On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 19:26:10 +0100, Dave Poole
wrote:

~Terry Perrett wrote:
~
~Hi can anyone tell how to grow these things. I brought some seeds back from
~spain about 9 years ago, it has grown steadily to about 4 ft high, 2 years
~ago I had 1 flower for the first time and since then nothing at all.
~
~If it flowered once, it should flower regularly.
~
~I over winter it in a conservatory and keep it dry, I have tried feeding it
~some years and ignoring it others but I must be doing something wring.
~
~Ah, now we're getting to it. Strelitzia reginea does best if kept in
~good light, but not direct sun through glass, which can burn the
~leaves. It needs plenty of moisture when actively growing in summer
~(compost should be very sharply drained) and appreciates a balanced
~feed every 3 - 4 weeks from May to the end of September. If you like,
~you can switch to a high potash (tomato) feed for the latter part of
~the summer - this will encourage flower production, In winter, it is
~best kept cool and on the dry side. Strelitzia tolerates light frost
~(I grow mine outside here in Torbay) and is very happy at temps
~between 5 - 10C. Above this (such as in a stuffy, centrally heated
~room), any incipient flower buds can be aborted - especially in the
~typically, extremely low light levels of a UK home during winter.

I keep mine in direct sun and it seems to really like it. In summer my
C. gets to 40C and very high humidity (until I get home and open the
doors!) and it seems to thrive.

OK admittedly the direct sunlight is through polycarbonate, which is
slightly diffuse compared with normal glass. Though it gets direct
oblique light early morning and late afternoon through the glass
sides.

~You might consider giving your plant fresh compost - now is about the
~right time. Don't use multi-purpose, it simply does not have enough
~body or nutrients to support a strong growing plant for more a month
~or so. The ideal mixture is a combination of JI No2 and perlite
~(approximately 10 - 15% by volume of perlite). This will give you a
~free draining, well-aerated, long lasting compost that will satisfy
~the needs of your plant. The base of the new pot should be well
~crocked and have plenty of drainage holes - the more the better. Make
~sure that the base of the plant is just below finished compost level
~(about 1 -2 cms) to encourage the production of new roots, which
~develop from immediately below the oldest leaves on a gradually
~ascending rhizome.

Heh. I'd love to repot at the moment but the darn roots have grown out
the bottom of the current pot and I'll have to cut if off... yet
again.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

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