How to Handle Clivia with Rotten Heart? Latest Methods Explained in Detail
Clivia is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the Amaryllidaceae family. Its flowers are not as magnificent as peonies, nor as fragrant as jasmine, and certainly not as colorful and graceful as roses, but it has sword-like green leaves and fire-like red flowers, the two setting each other off in red and green, making it especially beloved. Now let us take a look at how to handle Clivia with a rotten heart!
What to Do If Clivia Has a Mild Rotten Heart?
When the rotten heart of Clivia is not very serious, there is still a chance of saving it. At the beginning, the tender leaves at the very center of the plant start to rot. At this point, promptly remove the rotten leaves, wipe away the oozing sap with a paper towel, keep the surface dry, and place the plant in a ventilated, bright spot, avoiding strong light. Wait until the leaf wounds have completely healed and the center has dried out, then resume normal care. At the same time, try to keep air humidity low and mist the leaves less. In generally non-serious cases, new leaves will gradually grow out.
What to Do If Clivia Has a Severe Rotten Heart?
If the rotten heart of Clivia is severe and it is certain that it cannot be saved, you can directly remove all the leaves on one side of the plant, and the sooner the better. This ensures that water does not accumulate in the center of the plant, avoiding further damage, and cutting off the leaves can reduce nutrient consumption, which helps new shoots sprout. Use your hands to snap off the leaves on one side of the plant one by one until the rotten pseudobulb is exposed, then use a sterilized bamboo strip to remove the rotten parts until the bulb returns to white. Then withhold water for 2-3 days, prepare a slightly larger pot, replace with fresh soil, and replant.
How to Care for Clivia After a Rotten Heart?
1. Usually spray liquid fertilizer on the leaves more often, such as urea or monopotassium phosphate, using the remaining leaves to promote root growth. At the same time, also apply a diluted liquid fertilizer to the pot to promote the sprouting of leaf buds.
2. Control the amount of watering well. Do not water within one week after treating the rotten heart. After one week, just keep the soil moist, avoid water accumulation, and especially make sure the wound area stays relatively dry.
3. Clivia grows quickly. As long as the rotten heart is treated in time, it will sprout very soon. Usually it produces 1-2 shoots per year, and within 2 years it will grow 10-15 leaves and transform into a mature plant.
How to Grow Clivia So It Grows Fast?
1. Soil: Clivia is suited to acidic soil rich in decaying organic matter, and it should have good air permeability and sufficient but not overly saturated moisture. It can be mixed from 65% humus soil, 20% clean sand, and 15% fine furnace ash, and the soil needs to be changed continuously during growth.
2. Fertilizing: Clivia should be given a solid fertilizer once in winter, with less nitrogen fertilizer and more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. A nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer can also be applied to encourage more new plants and leaves to sprout, but fertilizing must be done in the right amount. Never apply concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer that has not been fermented and decomposed.
3. Watering: Clivia can be watered about every 20 days along with applying fermented soybean cake water, diluted fishy water, and water from soaking water chestnuts, etc. When room temperature is low, watering should be controlled to prevent the potting soil from becoming too wet. Too-wet potting soil will cause root rot and plant death, but the potting soil should not be allowed to become too dry either.
4. Temperature: The suitable temperature for Clivia growth in winter is 15-20°C, and it is best not to go below 10°C. After the flower scape emerges, the temperature should be kept at around 18°C, and the day-night temperature difference is best kept at around 10°C; otherwise, the flower scape will bloom before reaching the proper height, which easily forms “scape trapping”.
5. Light: Clivia is a medium-light plant, and diffused light is best. During growth it does not need strong light, and especially in summer direct sunlight must be avoided. If strong light is encountered during the winter flowering period, it will shorten the flowering period, while moderate light can extend the flowering period. If earlier flowering is desired, short-day treatment can be used.