On 5/16/12 6:10 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On May 15, 9:54 pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/15/12 2:34 AM, Jeff Layman wrote:









On 09/05/2012 17:10, Higgs Boson wrote:
My Clivia is wrapping up its beautiful, beautiful blooms. Is there any
reason NOT to remove the stalks after flowers end? IOW, my q. is:
The nourishment for next bloom is acquired and stored by the
**leaves** I assume. So would removing the stalks hurt or help the
plant. Normally, I wouldn't hesitate to remove them, but in the case
of this Clivia, I want to be sure.

(Incidentally, these are all from few plants given to me by a former
neighbor decades ago. I realize they like to be crowded, but over the
years I have thinned the groups numerous times and started other,
successful, groups).

TIA

As the flower stalks are green, I would expect them to photosynthesise
and add to the general food store. I would leave them until
they start to shrivel or go off-colour, then cut them off. It's what I
do with my Hippeastrum papilio.

I would remove the faded flowers and forming seed pods from the ends of
the stalks but leave the stalks themselves until they are no longer green.


Well, I wish you guys had answered sooner! I thought nobody was going
to address the question, so I removed the stalks!!!! Now I guess I
will have to fertilize big-time -- but that has always been my weak
spot -- I never know WHEN to fertilize. Recommendations?

HB

Fertilize lightly so as not to burn the roots. I feed my bulbs only
once a year with a house-brand of lawn food from Orchard Supply (no weed
killer or insecticide, low or no phosphorus).

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary