Hippeastrum culture --- No One Is Correct

12 years ago

Hi guys,

What I've noticed from one another over the past year is there are many ways to pot, grow, feed and love Hippeastrum. We all have very different ways but the majority of us continue to reach the same conclusion (blooms).

There are no laws that suggest you can only grow in clay pots or plastic or that you can or cannot cut back the leaves; we all have our own routes and I think it's incredibly important to share with one another. This is how we learn, this is how we grow (pun intended)!

I have learned so much for you guys, I would have never chopped at my leaves or potted in coir but who can attest these methods practiced by so many? Look at Hans bulbs grown in coir that he waters ever second day, they thrive and while you may suggest they wont the proof is in the pictures! Kristi has a very large amount of successful plants that re-bloom like they were prepped by bulb companies and she CUTS THE LEAVES!

I think it's so important that we all share our uniquie and individual growing conditions to help improve the knowledge amongst other growers! We may find our niche in the crazy world of "Amaryllis" (which is actually a S. African genus containing two species).

Taking everyone's techniques into considertion and adapting them to myself I have managed to bloom 'Misty', 'Sunny Prince' and 'Evergreen' multiple times this year.

I really pin my success to many of you, thanks so much, my 'Misty', 'Evergreen' and 'Sunny Prince' are obviously thankful as well!

I will post pics soon (along with Hippeastrum petiolatum).

Thanks My Friends ;)

Josh

And to close, a picture of one of my favorite species I've bloomed.

Hippeastrum bukasovii

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Comments (3)

dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
12 years ago
Well Guys, This is going to be a busy season and we're all geared up and excited. I hope you all do continue to post pictures of your blooms and if you're worried about your pictures being snatched just do what Josh did and "Put Your Name or Something" on the picture!! Please don't deprive the rest of us of the most important aspect of this hobby, sharing these beautiful flowers,as well as information with one another!!

Josh, your Bukasovii is just stunning!! My Mandonii is hanging in there, but I guess I don't have the knack for these fussy types. I think from now on, I'll stick to the "regular types" and of course papilio which I do seem to be able to grow...

Josh is correct, we all have out own methods and next year maybe I'll do something else..I don't keep good records of what re-blooms for me, I just look at the dates on the pictures and that is my record keeping. And again this year I am hoping for a beautiful flower on my Elvas. The first year I bought it (it came as a mislabel) it was to die for..and never again did it look the same..sort of pale and pathetic looking..the bulb is fat and happy, but I want a big beautiful flower too!

Donna
allstarsgymnast7
12 years ago
Very eloquently put Josh! And so very true! This forum is a wonderful place that holds so much valuable information, fosters thoughts, and acts as a little support group. Although, with all the pictures, it's also rough on the wallet! :P

Donna, I too have a Elvas... I purchased it recently, and I cannot wait to see the flowers! It's my first double.

Being new to hippis (I've only had mine for 2 years... and 2 new bulbs acquired these last few weeks), I know I have a *LOT* more to learn. I'm glad I have a little "online family" to aid me on my hippi-lined journey! :)

-Kate
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jodik_gw
12 years ago
It can accurately be said that half of any living thing is genetic, the other half environmental... that every living thing, whether plant or animal or human, is a combination of its genetic material and the environmental stimuli it receives.

One of the first things we must understand is that we're changing the natural way most of these plants would grow in nature by stuffing them into containers. Growing within the confined space of a container is very different than growing directly in the ground, or growing as an epiphyte in a cloud forest, or in some other indigenous place and manner. And most of us are unable to duplicate the exact conditions that our plants originally came from. Most of our bulbs are hybrids, not species, and most were developed with the idea that they would be container grown... but also that many would be disposed of post blooming. Let's face it... we live in a very commercialized, consumer driven society in which so much is created to be disposable.

The second thing we have to understand is that everyone's methods will differ slightly because we all live in very different climates, and each climate has many very different individual micro-climates and environments. So, the way Josh grows his bulbs to attain optimum success might be very different than the way I grow my bulbs to maximum success... the same applies to Kristi or Donna, or any one of us.

The bottom line is that there are many variables to take into account, and there really is no one-size-fits-all way of growing Hippeastrums in a home/garden environment.

But, we can all have a "green thumb" by learning what the basic needs of Hippeastrums are, and by bending the rules slightly to fit our own growing situations. A green thumb is nothing more than applied knowledge.

At the end of the day, all we really want is to see our bulbs bloom, and then treat them in such a way that we are able to enjoy consecutive yearly bloom cycles.

There are some basic rules of thumb for container growing that are universal no matter what kind of plant we're growing, and if we apply some very basic science and physics to our methods, we are more likely to attain our goals. If we keep Liebig's law of the minimum in mind, which states that growth is controlled not by the total amount of resources available, but by the scarcest resource, the most limiting factor, we can boost our level of success.

It comes down to learning what basics our plants need, what basics we have to offer, and adapting those things so our plants remain as healthy and happy as we can possibly keep them.