck off the dried-up leaves, shake off the dried-up soil, and store the bulb in the cold cellar. It’s had months outside, feeding on water, soil and sun, and now it’s time for beddy-bye, aka hibernation, until late November. It will be ready to rebloom at Christmas.”
So I took my own advice. Stopped watering this amaryllis on schedule, the leaves turned a dying yellow and….
The darned thing bloomed!
It’s a delightful but humbling moment. Seems I don’t know amaryllis.
It’s like the goddess of amaryllis punctured my pride with her hatpin.
More worrisome things are happening in the world, I know. But I’ve now decided to see the reblooming as a miracle. If there’s a botanical explanation, don’t tell me.
It’s a bloomin’ miracle, and that’s that.
Cynthia Reyes 
You are an expert and you follow successfully your own method . Bravo!
Love ❤
Michel
With everything going on in the world we’ll take a miracle whenever we can find one. Why wait for Christmas! And Christmas stuff is already appearing in stores. Beautiful plant – perhaps you are the miracle!
Plants can throw some real curve balls at us, doing the unexpected! The amaryllis is truly beautiful, and is a bloomin’ miracle. The world could sure use more of these. 🙂
I’m with you, sister. Here’s to more bloomin’ miracles.
Beautiful. I am always cheered up by my flowers.
Those plant goddesses will get you everytime! Great post.
Thank you, dear Amy. But I just remembered that you’re a plant goddess yourself. I know you’ll keep your hatpin away from my amaryllis!
No hatpins, I promise.
Will hold you to your promise. Got enough of that as a child in church.
hatpins?
Your amaryllis knows things we don’t…… and she is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing that 🙂
I like that idea of the amaryllis knowing things we don’t! Thanks, pal!
It must be as warm there as it has been here. An extended summer!
I love extended summers.
We need more miracles. Thanks for sharing yours.
I like that. Thank you, Karen.
Made me smile all the way across the ocean!
Marie Wilson, C.M., O.N.W.T., M.S.C. Commissioner TRC of Canada 2009-15
>
Glad to hear! Enjoy yourself!
I am sure these plants have minds of their own! Your amaryllis probably felt trapped in the same old routine; thought she was being taken for granted! Her beautiful blooms have probably been admired more now than if they had appeared as usual at Christmas. I have a Christmas cactus that is flowering now. I put it outside in a shady place in the garden for the summer and hardly watered it at all, as usual. The weather all through August was dull and cool which might have made the cactus think it was autumn come early. I went to move it from its shady place into the greenhouse to tidy it before bringing it indoors and found it covered in buds! Crazy!
Oh, I’m so glad to find a similar story! thanks for sharing, Clare. You made me smile in awe.
Smiling back. 🙂
Cynthia – this is such amazing page and your post in incredible. I just like you Facebook Page, I appreciate if you like my page too, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Mihran.Kalaydjian.public/
Beautiful flowers!
Thanks, Luanne! Hope your September has gone well.
I’m writing again :)!
Excellent.
I was so taken with your blooming miracle I forgot what I was doing elsewhere in the kitchen…..soooooooo……the pot boiled over. Now I have a blooming mess. Can I swap you for a blooming miracle? 😀
Oh no! You poor thing, you. I’ll have to send you a bloomin’ miracle!
Miracles always welcome.
Lovely shots of lovely blooms
Glad you like them, Derrick. Are Amaryllis a Christmas tradition in your neck of the woods?
I think they are, although not something I have experienced. They are always in the shops
A blooming miracle and beautiful to boot!
Thank you!
Such bizarre weather we’re having, when even the flowers are super confused! They are gorgeous, though. I wonder if you’ll be able to get the amaryllis to bloom again, when it’s meant to. . . ?
We need blooming miracles. I’ll take your amaryllis as one, for sure.
Good to hear!
It’s a beautiful blooming miracle! 😀
Thank you, Linda! I’m with you, sister.
Cynthia, don’t complain!! 😀😀 What a wonderful surprise for you and shows us nothing is certain in life…as proven by this blooming amaryllis. Many thanks for sharing and we all need such stories and pictures in our lives! ❤️
You’re so wise, Annika! I won’t complain.
Ah, I’ve had an amaryllis hanging on, but never re-blooming for many years… I will try the Cynthia method!
Yes, you must!
We could do with some blooming miracles at the moment 🙂
I agree!
I loved your post and the pics!!
Thanks so much, Peg, for your generous response.
I vote for it being a miracle! Facts could only confuse the issue. 🙂
The answer of the day! I love it.
You’ve got the magical green thumb Cynthia. The poor plants don’t know what to do with this crazy no summer, early fall, late summer, back to fall, lol. 🙂
I agree. The last two days have been sunny and nice, the nights cooler now. But the plants outside are still going strong.
I have an amaryllis and look forward to first cold snap which triggers it’s blooms. Thank you for the lovely photographs!
You are welcome. Glad to hear you like amaryllis too!
They are lovely
Hey Cynthia .. Oh didn’t you do well!
😄 Bloomin miracles
Oh dear, I wish I’d read this in August. I was so proud of all the magnificent leaves on mine I have been carefully watering it all through summer. Blooming now or at Christmas, who cares? The great thing is you got it to rebloom. A thing I have never, ever managed.