How to Grow Alstroemeria? A Complete Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Alstroemeria is also known as Chilean lily, Peruvian lily, lily of the Incas, and so on. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Alstroemeria in the family Alstroemeriaceae, native to Chile, Peru, Brazil, and Argentina in South America and to Mexico in Central America. Its flowers resemble azaleas and also daffodils, while its stems and leaves look like those of lily flowers. Its ornamental value is extremely high. Now let us take a look at how to grow Alstroemeria!
Ecological Habits of Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria likes dryness and is afraid of excessive rain and too high a groundwater level. The soil should have good drainage and aeration, be loose and rich in humus, with a pH of 6 to 6.5 being suitable. The optimum temperature for growth is 13C to 21C, among which 13C to 15C is best for rhizome enlargement. When the soil temperature exceeds 20C, growth is poor. The optimum temperature for seed germination is 11C. Before sowing, place the seeds under a high temperature of 26 to 31C for one month, then move them to the optimum temperature for germination, which is more beneficial for germination. It is sensitive to daylength; long days can promote flowering and increase the number of flowers, while short days inhibit flowering.
Propagation Methods of Alstroemeria
1. Sowing: Alstroemeria is best sown in autumn and winter. The sowing substrate uses peat soil and sand at a ratio of 1:1. After high-temperature sterilization, it is placed in a sowing pot. Sow from mid-October to late November. After one month of natural low temperature of 0 to 5C, the seeds gradually begin to germinate. Then move them to 15 to 20C for about 2 weeks, and the seed germination rate can reach more than 80%. After the seeds germinate, maintain the temperature at 10 to 20C, and growth is rapid.
2. Division: Alstroemeria produces many dormant buds on its horizontal rhizome. When external conditions are suitable, the horizontal rhizome extends in the soil, and at the same time some dormant buds sprout until they grow into flowering branches. The time for division propagation is October. Before dividing and replanting the plant, the soil should be made loose, neither dry nor wet. When dividing, first cut off the upper part of the plant from 30 cm above the ground, then dig up the plant, gently shake off the surrounding soil, and once the rhizome is clearly visible, it can be planted in the prepared seedbed.
3. Tissue culture: The terminal bud is commonly used as the explant. After routine disinfection and sterilization, it is inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine 5 mg/L and naphthaleneacetic acid 1 mg/L. After 2 months of culture, adventitious buds form, and then they are transferred to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 1 mL of naphthaleneacetic acid, where tubers form from the adventitious buds.
Cultivation Methods of Alstroemeria
1. Soil: For planting Alstroemeria, choose fertile sandy loam with good permeability. The soil layer should be more than 50 cm thick, with good drainage. The most suitable soil for Alstroemeria cultivation is slightly acidic, so according to the physical and chemical properties of the soil, adjust the pH to about 6.5.
2. Water: During the vigorous growth season, Alstroemeria should have a sufficient water supply and relatively high air humidity, with relative humidity controlled at 80 to 85%, which is more suitable. In hot summer it is in a semi-dormant state. When the temperature is low in winter, attention should be paid to controlling water.
3. Fertilizer: When planting Alstroemeria, in combination with improving the physical and chemical properties and structure of the soil, a large amount of decomposed organic fertilizer should be applied, such as barnyard manure, preferably 30 to 40 kg per square meter, or an appropriate amount of superphosphate may be added as a supplement. Throughout the entire growth and development cycle of the plant, base fertilizer alone cannot meet the needs of growth and development, so topdressing should be applied as needed at different growth stages.
4. Temperature: Within 1 to 2 months after planting, giving Alstroemeria an appropriate low temperature (not lower than 5C) is very beneficial for the rejuvenation of the root system and the recovery of the plant. During the growing season, maintain the temperature at 8 to 15C. In summer, it is best to keep the soil temperature at about 20C. The most suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation of the plant is 20 to 22C. In summer, in order to prevent the soil temperature from being too high, water supply pipes, perlite, etc. can be buried underground to achieve the purpose of cooling.
5. Light: Alstroemeria is a strongly sun-loving plant, and there should be sufficient light during the growing season, with the optimum sunshine duration being 13 to 14 hours. In winter and early spring, the natural sunshine time is short, so supplemental lighting should be provided when cultivating in protected areas. In order to save energy, the supplementary lighting time should be chosen when the plant has already entered the vigorous growth stage. Supplement light for 4 to 5 hours per day, and stop supplementary lighting once the natural light reaches about 13 hours.
6. Pruning: For potted Alstroemeria, 12 to 15 cm pots are commonly used. Pot in mid-October, with a planting depth of 3 to 5 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, and leaf buds grow out after 30 days. After winter begins, new buds grow rapidly and stems and leaves become densely packed, affecting the growth of flower buds at the base. It is necessary to thin the leaves and remove small leaf buds, retaining thick and strong flower buds, so as to achieve the goal of a short plant with many flowers.
7. Diseases and pests: Alstroemeria often suffers from root rot, which can be sprayed with 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution. Among insect pests, aphids harm the flowering branches and can be killed by spraying with 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times dilution. Alstroemeria is not sensitive to diseases; on the contrary, aphids, thrips, mites, slugs, caterpillars, white butterflies, and nematodes are very harmful. Pythium rot is prone to occur when soil humidity is too high, while diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani are prone to occur under warm and humid conditions.