Question
QUESTION: ok, I received a couple of amaryllis bulbs and did some research on them ,but, am confused...on one of the sites I read that when transplanting the bulbs into a pot I am suppose to peal the dead layers off...well, these bulbs have what I think is a lot of dead layers...do I peal them all off??

ANSWER: Hi Robynn,
Thanx for your question.  I've been growing amaryllis for years and the only thing I've ever done is occasionally snip off a piece of brown leaf that was all shriveled up and had not disappeared.  I wouldn't peel anything off.  Just follow the directions below:

Plant the bulbs in a pot with soil up to the neck.  Don't submerge the bulb in soil. Water sparingly until the green stem starts to appear and then water enough to keep the soil moist but not soggy.  Make sure the soil drains well so the bulb won't rot.  Keep room temps about 70癋/24癈.  Make sure there is strong light in the room or near a sunny window.  

Here's a good article from the University of Florida.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep060
I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: This is what the site tells people to do....Should I do any of this??
What kind of soil should I use???

Here's what I was referring to when I first asked my questions:
Get your bulb and inspect it. If there are lots of scraggly dead roots, trim them back. Also, gently remove any loose dead foliage from the bulb (dried up outer layers, for example). Put the roots of the bulb in tepid water for a few hours to hydrate them. Please be careful not to get the bulb wet! You do not have to soak the roots if you are in a hurry, but it really helps. Place something over the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot to keep the soil from escaping. I use small pieces of screen from old windows, they work great, and you can find them anywhere. Put 1/2 to 1 inch of gravel at the bottom of the pot for drainage, and fill with soil to the half way mark, more or less so that the end result is the bulb's neck is above the rim of the pot, there is at least an inch from the top of the soil to the rim of the pot. Fan the roots out evenly, and press soil down so there are no air pockets around the roots. Cover the roots with soil and fill until the bulb is half to two thirds covered with soil. Water very well with tepid water that has been standing out a day or so to allow the chlorine to dissipate. At this point, I usually squish the bulb around a little to make sure that the soil under the bulb is not dry, and to work out any trapped air. Toss the extra water that may be in the saucer. Place the newly potted bulb in a warm sunny location, and DO NOT WATER again until the soil is relatively dry, or until foliage appears. Once the bulb has sprouted, you can water more often, but remember that more plants have been killed by too much watering than too little (unless you live in the desert). Your bulb should bloom in 6 to 8 weeks from the time of planting. Remember to rotate the plant because the stalks will bend toward the light, so turning the pots will keep them straight. You may have to stake the stalk to keep the plant from tipping over. It is normal to see leaves only after the plant has finished blooming, so do not worry if you don't see leaves with the buds. To prolong the life of the flowers, you can place the bulb in a darker, cooler location.  

Answer
Hi Robynn,
Thanx for the additional information.  I've been growing amaryllis for years to brighten the house or office up during the austere winter.  I never fussed with them like the information you sent although there is some valuable info there.

Basically, I just put the bulb in a pot and put soil around it making sure the top was not covered.  Now, I suppose if there was a lot of dead roots, etc., I might cut that off but I've never really encountered that.  I don't pull off any of the papery stuff around the bulb either.  I also do not set the bulb in water.  I don't see any sense in taking a chance on getting the bulb to wet. You want to make sure that the pot will drain well, so the idea of some gravel at the bottom of the pot is good.  Set the pot in a dish that will catch the excess water.  Water the pot initially, after planting the bulb and then allow the soil to dry somewhat.  Water just enough to keep the soil from getting hard as a rock.  When the stem starts to appear in November or early December, water regularly (to keep the soil moist but not soggy) and keep the pot in a warm, bright room.  After the plant blooms and the flower has wilted, cut if off near the top of the bulb.  Later, leaves will start coming out like long, green, floppy, straps.  I set my amaryllis out in the summer time and let them soak up the sun and heat.  They love it and I think it makes them stronger to get natural sunlight.  Don't cut off the strappy leaves while they're green as they are busy gathering energy from sunlight to store in the bulb for the next blooming period.  I hope this makes it more clear Robbyn.  I just used regular potting soil, BTW.
Tom