How to grow amaryllis from seed?

Question

Tell me what you know about growing amaryllis from seed?

Answer 1

Seed pods mature within 4 to 5 weeks after the flower has been pollinated. Pick the pods as soon as they turn yellow and split open. Remove the black, papery seeds from the pod and plant them immediately in pots or flats containing a well-drained medium such as vermiculite or coarse sand mixed with peat. Cover the seeds lightly with additional medium. Keep the newly planted seeds in partial shade until they germinate. Then gradually increase the amount of light they receive until they are in full sun. Fertilize with a half-strength liquid fertilizer solution every other week.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP060

Make sure you check your seeds for viability:
If you place an Amaryllis seed between your thumb and index finger you'll be able to tell which are the viable Amaryllis seeds because there will be a pronounced "bump" in the middle of the otherwise flat seed. Any seeds that you can't feel the embryo in failed and are just chaff and can be tossed out because nothing will sprout from them.
The seeds that have the embryo should be planted soon after you've collected them.
http://www.amaryllisbulbs.org/2007/12/viable-amaryllis-seeds.html

You can use a general purpose houseplant potting soil and amend it with perlite so that your soil is light and airy.

Here's a picture of a small Amaryllis bulb grown from seed which is only a few months old. It'll eventually turn huge:
http://www.amaryllisbulbs.org/

It takes Amaryllis bulbs anywhere from two to three years to reach the stage where they will be able to flower.

I think you'll enjoy reading other accounts of planting Amaryllis seeds from this forum:
"I use 4 inch plastic pots. I fill them with wet Pro-Mix BX (potting mix) to about 1/2 from the top. I then fill the remaining space with builders sand. I then take a lable end and make slits in the sand into which I place the seeds, leaving just a piece sticking up. I then wrap the pot in a one gallon clear plastic bag and put them under lights (cool whites).
I have started thousands this way. When the leaves hit the top of the bag I open it for a day, then remove it. When the new bulbs reach about pea size I repot the plants into individual 4 inch plastic pots, potting up to 6 or 8 inch pots when required.
I only water with 1/4 strength liquid fertilizer.
The builder's sand is only the top half inch of so, all the roots are below it in Pro Mix BX. I have done hundreds that way. I start them under lights and move them to my greenhouse when I repot them. It has worked very well for me. I use a lable end to make the slit for the seed, slip them in, press the sand down, which is wet from the soil below.
The purpose of the sand it to prevent damping off. I also have used powered cinnamon sprinkled on top to stop mold from growing on the wet sand. Once the seeds are sprouted it is generally no problem."

Another method: "drop the seeds in a glass of water and keep it in indirect sun (or vey dappled sunlight). this is called the california method and the seeds (if they haven't been fried :-) ) should sprout right there in the glass. wait til you have a quarter inch of root and then plant them in soil." With this method some seeds take weeks to over a month to sprout.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/bulbs/msg041535405899.html

Good Luck! Merry Christmas! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

It takes a long time for them to bloom. Like four or five years. When they first come up, they look like a small sprig of St. Augustine grass. The only good reason to grow amaryllis from seed is if you want to cross-pollinate two different varities to produce a new type of flower. Otherwise buy the bulbs of your choice and enjoy them next year instead of in 2012.