Watering and Fertilizing Methods and Tips for Clivia
Clivia, also known as sword-leaf lycoris and large-leaf lycoris, is an ornamental flowering plant of the genus Clivia in the Amaryllidaceae family. It prefers rich, well-draining soil and moist soil, and dislikes dry environments. Many people do not know how to water Clivia, so below is an introduction to Clivia growing tips: watering and fertilizing methods for Clivia.
In different environments, Clivia requires different watering frequencies and amounts. Indoor temperature, humidity, pot size, soil aeration and seasonal influences mean the watering schedule will not stay fixed. We need to consider the interval between waterings as the environment changes.
Clivia likes semi-shaded and humid environments, and its roots are fleshy roots that like airy soil, so waterlogging in the pot should be avoided. Therefore, it should not be watered too much; the principle is simply to keep the soil moist. You can judge the right time to water by tapping the pot, weighing it, or checking the moisture.
1. Watering methods for Clivia
1. Tap the pot
Tap the pot lightly with your finger at the 1/3 point; a relatively crisp sound means there is plenty of water in the soil, so wait a while before watering. A dull sound means the potting medium is dry and needs watering.
2. Weigh it
If you are sensitive to weight, lift the pot before watering to feel its weight, then lift it again after watering to feel the difference. Over time, you will have a rough value in mind. Each time you water, feel the weight of the pot and you will know whether it should be watered.
3. Check the moisture
Checking is the most direct method: push your finger into the soil up to the 1/3 point (basically the length of your index finger) and feel it. If it is moist, do not water; if it is wet or you cannot even push your finger in, it is time to water.
2. Seasonal fertilizing methods for Clivia
It should be given different fertilizers in different seasons. Spring and autumn are its vigorous growth periods, and it needs relatively more nutrients, so you can add some fermented base fertilizer when repotting. Summer is very hot, and if the temperature is above 25 degrees, fertilizing should stop; in winter, whether to fertilize depends on the temperature.
1. What fertilizer to use in spring
Spring is its vigorous growth period, when its need for nutrients is relatively high. When repotting, you can mix roasted sunflower seeds and charcoal together and use them as base fertilizer. During the growth period, give it a nitrogen-based fertilizer about once every 10 days; it should be sufficiently dilute and can help the growth of branches and leaves.
2. What fertilizer to use in summer
Summer weather is extremely hot. If the temperature is above 25°C, Clivia needs to stop being fertilized; if there is too much fertilizer, its fleshy roots will be burned. If it is placed in an area below 25°C, you can give it a very dilute liquid fertilizer about once every 15 to 20 days, which can promote its growth and shorten its dormancy period.
3. What fertilizer to use in autumn
Autumn is also its vigorous growth period, and it needs relatively more fertilizer. Besides putting some fermented cake residue in when repotting, you should also give it fermented fishy water once every 15 days. If it is a relatively small seedling, nitrogen fertilizer should be emphasized in autumn, with a moderate amount of phosphorus and potassium, which can make its leaves greener and its growth more robust. For adult plants of this orchid, using phosphorus fertilizer with a little nitrogen fertilizer in autumn can prevent its flower scape from splitting and produce more seeds.
4. What fertilizer to use in winter
In winter, it should be given more fertilizer. Some people think that winter is relatively cold, and even if it is fertilized, it has entered dormancy and cannot absorb it. But this is not actually the case: it needs a temperature of 15 to 25 degrees, and in winter many regions can meet this condition. This is exactly a good period for it to shoot its scape, and it needs a lot of nutrients.
Of course, if the indoor temperature is lower than 15 degrees, the frequency of fertilizing can be appropriately reduced, and once it is below 10 degrees, fertilizing can stop. Only with reasonable fertilizing can its leaves stay upright and green, have better gloss, be thicker, and produce larger and more colorful flowers. It should also be noted that if there is too much fertilizer, the leaves easily turn yellow and the fleshy roots easily rot.