Water-grown amaryllis now thrives in soil

If plants could talk...

A closer look at the neck of a bulb with years of cutting remnants from the removal of spent flowers and leaves. My years-old, formerly water-grown 'Double King' amayllis bulb, Leafy, has been thriving since June in its pot by the sliding glass door. I took photos periodically, but trying to make a living from a small publication has meant I haven't had time to post as much as I once did. So, for anyone who has followed me growing bulbs on water, here's a photo of my beloved Leafy, loving the dirt and growing strong.

In the top photo, taken Sept. 30, the shortest leaf at the center on the left side is the first leaf that sprouted when the fertilizer-damaged bulb was still growing in water. The second shorter leaf, on the right, is the new leaf shown in the post below.

The longest leaf is just shy of 3 feet long, at 34.5 inches. It and the other  two stronger leaves emerged quickly after the bulb was planted in soil, which it obviously prefers and appears to have been nourished by. I did not add any fertilizer to the soil. Nothing was done beyond the weekly waterings and leaf wiping to remove dust and facilitate maximum photosynthesis.  

When the bulb was growing in water, its leaves would normally begin to fade and turn yellow in October. It's still growing well in December, so we'll see if and when the normal leaf fading happens. I still plan to keep Leafy growing as a house plant. I hope it will flower yet another year, but now as a soil-grown plant instead of a bulb sitting atop a water-filled vase.  If the leaves are any indication, next year's flowers should be spectacular.