repost this on the amaryllis/hippeastrum forum i know they can help. for question 2 you need to chill them so many weeks befor you want them to bloom. but like i said repost it over there those guys are awsome.

My first Amaryllis/hippeastrum are just starting to bloom. They will gradually bloom for the next month. I have about 25 all in one gallon pots. Kept in part shade they do well in our climate. With a lot of small bulbs you should not expect bloom for a few years. The timing of the bloom cycle requires forcing dormancy and bringing them out of dormancy when bloom is desired, usually around Christmas. Al