Alstroemeria Cultivation Methods and Care Key Points
Alstroemeria, also known as Chilean lily, Peruvian lily, lily of the Incas, etc., is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Alstroemeria in the family Alstroemeriaceae, native to Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina in South America and Mexico in Central America. Its flowers resemble rhododendrons and daffodils, while its stems and leaves look like those of lilies, giving it extremely high ornamental value. Let us take a look at the cultivation methods of Alstroemeria below!
Ecological Habits of Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria prefers dry conditions and is afraid of excessive rain and overly high groundwater levels. The soil should have good drainage and aeration, be loose and rich in humus, with a suitable pH of 6 to 6.5. The optimal growth temperature is 13°C to 21°C, with 13°C to 15°C being best for rhizome enlargement. When the soil temperature exceeds 20°C, growth becomes poor. The optimal temperature for seed germination is 11°C. Before sowing, place the seeds under high temperature conditions of 26 to 31°C for one month, then move them to the optimal germination temperature conditions, which is more conducive to germination. It is sensitive to sunlight response; long-day conditions promote flowering and increase the number of flowers, while short-day conditions inhibit flowering.
Propagation Methods of Alstroemeria
1. Seed sowing: Alstroemeria is best sown in autumn and winter. The sowing substrate uses peat soil and sand at a 1:1 ratio, which after high-temperature sterilization is placed in sowing pots. Sow from mid-October to late November. After one month of natural low temperature of 0 to 5°C, the seeds gradually begin to sprout. Then move them to conditions of 15 to 20°C for about 2 weeks, and the seed germination rate can reach over 80%. After the seeds germinate, maintain the temperature at 10 to 20°C, and they grow rapidly.
2. Division: Alstroemeria produces many dormant buds on its horizontal rhizomes. When external conditions are suitable, the horizontal rhizomes extend through the soil while some dormant buds sprout until they grow into flowering branches. The division propagation time is in October. Before dividing the plants, make the soil loose and neither dry nor wet. When dividing, first cut off the upper part of the plant at 30 cm from the ground, then dig up the plant, gently shake off the surrounding soil, and the rhizomes can be clearly planted in the prepared seedbed.
3. Tissue culture: Terminal buds are commonly used as explants. After routine disinfection and sterilization, they are inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine at 5 mg/L and naphthaleneacetic acid at 1 mg/L. After 2 months of culture, adventitious buds form, which are then transferred to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 1 mL of naphthaleneacetic acid, where the adventitious buds form tubers.
Alstroemeria Cultivation Methods
1. Soil: The planting site for Alstroemeria should be selected as fertile sandy loam with good permeability, with a soil layer thickness of over 50 cm and good drainage. The most suitable soil for Alstroemeria cultivation is slightly acidic, so the pH should be adjusted to around 6.5 based on the soil's physical and chemical properties.
2. Water: During the vigorous growth season, Alstroemeria should have sufficient water supply and relatively high air humidity, with relative humidity controlled at 80 to 85% being more suitable. In hot summers, it enters a semi-dormant state. When temperatures are low in winter, attention should be paid to controlling water.
3. Fertilizer: When planting Alstroemeria, in combination with improving the soil's physical and chemical properties and structure, a large amount of decomposed organic fertilizer such as barnyard manure should be applied, preferably at 30 to 40 kg per sq m, or an appropriate amount of superphosphate can 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 at different growth stages as needed.
4. Temperature: Within 1 to 2 months after planting, giving Alstroemeria appropriate low temperature (not below 5°C) is very beneficial for root system rejuvenation and plant recovery. During the growth season, maintain the temperature at 8 to 15°C, and in summer it is best to keep the soil temperature at around 20°C. The most suitable temperature for flower bud differentiation is 20 to 22°C. In summer, 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 heliophilous plant, and there should be sufficient light during the growth season, with the optimal sunshine duration being 13 to 14 hours. In winter and early spring, natural daylight hours are short, so supplementary lighting should be provided during protected cultivation. To save energy, the supplementary lighting time should be chosen when the plant has entered the vigorous growth stage. Supplement light for 4 to 5 hours per day until natural light reaches about 13 hours, then supplementary lighting can be stopped.
6. Pruning: For potted Alstroemeria, 12 to 15 cm pots are commonly used. Pot in mid-October at a planting depth of 3 to 5 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, and leaf buds will 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 and thin leaf buds, retaining thick and strong flower buds, to achieve the goal of shorter plants and more flowers.
7. Pests and diseases: Alstroemeria is often affected by root rot, which can be sprayed with 65% zineb wettable powder at 600 times dilution. For pest damage, 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 cause great damage. 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.