Q-My amaryllis has finished blooming. What should I do with it to keep until next winter? -Lake Forest
A-Remove the flowers as they fade and remove the flower stalk as it begins to yellow. Don't cut off any of the leaves-these will produce the food that feeds the bulbs and readies it for blooms next year.
Put the amaryllis back on a sunny windowsill and water thoroughly when the top of the soil feels dry to the touch. Begin fertilizing monthly with a houseplant fertilizer, according to label directions. Treat it as you would any other houseplant as long as it has green leaves.
You can place the amaryllis outside as soon as the danger of frost has passed. Sink it in the garden where it will receive morning sun, but be sure to check it regularly for water and continue fertilizing.
Bring it back indoors and put it on a sunny windowsill before the first frost. As soon as the foliage yellows, remove it just above the tip of the bulb. Stop watering and place the potted bulb in a cool, dark place. Allow it to rest three to four months in this dormant state.
After this rest period, bring the potted bulb out and replace the top inch of soil with fresh potting mix. Water thoroughly and place the pot in a sunny spot. It may take several weeks, but it will send up a flower stalk.
Q-I had sorrel soup at a restaurant the other day, and it was wonderful. Just what is sorrel, and can I grow it here? -Palatine
A-Sorrel is a perennial green that can be grown easily in a home garden. Its leaves have a tart flavor because of the high content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and oxalic acid, and may take some getting used to. Garden sorrel is closely related to several familiar weeds such as sheep sorrel and curly dock.
To grow it, sow seeds as early in spring as the soil can be worked. When the seedlings are an inch tall, thin to 1 foot to 18 inches apart. When plants are established, pinch off outer leaves of rosettes to encourage good branching.
Side dress each spring with compost or rotted manure. Water heavily and mulch well in hot weather to delay seed production. If plants do begin to produce seeds, pinch out the stalks.
Replace the bed every three to four years for a constant supply of healthy leaves. Harvest from the outer leaves in, always leaving a rosette of young leaves in the center. Young sorrel leaves are tender and tasty; the old ones get tough and very sharp-tasting.
Send your gardening concerns to Questions, Plant Information, Chicago Botanic Garden, Box 400, Glencoe, Ill. 60022. Letters cannot be answered individually, but those of general interest will appear in this space.