Dear Helen: An amaryllis bulb I bought and potted sent up two flower stalks. Each one bore five flowers. Then, to my delight, a third stalk appeared. Is this not unusual? I've never had more than one flowering stem from an amaryllis bulb, and I've never succeeded in bringing a bulb back into bloom after its initial flowering.

A. It is entirely usual for newly purchased amaryllis bulbs to produce three flowering stems. Both the Red Lion and Mont Blanc bulbs I bought and planted late in the fall gave me three gorgeous, bloom-filled stems.

The bulbs we buy have been thoroughly plumped and prepared by expert growers for super flowering.

Pumping out all those flowers does exhaust the bulbs, however, and they seldom bloom well in the following year. Revitalizing them for another round of flowering demands careful postbloom care.

First, remove each flower stem once all the flowers on it have faded. Keep the plant growing in a bright location and water regularly, enough to keep the soil moist but not wet. Feed monthly with a balanced house plant fertilizer and in late spring, if possible, put the plant outdoors in filtered sunlight. The goal is to foster an abundance of strong green growth, which in turn helps to build strength in the bulb and the formation of embryonic flower buds.

Stop feeding and watering in September, and let the top growth dry off. Remove dead foliage and store the pot in a cool place until November or early December, or when new top growth appears. Repot in fresh planting mix, leaving the top third of the bulb above the soil surface. Place the pot in a warm location as the bulb forms new roots, then move it to a cool, bright spot to promote strong, stocky growth.

During the bulb's spring and summer re-plumping season, the above-soil exposure of the upper portion of the bulb is important for the formation of embryonic flower buds within the bulb.

Dear Helen: I've been looking everywhere for cyclamen seed. In a recent column you mentioned sowing these seeds. Where did you get them?

A. I've used several sources over the years. There are far fewer sources now than there used to be. You don't say whether you want to grow hardy outdoor cyclamen or the indoor, potted florists' type.

Of all the sources I know of, Chiltern Seeds (chilternseeds.co.uk) has the most extensive listing, in three pages in its 2012 catalogue.

Most are hardy species, but they also list three variations of C. persicum, the wild species parent of modern florists' cyclamens.

A miniature half-hardy species with a Royal Horticultural Society award is C. pseudibericum, just 10 cm tall. This frost-tender species looks promising for pots. The magenta or lilac flowers have a "strong violet scent."

For cultivated, entirely indoor forms of C. persicum, Chiltern offers a Giant Flowered Formula described as "the classic cyclamen, long popular as a house plant and beloved of florists."

Rokkoko Mixed is another florists' cyclamen in the catalogue.

Thompson and Morgan (thompsonmorgan.ca) lists Lazer Mixed, described as an easy potted cyclamen to grow, quick to flower in a range of nine colours.

GARDEN EVENTS

Floral art. The Mid-Island Floral Art Club will meet on Thursday at 2 p.m. in St. Stephen's Church Hall, 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach. Lois Walker will demonstrate Upright Parallel Design and Helen Mussio will demonstrate Modern Still Life Design. Visitors are welcome. Guest fee is $5. More information at 250-752-8525.

Seedy on Saltspring.

Saltspring Island's Seedy Saturday event will take place this weekend, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in the Farmers Institute Hall, 351 Rainbow Rd.

HCP courses. The following courses are being offered at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, 505 Quayle Rd. in Saanich. Phone 250-479-6162. www.hcp.ca.

? Basketry: The Market Basket, Saturday, Feb. 18, or Sunday, Feb. 19, 9: 30 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m. Make a sturdy rectangular woven basket suitable for shopping, garden produce, garden tools, storage. Cost of $110 for HCP members, others $154, includes all materials.

? Spring checklist, Sunday, Feb. 19, 1 to 4 p.m. General maintenance and pruning basics wil include hydrangeas, roses and spring flowering shrubs.

Classroom session will be followed with time in the garden going over material covered.

Cost is $25 for members, others $35.

hchesnut@bcsupernet.com