Monet sounds perfect my 2 yr plants in the picture spent their winters exactly as you have described. I used regular and grow-light fluorescents and kept them as close to the foliage as they could be without touching. The plants were in front of a reflective backdrop and shielded in front with another reflective foil to create a grow enclosure.

So funny!!!

I did the same...I made a bench, then use an old door for the shelf..Stapled up 4 sides of foil insulation to the overhead beems, and used the same lights...lol

I only leave those lights on for 6 hours by November, then start to amount of light by springs approach..Works well for me..

Happy rest to our Clivias...Let's see how many flowers stems we can get this winter. May the best man or women win..lol

Don't forget to post them . We can all have something to look forward too..;-)Let's make this a short winter..

HTguy, thanks for the thoughts on the growth enclosure. I had been thinking about one, but hadn't firmed up the design.

Mike, if you want to grow on immature plants without any interruption in development you may want to increase the amount of light on them. I'm thinking 12-14 hours a day. But then again you may be referring to those at "rest".

Oh... and I'm sure you'll win. I'm pretty new to Clivias.

Gezzzz,,,,and most of my clivias are still outside. My basement and indoor garage is still too warm (60s). Not enough to put them to rest???? They are getting cooler temps outside though, some high 40s in early morning.

QUESTION: Will the clivias totally stop any new growth when they are resting? Or just slow down? Most of my clivias are still leafing out.

Mariava, you can place them in the winter location now if you want to. Lack of light will spur dormancy, too. Then when the cool temps come, youâÂÂre really in business. I guess itâÂÂs a toss up of the cool early morning temps or less light, but with those temps (and from your post) I know your thinking about bringing them in soon.

Your clivias should stop showing signs of growth.

We use the terms resting/dormancy, but I wonder if it might be better to think of stressing the plant to the point of reproduction by reducing (or removing) the conditions it thrives on - water, light, food and warm temps. Many plants reproduce when there is a threat of their demise - goes back to the survival of the fittest thing.

Monet....You make some great points here, and great suggestions...

By the way, what you are doing to keep them growing all winter is a " briliiant " idea..!

That is what I did to all my siblings to get them to reach maturity fast..
I gave them the amount of light you suggest.
In fact, have you notice how perfectly semetrical they grow when reaching for the light?
Florescent lights are wonderful for these plants, since they by nature, are low to medium light lovers...Florescents burn cool, and mine LOVED growing under them, just 4 inches away from touching the bulbs, while even some touching.
When I brought one upstairs to my plant room and stuck it under my "metal halide" bulbs, it got bleached out, and sulked, sort of a washed out green..

P.s...You are right, I was referring to rest.. Since now that they are adults, and I am trying to just flower them, not grow them, my treatment of them is much different and I didn't get that in the begining of this thread..Sorry..

How about this?

May the we all win at growing the largest healthiest happiest "babies" this winter...:-)

Mike

Thanks, Mike. I just thought of an added bonus of growing under lights for the winter. Here in zone 5/6 the winters can be miserable if you're a plant lover. By late January I am begging to see anything grow and thrive. I always start my seeds and pot up my Dahlias way too early. Caring for these should help me stay somewhat sane.
M

Isn't it great mental therapy???...If it wern't for my plants too, I would be in a nut house by January...

That is why I set a chair downstairs in my basement and look at all my plants under the lights for days.

Then if I a not down there, I am in my "sun" room staring at all my tropicals, smelling their flowers with sunglasses on trying to catch a tan in my shorts with those powerful halide bulbs overhead...Coockocookco..lol

Keep smiling!

Hi,

Clivias have been shown to continue to grow between about 40F and 95F. Above that, they respire and lose energy. their best growth is between about 55F and 75F. Out here in milder CA, I keep them outdoors year round, but I'll protect the areas during the coldest 2 months. They do seem to continue to have leaf growth in winter. Their best growth is perhaps Feb to May and Sept to Nov. The natural light is probably better for a mature plant than indoor light, excpet if you are trying rapid growth. There appear to be a 4 leaf cycle with mature Clivias. If they produce 4 good healthy leaves in a year, they will probably flower.

Good luck and as Mike says, best wishes for great flowers.

Craig

Thanks for the correction, Craig. As I mentioned above, IâÂÂm new to growing clivias and it was probably foolish of me to respond without waiting for an expert to chime in. Sorry, Mariava.
M

Hi maria,

No correction, just a different view point from a milder climate. The tempeature information was published in one of the earlier yearbooks from one of the South African Clivia clubs. My temeprature values are close, but not exact. I'll have to find the article for the exact values.

Take care,
Craig