Nick, I haven't yet sorted out my thoughts on the causal factors
around Clivia leaf burn so you'll have to give me a few hours to work
out what I want to say in the way I want to say it - if you get my
drift.

On 11 Jul 2004 20:19:55 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

Have you got Clivia miniata to flower not exposed to any direct sun?
It certainly will grow like that, but the ones I have seen have been
effectively foliage plants.

I've grow Clivias commercially and have never failed to get them into
flower. They were always shaded from direct overhead sun and given
the light shade typical of their natural environment. Typically they
are inhabitants of deciduous woodland and often the dominant under
storey species in areas where they occur. Shade varies from light
dappled to heavy and they suffer less competition in the more shaded
areas.

In winter they can be given full light and should be gradually inured
to this from late September onwards. The triggers for flowering are
keeping them cool and relatively dry over a period of 8 - 10 weeks.
Ideally maximum day temps should remain below 16C and fall to around
5C by night. Heavy shade throughout the year will prevent flowering,
it is simply a case of providing the right amount of light at the
right time.

I grew some Clivia nobilis from Chilterns seed, but they are growing
INCREDIBLY slowly. What is more, they don't seem to have a root
system worth a damn. My suspicion is that they are desert plants,
and regard the UK's summers as beneath contempt. Can you offer any
advice?

Nick, as with Clivia miniata, they are shade loving forest plants and
far from the desert species you suspect them to be. Cultural
requirements are almost identical and nobilis is at least as vigorous
as its more widely known near relative. They may be less tolerant of
absolute lows, but apart from that they need much the same.

My guess is that the compost you have your plants in is at fault. The
following mixture, which I've used for years encourages young plants
to make a very rapid and strong root system:

1 part JI No 2
2 parts soil-less (almost any will do - I use cheap grow bag compost)
1 part perlite

This gives a moderately rich, moisture retentive, but exceptionally
well aerated and free draining compost for germinated seeds and plants
up to 12 months old. Once the seedlings have filled 9cm. pots with
roots and have leaves up to 20 cms or more long, they are ready to be
transferred to 18 cm. diameter pots containing a slightly 'stronger'
mixtu

2 parts JI No2
2 parts soil-less
1 part perlite.

The plants can be grown on for another 12 months and then transferred
to their final flowering containers of around 25 - 28cms; diameter.
the mix for mature plants is either as above or

2 parts JI no 2
1 part soilless
1 part perlite.

Additional feeding should be carried out every 10 14 days from May to
September and I must say that i've found Maxicrop to be ideal for all
types of Clivias. During the summer, established plants can be
watered heavily and appear to relish plenty of moisture, responding
with rapid growth. I have a couple of large clumps permanently
against the west facing wall of the house outside. They get overhead
shade from a large trough, but get dappled sun from late afternoon
onwards. They are hosed thoroughly every day in summer, but can
become nearly bone dry in winter despite being out of doors. Several
to many flower spikes appear almost every April.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November