Clivia (Kaffir Lily) Growing Methods, Repotting and Precautions

SummaryGrowing methods: Soil can be made from leaf mold, cinder soil and garden soil in a 2:1:1 ratio; for the pot, choose a clay pot, ceramic pot or porcelain pot that is deep enough; Clivia loves a humid environment, so in summer water it morning and evening, in spring and autumn water once every 4 days, and in winter water once a week; during the growing season apply a decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 15 days, and stop fertilizing in summer. Precautions: Repot generally in March-April when the temperature is above 15°C, and trim the roots when repotting.

I. Clivia Growing Methods

1. Prepare the soil

The soil needs good air permeability and good drainage and water retention. For container growing, you can use leaf mold, cinder soil and garden soil mixed in a 2:1:1 ratio for growing. Note that you must not use leaf mold alone; although it has good air permeability, water evaporates rather quickly, which is not good for the plant's robust growth.

2. Choose a deep pot

Growing Clivia does not require a very large pot, as long as it is deep enough. The size of the pot can be determined by the size of the plant. You can choose a clay pot, ceramic pot or porcelain pot for growing.

3. Water correctly

Clivia loves a humid growing environment. Therefore, in summer when the temperature is too high and water evaporates rather quickly, it needs to be watered once in the morning and once in the evening every day. In spring and autumn, water once every 3-4 days, and in winter water once every 7 days. When cared for outdoors, it needs a bit more water.

4. Light fertilizer, applied frequently

When growing Clivia, give the plant plenty of nutrients. During this period, apply a decomposed liquid fertilizer once about every 15 days, or use fermented rice-washing water, soybeans, fish scraps, etc. In summer the plant is in its dormant period and fertilizing must stop, while when it is budding flower buds, an appropriate amount of phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer can be applied.

II. Growing Precautions

1. Rotate the pot

When placing Clivia in the sun to grow, rotate the pot once about every 15 days. If the pot is not rotated for a long time, the Clivia will grow unevenly, and the side facing the sun will grow better.

2. Change the soil and divide offsets

You can choose early autumn to change the soil for Clivia. During this, remove half of the old soil, then replace it with new growing medium for planting. For those whose root system is growing too densely, you can also divide the offsets appropriately. You can use a small knife to dig the small offsets off the large Clivia; they need to have 3-4 roots, which helps improve the survival rate after planting.

3. Avoid direct strong light

Clivia should not be exposed to direct strong light. Therefore, in summer when the temperature is too high and the sunlight is too intense, move the Clivia indoors to a shaded place to grow. Never let the plant receive direct midday sunlight, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow. Generally it only needs to receive scattered light in the morning and evening.

III. Repotting Precautions

1. Repotting time

If the Clivia is not growing very well and has not bloomed for a long time, then it is very likely that the soil nutrients are insufficient, so it needs to be repotted. Generally you can choose March-April, when the temperature is above 15°C, for repotting.

2. Trim the roots

When repotting, trim the roots, as this lets the plant adapt to the new environment faster. During this, you can cut off senescent roots and roots that are crossed and tangled, and weak ones can also be left out. Generally you only need to cut away 1/3 of the root system. If there is root rot, after trimming you can soak it in potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.

3. Prepare the soil

You can mix leaf mold, garden soil, river sand, etc. for growing, and you can appropriately add some wood shavings, rotten bark, etc., as this can improve the soil's air permeability and drainage.

4. Whether to change the pot

Repotting can be determined by the size of the plant. If the pot is not big enough, you need to change to a larger one. If you still use the old pot, before potting you need to disinfect it with carbendazim, or expose it to the sun.

5. Potting and care

After the plant is potted, water the pot soil thoroughly, then place it in a cool, ventilated place to grow, and keep the surrounding environment warm and humid, until the plant has fully adapted to the new environment.