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marricgardens

repotting - what to use?

marricgardens
14 years ago

It's been a while since I've been on this forum. I got to busy with my garden and my houseplants are somewhat neglected. Here are my questions about my clivia: I was given 3 about 10 years ago. They have only flowered 3 or 4 times. The flower stalk is always short. I did some research here and think if I put it in cold temp. for a while it will elongate the stem. Am I right? They were put in an unheated porch in the fall and water was with held. They were brought into the house Jan. I have been giving them just water for the first while. Craig, I read on one of your posts that you only water a mature clivia once per month. I have been watering weekly, just enough to keep the soil moist. Is that to much? I have not yet started to fertilize, should I use a fish emulsion? I was planning on starting half strength for a while and then full strength. How often should I fertilize? Lastly, I think I need to repot. Of the 3 pots (6"), all of them have about 6 plants in them, usually 3 mature plants, 2 pups and a baby just coming up. I have some orchid bark left over. I was going to crush it a bit and mix with potting soil. Would that mix work? I would really like to get these to flower. BTW, when it did flower I looked it up and it is the orange clivia miniata. Thanks. Marg

Comments (9)

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Hi marric,

    It is not just the cooler temps, but the amount of light and water you provide..You can provide cool temps, but if it is getting more light than it should, or to much water, you would have short flower stalks if any at all.

    As for fertilizing, I think Craig knows best for that. He told me what to do last year, and I have to go back and try to remember unless he see's this post..
    I typiclaly provide Fish emulsion and Foliage pro at small doses at every watering once, as soon as as Feb.

    I think many use a 0-10-10 fertilizer, like bloom rite, to try and encourage blooms, and not leaf growth in Feb./March/April. A fertilizer with a very low amount of nitrogen or none at all is best..

    Depending on what kind of soiless mix you use will depend on how much watering you do, along with enviromental factors..I have to water mine every week, even in dormant stage, because the soiless mix I use is very porous and free draining with lots of bark,turface, pumice, perlite and just a bit of peat..The cellar is also very dry.

    If it is in a heavier soil ix, then likely you'll be watering less often, especially in low lit areas, or in cooler temps..Just figure what you need for your plants..

    Sorry if I am not Craig, but I just wanted to share what works for me..

    Hi Craig..I hope you are well, safe, and happy!

    Mike..:-)

  • marricgardens
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks Mike. I did go out and buy a tropical soil mix. It contains peat moss, finely ground bark, slow release fertilizer, perlite, sand and lime. This was recommended at the nursery. I also bought some fish emulsion. I already have one called Ultra Bloom but it is 15-30-15. I use this for my geraniums but I think the nitrogen will be a little high for the clivias. I brought the clivia into the livingroom and they seem to be doing just fine. Thanks again. Marg

  • craigr2006
    14 years ago

    Sounds good Mike. I actually with hold the N starting about Oct., and I restart in Feb as the buds are appearing. Cool and dark induces dormancy. Likewise, when it starts to bud, cool and dark delays flower opening as the stalk elongates. Once it gets bright and/or warm, the flowers open in days from appearing vs 3-6 weeks from appearance as in Feb. around here.

    6" pot is too small for 3 mature Clivias. I cna barely imagine one with soem small offsets. As Mike said, watering and fertilizing are upto your soil mix and weather. they don't need a lot of water, since their thick roots hold it so well. You need to find a balance between too much and too little. They prefer being drier due to fungal rot if they are kept wet. Fish emulsion doesn't cause salt build up, so you can probably safely use it msot waterings. I use it a couple times per year. I really just started it 2 years ago, so this will be my first real test, but the plants are looking so much better.

    Why has fish emulsion gotten so expensive. I mean it is just fish guts and left overs. It used to cost about $2-3 per gallon, now a couple years later it is $10-13. Why??? Odorless isn't odorless either.

    Take care,
    Craig

  • marricgardens
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    When I rec'd the clivia there was only one plant per pot. I thought one per 6" pot wouldn't need transplanting for a while so I let it go. Sorry I did. When I rec'd the plants the clivias looked like they were planted right in the soil in the 6" pot, not so. The soil was an inch from the top and everything looked o.k. Yesterday I tipped one pot to see what condition the roots were in. Soil starting falling out. To my shock, she had put a 4" pot inside the larger pot and filled in with soil. Over the years the roots had started pushing up out of the soil. My question now is this. When I divide, I know the roots will be badly tangled. Should I let them soak to make teasing them apart easier and then let them air dry? Would it hurt them if I had to cut off some of the roots? I plan on potting the large ones in individual pots and the 'babies' in their own pot. Thanks for all the advice. Marg

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Lol..

    Craig, that is something I have always wondered too..Sheesh, we should just make our own...

    Just to buy a gallon of Neptunes Harvest, made right here in my own state, costs me 40 dollars! Something about cold pressed...Think I will make mine the next time I go fishing..

    Graig,

    Beware... Believe it or not, there can be a dangerous salt build up from using these emulsion over time, especially if the fish is from the ocean. I can't tell you how many of my plants died from this, just from just using FE as my only source of fertilizer..

    You definatetly want to flush your soil every so often if the soil is not free draining..

    Hope you are well..I will be sending you a message soon..

    Mike..:-)

  • craigr2006
    14 years ago

    Hi Mike,

    Thanks for the tip. I try and give them a good flush a couple times a year. let's see if it gives me some good blooms this year.

    Things are just getting started. I did find a Sol. Yellow I bought last summer in bud. I also found a fantastic one named katie D in bud. I actually have a picture of it on my ebay listings this week. It is so much better in person.

    As for the main question in this thread, if the roots are a tangled mess, you may have to sacrifice many. Since you are coming out of a 4" pot (did I read that right?), then you can probably unravel to some degree before cutting. Keep the smallest babies attached to a bigger plant if possible. Good luck.

    Craig

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Marric..your soil sounds perfect..Where did you find Tropical Mix? I blend my own mediums with all the ingredients you mentioned, 'coarse sand is now impossible to find,' plus a handful of rich, black soil.
    The blend you're using should be super-well-draining.
    As for watering, it's difficult to give a time or schedule. It depends on soil, heat/cold, and pot size. My largest Clivia is in a 10" pot..It gets a drink once a month to 1 1/2 months. Smaller clivias in 4" pots are watered every 2-3 wks.

    I've been using transparent, plastic pots..They're fantastic! Wish I could afford to buy several hundreds, for all my plants..lol. When a plant is watered, I watch water seep through soil, around roots, into the saucer. Toni

  • marricgardens
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Toni. The soil mix I used was 'Tropical Plant Mix'. I bought it at one of the large nurseries here. I have my clivias in large clay pots and I have learned to water less often. Keeping my fingers crossed hoping I'll get some flowers! Marg

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Usually nursery mixes are of good quality..

    It almost sounds like the soil mix that Toni uses..Have you seen her plants? She knows how to water and when. They look fantastic!
    That is the key...Some of us here use soilless mixes with no peat at all, some with just peat, some with backyard dirt, some with leaf mold or compost, and some in orchid mixes..

    Depending on where your plants are kept, how much light they recieve, how warm and dry, or humid their enviroment is, and how your soil media is made, will have a significantly large impact on how much you water and how they grow.

    I my self have one in a very open mix,no peat at all, that I too only have to water once a month. It is in a room that is cool and faces the north.
    In the same mix, I have some in the cellar, that dry out every week..If I waited that long to water them, the roots, especially the ones exposed on top would shrivel right up.
    Then I have some still growing in a bagged soilless mix, just aquired, that can take 2 weeks to dry out in the same location as these..

    Watering these plants can be a challange in the begining, but quite rewarding once you get the mastery of your soilless media and your plants needs..:-)

    These plants do not like wet feet, can handle moist media, and can go dry for longer amounts of time than most leaf plants..

    Toni, I think I might have some of those clear pots hanging around, I will have a look..;-0). Hope you are well.

    Mike..:-)

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