Buy amaryllis bulbs at super discounts now and they'll bloom by March. Then follow the steps for free blooms next year!

Monica Milla | Contributor

No need to throw away your amaryllis after it has bloomed; you can get it to rebloom year after year by following a few basic steps.

1. After the plant has bloomed, cut off the flower stalks at the base and keep the plant in a bright location indoors. Water when the soil feels dry.
2. Around Memorial Day, place the plant outside in partial shade (morning light is ideal). You can plant it directly into the ground, bury it with the pot to make it easier to dig up in fall, or just treat it as a container plant.
3. Water the plant as needed (if growing in a container, this will likely be daily) and fertilize every two weeks to encourage the bulb to rebloom.
4. Around Labor Day, water less frequently to prepare the bulb for dormancy. Leaves may start to yellow. That is fine.
5. At the end of September, stop watering entirely, remove any dried or yellow foliage that pulls off easily (leave green leaves and yellow ones that won't come off easily), and bring the plant indoors. Store it in a cool, dark spot, like a closet or basement. The bulb needs about eight weeks to "hibernate" before it can rebloom.
6. Around Thanksgiving, start watering again, remove all dead foliage, and place the pot in a warmer, brighter location. It should bloom in time for Christmas.

Monica Milla, the Garden Faerie, is a master gardener volunteer, garden speaker, garden coach and author of "Fun with Winter Seed Sowing."