Once a flower is open, have your young sleuths observe carefully and note changes they see. Following successful pollination, a swelling ovary with developing seeds will emerge at the base of the flower. It would take 2 to 3 years to grow a flowering plant from these seeds. To make amaryllis bloom another year, cut off the flowers once they ve withered, but leave the stalk and leaves. Leave the plant in a sunny window or GrowLab, and treat it as you would treat any houseplant, watering and fertilizing regularly.
Leaves require light, nutrients, and water to produce food for another year of growth and flowering.
The leaves will turn yellow and die in late summer or fall, signaling the plant s dormancy. Remove the leaves, stop watering and fertilizing, and store the pot in a cool basement until signs of new growth appear in the winter, and the cycle begins again. Bulb s Across the Curriculum Science - Compare the growth and development of different size bulbs. Math - Calculate the growth rate in inches or centimeters per day. Art - Raise bulbs for holiday gifts in decorated, recycled containers.