>From my numerous experiences with purchased hippeastrum bulbs as well as bulbs raised from seeds I found out: A control against diseases is not necessary. The main fungal disease in gardener's amaryllis is red blotch. My carefull observation revealed that this fatal event never occurs by itself but originates from a superinfection of plant material damaged by the bulb scale mite Steneotarsonemus laticeps. The other potentially fatal disease is basal plate soft rotting. It only occurs after prolonged overwatering. But.. it might originate from nematode infection, too! I speculate on this suite of reason and effect... So for my part I always worry ONLY about little critters which might attack my amaryllogene treasures http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/bulbs/… but never reflect on remedial actions against fungal diseases. A fungal disease "("only")" reveals that something behind the observed disorder is wrong and that has to be checked out. On the other hand, I experienced that the bulb scale mites perform the maximum damage particularly on WELL-husbanded plants (if they are allowed to). So as I care for my plants very intensively I have to undertake thorough prophylactic (and sometimes remedial) actions against these mites, too. That includes acaricidal sprayings onto the surface of the substrate and the visible part of the bulbs, too, and I NEVER let these parts get wet. (Instead) I administer water only from below; every second day - for practical reasons; daily watering would be still better - thus following the example of the nature which delivers the water from the underground (on a REGULAR basis) - but only irregularly from above by rainfalls. The uppermost centimeters of the suibstrate should remain completely bone-dry with this method! And, as regards to the question of fertilizing, I follow the example of the nature, too, and I deliver minerals by EVERY water administration into the soucoupe; generally 1000 ppm of a 6-3-6 with micronutrients, into lukewarm water with a total Ca++ and Mg++ content of 2.7 mmol/L equivalent to 15 German hardyness degrees. Hans-Werner >From: Tyson Wolfe <tycanis@yahoo.com> >I was wondering what the practices were of those out there that raise >Hippeastrum when it comes to fertilizing and disease control. How often do >you fertilize and what type of fertilizer? What fungicide is used for >preventive measures? I am getting ready to move my collection inside for >the winter from their protected shelter to continue growing through the >winter and in order to ensure continued growth I want to treat them right.