How to get your clivia through the summer? Master this trick for green leaves, more flowers and a fast-filling pot

Clivia growing habits

Growing habits

To grow flowers well, you first need to understand where they come from and what they like, so you can cater to their preferences!

Clivia is native to the subtropical regions of southern Africa, and prefers a semi-shaded, humid, cool and airy environment; it dislikes strong light and waterlogging.

The most suitable growing temperature for clivia is 18°C~28°C; once the temperature exceeds 30°C it enters a semi-dormant state. It is a typical greenhouse flower, suitable for growing indoors.

Soil for getting clivia through the summer

Whether clivia gets through the summer well depends above all on the foundation you built in spring, and the first thing is the soil.

1. Soil mix

Clivia suits a fertile, loose, weakly acidic humus soil with good air permeability and drainage. You can mix leaf mold, pine needles, river sand and base fertilizer in a 6:2:1:1 ratio.

2. Loosening the soil in summer

When the potting soil cakes in summer, insert a small bamboo strip or trowel at an angle against the inner wall of the pot, not too deep. Hold the bamboo strip steady with one hand and turn the pot with the other; one full turn will loosen the surface soil.

Light for getting clivia through the summer

When summer temperatures get too high, clivia enters a semi-dormant state, and at this time you must do a good job of preventing heatstroke and cooling it down.

1. Avoid direct strong light

Clivia is a mid-day-length plant that likes weak light and dislikes strong light. Direct strong light easily causes sunscald, and the flowering period is short too.

2. It cannot go without light

In summer, clivia is best placed in a semi-shaded, semi-sunny, airy spot where it can receive scattered light in the morning and evening. Too little light affects flowering, and the flower color will be paler.

Watering for getting clivia through the summer

1. Watering principle

Clivia's well-developed fleshy roots can store a certain amount of water; it tolerates drought, likes moisture and dislikes waterlogging. So in summer, water on the principle of "don't water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do", keeping the potting soil moist but not wet.

2. Watering frequency

In hot summer weather you can water once every morning; the specifics depend on how dry or wet the potting soil is and on the weather conditions of your region.

3. Cooling measures

To lower the temperature, in summer you can spray water into the air and onto the ground around the plant more often, but try not to spray water into the center of the leaves, to prevent the core from rotting.

Fertilizing for getting clivia through the summer

1. Not fully dormant

If clivia is grown indoors in a cool, airy spot, it will not go fully dormant in summer. At this time fertilizer should be reduced, generally applying a dilute soybean cake liquid fertilizer once every 15~20 days; the potting soil should be dry before fertilizing, which makes uptake easier.

2. Dormancy

In the hot, rainy summer weather of the south, clivia easily enters a dormant state, and at this time fertilizing should be stopped to avoid root rot.

Pest and disease control for getting clivia through the summer

1. Common diseases

In summer, clivia easily gets soft rot: pale yellow water-soaked spots appear on the leaves, then the spots expand, the leaves turn brown and soft, and bacterial fluid oozes from the wounds.

Control measures: once disease is found, immediately separate the diseased plant and remove the rotting parts; in severe cases cut everything away, then soak the plant in a 5% potassium permanganate solution for 1 hour. After disinfecting and drying, apply plant ash to the wounds.

2. Common pests

In a hot environment with poor ventilation, clivia is easily attacked by scale insects.

If the infestation is not serious, mix alcohol with water at a 1:2 ratio to dilute it, then dip a cotton swab in it and repeatedly wipe the affected areas;

If the infestation is serious, you can spray the affected areas with Guoguang Jiebizhi diluted 1000~1500 times to kill them.

What should you do if your clivia grows crooked?

Some flower lovers ask: at home, my clivia's leaves are crooked, growing very spread out, and the two sides are asymmetrical - what should I do?

Solutions

1. Correcting with clips

First place a layer of soft paper at the clamping point of the crooked leaf, then use a small clothespin from home to pull the crooked leaf in line with the leaves growing in the normal direction and clip them together; after a while it will be corrected!

2. Correcting with cardboard

Cut slits in lightweight cardboard, then simply slip the leaves into the cardboard. This method is simple and rough, and is more suitable for robust, mature clivia.

Flower lovers, how is your clivia doing?

If there is anything else you don't understand,

just leave a comment below to tell Huahua!