Caring for a clivia is not about age; do these 3 things well and you can grow it successfully

The clivia's flowers stand upright, its leaves are plump, wide and long, drooping naturally, and set against the upright blooms it looks elegant and beautiful. Although the clivia does not belong to the orchid family, its noble character and graceful posture, like a modest gentleman, gentle and unassuming, never competing or grabbing, have earned it the name "gentleman among flowers." Its ornamental value is extremely high, so it is very suitable for growing at home!

A few days ago I heard a flower friend say that caring for clivias depends on age, and they always felt they were not suited to growing clivias. No matter how carefully they cared for it, the clivia still suffered root rot, failed to bloom, and so on. Actually, what I want to say today is that clivia care does not depend on age. As long as you do these 3 things well, even a teenager can grow clivias successfully!

Soil selection

Because the clivia has fleshy roots, its requirements for soil are relatively high. It likes soil that is fairly fertile, well-draining, well-aerated and fairly loose. Generally, soil rich in humus is suitable, because this kind of soil has good aeration, good water permeability, and is fertile with a slightly acidic nature. We can make our own mixed soil, mixing leaf mold and river sand in an 8:2 ratio, or mixing leaf mold, compost soil and river sand in a 6:3:1 ratio. This is the soil clivias prefer!

Suggestion: When caring for a clivia, try to change the soil once every 1-2 years. This keeps the soil fresh and clean, ensures a constant supply of sufficient nutrients for the clivia, and also prevents the soil from becoming compacted!

Fertilizing

When fertilizing a clivia, you must use the right amount. There are two ways to fertilize it: one is to add plenty of base fertilizer to the soil when planting, and the other is to apply additional fertilizer during regular care. But you must not add too much. Clivias need different amounts of nutrients at different growth stages, so at each stage adopt a fertilizing method suited to the plant's needs. If you fertilize too much, it is harmful to growth and can even cause root rot or scorching of the plant.

But when a clivia lacks nutrients, problems such as narrow new leaves and very pale color also appear. Clivias can generally be given fertilizers such as cake fertilizer, fish meal and bone meal. 3 months before blooming, apply a liquid fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium to encourage it to send up a flower stalk and bloom. When applying additional fertilizer, do not put it on the leaves and do not place it too close to the roots, so as not to burn the roots or scorch the leaves.

Light

Clivias like a relatively semi-shady environment with some light. Their leaves are phototropic, so if the plant is kept in one spot indoors for a long time, the leaves will definitely turn toward the direction of the sun. As far as the plant's shape is concerned, it will then be hard to achieve a single straight line when viewed from the side, which affects its ornamental effect.

So you must give the clivia sufficient light to meet the requirements of photosynthesis and flowering. Under strong light, the flowering period is short and the flower color is vivid; under weak light, the flower color is pale. Too much light, too strong light, or long-term shade with insufficient light all affect the production and accumulation of nutrients, so that the plant cannot form buds and bloom.