Question: I have a potted amaryllis that was given to me for Christmas. It’s through blooming now. What can I do with it to get it to bloom again? Can I plant it outdoors?

Answer: That’s a tropical type of bulb that is winter-hardy only in the warmer parts of Texas. You’ll have the best luck if you leave it in its pot and grow it all spring and summer. Around the first of September, you can set the pot on its side, so the soil will dry out. This plant goes dormant and dies back to its bulb in its native home to get through dry periods. If you let it get dry for 4 to 6 weeks, then repot it into fresh potting soil, it should bloom for you again in late fall or early winter. It won’t work every time, but it generally will. Give it bright light and moist soil.