What to Do When Clivia Gets Pests? Three Pests and Four Diseases: How to Prevent and Treat Them This Way

No matter what plant it is, as long as it is kept indoors, it will inevitably be troubled by pests and diseases. In our guide to growing Clivia, we introduced its requirements for soil, light, temperature, fertilizing, and more. Once these requirements are not met, Clivia will become sick and get pests. So what should you do when Clivia gets pests? It is actually very simple: find the cause and solve it. Below is the pest and disease prevention and treatment for Clivia. Let us take a look together.

1. What to Do When Clivia Gets Pests: Spray with Pesticides

Most of the beauty of Clivia is shown in its leaves, so once it gets pests or becomes sick, its leaves will turn yellow and withered, and its ornamental value will drop severely. So what should you do when Clivia gets pests? It is actually very simple: spray with pesticide. As for which pesticide to use, it depends on which pest it is. Next, let us look at the pest symptoms and solutions for Clivia.

(1) Pest Symptoms and Solutions for Clivia

1. Scale insects

As one of the main pests of flowers, scale insects also attack Clivia. They mainly gather on leaves and leaf sheaths, pierce and suck sap, and ultimately cause the leaves to turn yellow and withered, making the plant grow poorly. In addition, they are also vectors that spread plant viruses, so once this pest is found, it must be eliminated quickly.

Solution: When there are few scale insects, brush them off with a bristle brush, or wipe them off with a damp gauze, or wash them off with water; when there are many scale insects, spray the leaf surface with 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1000-1200 times dilution, once every 7-8 days, for 2-3 consecutive times to solve this pest.

2. Woodlice

Woodlice, also called damp insects or pill bugs, are also one of the pests of Clivia. They mainly attack the roots and stems of Clivia, causing the stem to rot. This pest mainly damages the roots and stems of Clivia, causing notches and rot on the stem.

Solution: When the above symptoms are found, growers should immediately spray 30% monocrotophos mixture at 3000 times dilution on the flower pot, the ground, or the plant. If you want to avoid infestation by this pest, you should keep the greenhouse clean and remove excess bricks, weeds, and various waste items.

3. Nematode disease

Another pest that attacks Clivia, it is a type of tiny animal with a body length of less than 1 mm. After being attacked by this pest, Clivia will grow poorly, the plant will be stunted, the leaves will shrivel, and it may even die early.

Solution: After discovering the above symptoms, spraying with drugs such as dibromochloropropane, carbofuran, and dazomet will be very effective.

(2) Disease Symptoms and Solutions for Clivia

What should you do when Clivia gets pests? After reading the content above, everyone should know how to handle it. However, besides being attacked by pests, diseases also constantly harm Clivia. Common diseases of Clivia include: brown spot disease, southern blight, anthracnose, and soft rot. The specific symptoms and solutions are as follows:

1. Brown spot disease

This disease is one of the main diseases of Clivia. It mainly harms the leaves. Symptoms: at first, small dark green water-soaked spots appear, which later expand into round or irregular lesions. The center of the lesion is sunken, red-brown to gray-brown, and firmer in texture than anthracnose.

Solution: From the early stage of the disease, you can use 40% metalaxyl copper wettable powder at 600-700 times dilution or 64% oxadixyl wettable powder at 500 times dilution, once every 10 days or so, for 1-2 consecutive treatments.

2. Southern blight

This disease is not common, but once it occurs, the harm to Clivia is very great. Symptoms: in the early stage, water-soaked irregular brown lesions appear on the stem near the roots, the cortex softens and rots, then white silky mycelium grows and spreads over the soil surface around the roots, later forming small sclerotia, and finally becoming rapeseed-colored, expanding until the entire base rots and dies.

Solution: Frequently observe the soil surface, and once white fungal threads are found, pick them out and burn them. In the early stage of disease, pour 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 500 times dilution onto the stem base and the soil around the base, once a week, 2-3 times to solve this disease.

3. Anthracnose

One of the main diseases of Clivia, it mainly harms the leaves. Symptoms: the lesions are round or nearly round, grayish white and sunken in the center, dark brown at the edges, penetrating both sides of the leaf, appearing film-like, and even perforating. On the lesions on both sides of the leaf, there are occasionally small black dots, which are the pathogen's acervuli, mostly pink sticky spore masses, especially obvious under humid conditions.

Solution: After discovering the above symptoms, you can use 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 700 times dilution, plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 700 times dilution, or 36% thiophanate-methyl suspension at 400-500 times dilution, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive treatments to cure it.

4. Soft rot

Another common disease of Clivia, it mainly harms leaves and stems, and in severe cases the whole plant quickly rots and dies. Symptoms: dark green water-soaked lesions appear on the leaves and gradually expand and spread. When the stem is infected, it spreads upward to the entire leaf area and downward to the roots. In severe cases, almost all leaves collapse and rot. If it is a young seedling, the whole plant will quickly die.

Solution: After discovering the above symptoms, you can use agricultural streptomycin at 200 ppm plus 20% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000 times dilution, once every 7 days, for 2-3 consecutive treatments.

How to Grow Clivia Well: Ten Elements for Clivia Growth

Ten Elements for Clivia Growth

When caring for Clivia: whether it survives depends on water, whether it looks good depends on fertilizer; careful dry cultivation and slow growth are the essence of growing Clivia.

Most people know that it is not easy to kill Clivia, and it is even harder to grow it well. From sowing and raising seedlings to a mature Clivia blooming takes nearly four years. Daily care requires many links, including a suitable environment, repotting, watering, fertilizing, light control, temperature, humidity, temperature difference control, and ventilation. If any one of these links is neglected, it will directly affect its normal growth.

But one thing is certain: Clivia has extremely strong vitality and also strong adaptability to the environment. For example, if a Clivia is placed on cool, damp ground or in an indoor bathroom for 100 days, it will not die and can still grow. Yet some people who like to care for it very carefully still manage to kill it. What does this show? Everyone knows that plant growth cannot be separated from soil, light, temperature, water, fertilizer, and so on. None can be missing, but too much is also no good. Too much water causes root hypoxia and root rot, and can drown it; lack of water causes it to wither and die; without fertilizer there are no premium plants; too much fertilizer burns it to death; without light it cannot grow; too strong light scorches it to death; below 10 degrees it does not grow; above 35 degrees it goes dormant; below zero degrees it freezes to death. Therefore, to care for Clivia, you must understand its habits and physiological characteristics in order to grow it well.

1. Growing environment

Clivia grows in the tropical primitive rainforests of South Africa, where it is like spring all year round, with year-round temperatures of 10-25 degrees, humidity above 60%, an obvious day-night temperature difference of 8-10 degrees, naturally humus soil, nourishment from natural rainwater, a clean environment, good ventilation, and growth in a natural environment under dappled shade. Nowadays people move it indoors or into flower cellars for cultivation, which requires creating a similar natural environment for it, letting it return to nature, so that it can grow healthily and its appearance and characteristics can be revealed.

2. Potting soil

Soil: it is the foundation for Clivia growth and the prerequisite for growing Clivia well. If the nutrient soil mix is wrong, no matter how refined your godlike growing skills are, you cannot grow Clivia well. Clivia originally grows in the humus soil of South African tropical rainforests, so artificially prepared nutrient soil must approximate the soil composition of the natural environment: loose, fertile, breathable, and well-drained, suitable for the growth of Clivia's fleshy roots. Its main medium material is well-rotted oak leaves (humus soil). Ingredients include fresh pine needles, buckwheat hulls, charcoal powder, and gravel. Ratio: humus soil 80%, pine needles 10%, buckwheat hulls 5%, charcoal powder 3%, gravel 2%. The above is the nutrient soil ratio for mature Clivia. For young seedlings, the proportion of humus soil needs to be larger, which is beneficial for seedling growth. The ingredients and ratios also differ between spring and autumn. Following the principle of looser in spring and firmer in autumn, in summer high temperatures add more ingredients for faster drainage and rapid wet-dry cycling, which helps protect the roots and also prevents leggy growth. When repotting in autumn, keep more humus soil and increase nutrients to benefit flower scape emergence, blooming, and propagation.

3. Water: whether it survives depends on water

1. Role:

Water is a necessary condition for plant survival, the raw material for Clivia photosynthesis, and also the carrier for absorbing and transporting nutrients. Chemical elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil can only be absorbed by the plant's roots after dissolving in water. The organic matter produced by leaves must dissolve in water before it can be transported to the various organs and tissues of the plant. Water is an important component of the plant body. If water is lacking, the plant will wilt, and the leaves will droop and die. Clivia requires water with a neutral pH value, that is, pH 6.5-7.

2. What water is best for watering flowers

Magnetized water, rainwater, snow water, river water, well water, tap water (tap water must be left to stand for three days to release chlorine before use). Stagnant water and dirty water cannot be used.

3. Principles:

Watering principle: water when dry and let it dry between waterings; when watering, water thoroughly. It must not be too dry, nor too wet. Too dry will cause roots to shrink, and when they meet water they will rot. Dry cultivation does not equal dry growing. The limit of dry cultivation is that the roots must not shrink. The potting soil must not be completely dry for more than 2 days, otherwise the soil will draw water back from the roots, causing root shrinkage. It also must not be wet for a long time. If too wet, lack of oxygen in the soil will cause root rot. The humidity limit is related to season and temperature. During the growing period, water demand is high; normally water once every 5-7 days. During the growing period, it may need watering once every 2-3 days. In high-temperature periods, excessive moisture can help cool things down. In low-temperature, diseased, and dormant periods, if too wet, roots will rot easily in 5-7 days. Keeping the soil slightly moist is best. Better dry than wet.

4. How water appears in the potting soil

(1) The moisture content of the soil in a flower pot is not uniform. Generally, it is dry on top and wet below. The surface of the potting soil is very dry.

but the middle of the potting soil is moist, and down to the bottom it is still wet. This is especially true for large flower pots of 8 inches or more.

The pattern of water in the potting soil is: in the first stage when watering, it is all wet; in the second stage, the top is dry, the middle is moist, and the bottom is wet; in the third stage, the top and middle are completely dry and the bottom is moist; in the fourth stage, it is completely dry and needs water. The second and third stages are the stages most suitable for Clivia growth.

(2) Testing methods

Lift it by hand: if it is very heavy, it is all wet; if it is neither light nor heavy, then the top is dry, the middle is moist, and the bottom is wet, and the humidity is moderate; when it is relatively light, the top and middle are completely dry and the bottom is moist; when it is very light, it is already completely dry. At this time it needs watering.

(3) Clivia flower soil is very special. Its main components are leaf mold, pine needles, buckwheat hulls, and so on, which drain very well. It may look like water is leaking from the bottom and that it has been watered thoroughly, but actually it has not. Do not rush, and do not give half-watering. You must water repeatedly many times for it to be thorough. This is especially true for dry soil, and large pots need even more repeated watering. In addition, you should also regularly use the soak-the-pot watering method.

5. Watering cycle reference

For young seedlings, small pots, sunny days, high temperatures, scape emergence, peak growing season, vigorous roots, and soil with good permeability, shorten the watering cycle.

For mature Clivia, cloudy days, large pots, low temperatures, high humidity, the flower bud maturation period, sickly conditions, and soil with poor permeability, extend the cycle.

Mature Clivia likes dry conditions, young seedlings like moisture; at low temperatures, strictly control the amount of water, better dry than wet.

6. Watering differs for large, medium, and small pots

Under the same conditions, small pots dry faster than large pots; soil with good permeability dries faster than soil with poor permeability; high temperatures require more water than low temperatures. In normal growing periods: a 12-inch pot takes 3 days, a 20-inch medium pot 5-6 days, and a 28-inch large pot 7-10 days.

Under normal conditions, young seedlings and medium seedlings need more water. When watering, water both the flower and the pot together. Large Clivia has more soil and higher water content, and the bottom does not dry easily.

7. Alternating dry and wet

That is, alternating dry periods and wet periods. But do not copy this absolutely. During the growing period, keep it a bit wetter; at other times, keep it a bit drier. But it cannot be excessively dry or wet. Combine thorough and non-thorough watering. It cannot always be thoroughly watered, and even less can it always remain not thoroughly watered, because always thorough watering causes rapid nutrient loss. Normally, a large pot will not dry out in 7-10 days.

8. Watering seasons

Watering time is related to season. In spring and winter, northern indoor spaces have heating, and the temperature is relatively high from 9:00 to 15:00. Morning is the time of day when the temperature is lowest, so it is best to water in the morning. You should also flexibly manage and control according to changes in season, climate, and temperature. In spring, water a bit more; in summer, water frequently and thoroughly. Heavy watering must flush through, carrying away mold. In autumn and winter, water when dry and let it dry between waterings. In Northeast China, before heating starts and after it stops, strictly control watering, better dry than wet. At the same time, check every day and replenish water for individual growing media that are short of water.

9. For mature Clivia, "do not water with plain water"

Add a little liquid fertilizer each time. This is good for Clivia growth and has obvious effects in increasing leaf thickness and strength. (Do not add it during high-temperature dormancy.)

10. Water temperature and soil temperature when watering

When watering, also pay attention to water temperature. The water cannot be too cold; about 20 degrees is best. This point is very important. Clivia's fleshy roots fear cold the most. A shock of cold water makes them prone to disease and root rot. Water temperature and soil temperature should be close, and the temperature difference between the two should not be too large. Watering time is best in the morning and evening. Do not water at noon in summer when the temperature is high, because the temperature difference between the flower and the water is large, which is not good for flower growth.

11. Watering the plant

Young seedlings can be watered all over the plant, which is good for seedling growth. Mature Clivia, plants with emerging scapes, and plants with scapes forming cannot be watered all over the plant. Watering should avoid the heart of the plant, as it very easily causes heart rot and scape rot, with serious consequences.

12. Watering time

Watering time is best at 7-8 in the morning. Watering at noon when the temperature is high and the temperature difference between cold and hot is large is very harmful to flower growth. Watering in the evening causes great damage to flower roots. Flower roots soaked for more than ten hours without light are prone to root rot.

13. Advantages and disadvantages of spraying water on leaves and surface

The water used must be clean, otherwise it will pollute the leaf surface. Spraying water on the leaf surface and top layer has advantages: (1) it increases surrounding humidity; (2) surface spraying helps Clivia root development; (3) surface spraying helps lower temperature during high heat; (4) it keeps the leaf surface clean and enhances photosynthesis.

Disadvantages: spraying water on leaves creates high humidity that favors bacterial infection and induces leaf spot disease and anthracnose.

It will pollute the leaf surface, and water stains will remain on the leaves. The stains need to be wiped off, which is troublesome.

14. Summer watering

Watering is key to safely getting Clivia through summer: water frequently, and watering is also an effective means of cooling and increasing oxygen, as well as a basic skill for safely passing the summer. Some people say that Clivia should not be watered unless dry, and should be watered thoroughly only when completely dry. This statement is incorrect. Once Clivia is completely dry, the fleshy roots are damaged, and after damage it is very difficult to recover. At the same time, after it is completely dry, it is very difficult to water thoroughly. Once it is watered thoroughly, it either grows leggy or gets root rot. The higher the temperature and the hotter and drier the weather, the more attention you should pay to "watering frequently" and watering thoroughly.

15. Do not give half-watering

Clivia is very prone to half-watering. It may seem that water flows out the bottom and that it is watered thoroughly, but it is not; it is a false thorough watering. In fact, Clivia soil is very special, relatively loose with large gaps, and water will drain away through the gaps. Even if water leaks through five or six times in a row, the potting soil will not be watered thoroughly. Therefore, watering Clivia requires patience: water slowly and many times until it is thoroughly watered. (To verify thorough watering, use a toothpick to move aside the surface soil and check.) If it cannot be watered thoroughly for a long time and only gets half-watering, Clivia will suffer root rot and deformation, seriously affecting normal growth.

16. Accumulated over time:

Some people say that growing Clivia can be understood in a moment, but watering takes three years of skill. This shows how difficult watering is. Whether it survives depends on water. Watering is a crucial part of growing Clivia: when to water, how much to water, water thoroughly or let it leak through, watering differs by season, during the growing period and at suitable temperatures, 2-3 days in high-temperature periods is not too much; at low temperatures and during dormancy, ten days to half a month is not too little. Watering during the growing period and dormant period is completely different. During the growing period, you can water heavily and cannot let it lack water. During high-temperature dormancy, better dry than wet, because heavy watering causes root rot. Plants of different sizes require different degrees of dryness and wetness: mature Clivia tends to prefer dryness, young seedlings tend to prefer moisture. Young seedlings: 2-3 days, at most no more than 5 days; mature Clivia: 7-10 days. Watering also differs by temperature, flowering period, and fruit-setting period. It differs with the soil's moisture retention, and it differs with the placement of the flower. With sufficient light and good ventilation, the potting soil dries easily, and watering also differs. The same pot of Clivia has completely different watering needs across all 365 days of the year. For example, a 12-inch pot in the hottest high-temperature period of midsummer needs water every 2-3 days; maintaining humidity helps lower temperature. During the growing period, water demand is high, so 3-5 days is not too much. At low temperatures and during dormancy, 7-10 days is not too little. Therefore, watering Clivia cannot be explained clearly in just a few words, nor can it all be made clear in books. It depends on practical experience accumulated over time to understand and control it.

17. Clivia watering methods: soaking the pot and watering from the pot

The most scientific way to supply water to Clivia

First: soaking the pot. This method is especially suitable for home care. Home growers have few plants, and even premium Clivia in flower cellars are soaked by pot. Soaking the pot has several major advantages: 1. The plant roots receive water evenly; 2. It does not waste resources; 3. There is less soil loss; 4. There is less nutrient loss. When fertilizing, soaking the pot is even more appropriate, as fertilizer is received evenly. The soaking standard is until the surface layer of the potting soil looks wet.

Second: watering from the pot. Fill a basin with water, place the flower pot in the basin, and water continuously. Use a toothpick to move aside the surface soil and check while watering until it is thoroughly watered.

Third: draining water. Move the thoroughly watered flower pot to a spare rack to drain, with a container below to catch the water for reuse without wasting resources.

4. Fertilizer: whether it looks good depends on fertilizer; the essence of growing Clivia well lies in fertilizing

Without fertilizer there are no premium plants; too little fertilizer will not kill Clivia; too much fertilizer will certainly harm the flowers; precise and just right reveals true skill.

During the growth and development of Clivia, it needs a large amount of nutrient elements. Once these nutrient elements are lacking, poor development will occur. The content in the soil alone cannot meet the plant's needs. It relies on artificial supplementation to reasonably provide nutrient elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium so that the plant can grow healthily and meet your wishes. The key to growing Clivia lies in fertilizing: what fertilizer to use, at which stage to use it, and how much to use. This is the essence of growing skill.

2. Nitrogen fertilizer: Nitrogen fertilizer is the main component of protein in the Clivia plant body. It is the most basic substance constituting the plant body. Without nitrogen, protein and protoplasm cannot be produced. Nitrogen is the main raw material for chlorophyll, and chlorophyll is a necessary substance for photosynthesis. Therefore, when nitrogen supply is good, the plant grows vigorously, leaves are broad and thick, the color is green and the plant is strong, the fruit-setting rate is high, and the seeds are plump. When nitrogen is deficient, the plant grows slowly, is short and weak, the leaves are narrow and thin, the flowering period is late, fruit setting is low, and the bottom leaves turn yellow. However, when nitrogen fertilizer is applied too much, the leaves become soft and thin and droop, disease resistance weakens, and pests and diseases occur easily. Nitrogen fertilizer application for Clivia must follow the principle of appropriate amount. Common nitrogen fertilizers for Clivia include: rotted soybean cake, sesame, hemp seed, fish waste, hooves, and blood, which are also good nitrogen fertilizers. These fertilizers must be fully fermented and rotted for two years before use.

3. Phosphorus fertilizer: Phosphorus fertilizer is the main component of the cytoplasm and nucleus of Clivia plant cells. It can promote cell division and reproduction. It makes new roots and seedlings develop and grow quickly, and makes mature Clivia plants bloom earlier and set more fruit with plump seeds. Phosphorus can enhance photosynthesis. Phosphorus can make stems and leaves tough and increase disease resistance. When the plant lacks phosphorus, roots and seedlings grow slowly, old leaves on the stem turn purplish red or dark green, and the growth and development of reproductive organs are affected. Phenomena such as delayed flowering and few, non-plump fruit seeds appear. Common phosphorus fertilizers for Clivia include: bone meal, fish scales, bones, rice bran, and so on. They can be used after fermentation and rotting.

4. Potassium fertilizer: Potassium fertilizer is one of the elements with relatively high content in the Clivia plant body. Potassium exists in the form of potassium carbonate and is easily soluble in water. Potassium fertilizer is also called root fertilizer: it can promote the absorption of nitrogen and promote protein formation. Potassium can promote enzyme activity, accelerate sugar synthesis and starch accumulation in the plant, increase the fiber content in the plant body, promote the development of vascular elements, and enhance the strength of the mechanical tissue of cell walls. It can make leaves thick and upright, with clear and raised veins, improving variety quality. When potassium is deficient, the leaves are soft, the veins are not prominent, old leaves easily develop yellow-brown spots, and subsequently brown spots also appear at the leaf tips and leaf edges, turning brown and withered, showing a scorched appearance. But it cannot be excessive; excess turns the leaves yellow-brown and inhibits plant growth.

Common potassium fertilizers for Clivia include: plant ash, charcoal ash, rice husk ash, and so on.

Clivia growth cannot be separated from the three elements nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen fertilizer mainly promotes rapid plant growth, luxuriant stems and leaves, and broad leaves, with an obvious effect on leaf growth. Phosphorus fertilizer mainly promotes bright flower colors, plump fruit, high fruit-setting rate, and early flowering. Its effect on flowers and fruit is obvious. Potassium fertilizer increases leaf rigidity and promotes robust root growth, with an obvious effect on roots. The three elements nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are essential nutrient elements for the Clivia plant body, and each has a unique role. They cannot replace each other and should be applied in combination.

5. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate: it is a quick-acting fertilizer with fast fertilizer effect and short duration. Slightly improper application can cause side effects such as root burn and yellow leaves. Try not to use it during cultivation. Occasionally spraying it on leaves as a supplement can be used, or conduct small trial use to gain experience before using it. Spraying young seedlings on the leaves has a good effect, but the amount must be small, otherwise it will burn the seedlings and produce the opposite effect.

6. Seasonal fertilizing

In summer high temperatures, fertilizer decomposes in large amounts. In summer there is generally no fertilizer deficiency, only excess fertilizer. Excess fertilizer burns root hairs, so heavy watering is needed to flush out the fertilizer. In summer high temperatures from July to September, when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees, the plant goes dormant and stops growing, so fertilizing again will cause root rot and death. In the spring peak growing season, you can apply thin fertilizer frequently. In autumn and winter, when dormancy ends and the weather turns cool, it will begin to grow again. One month after repotting, the root system is basically established, and you can apply some liquid fertilizer in appropriate amounts. At the beginning, the fertilizer amount should not be too large, because the solid fertilizer is still working. When starting to apply liquid fertilizer, the interval should be longer (about 20 days), and later the interval gradually shortens (about 15 days).

7. Fertilizing by stage

For young seedlings with two to five leaves, apply thin fertilizer frequently, once every 15 days. For medium seedlings with 6-13 leaves, they enter a rapid growth period, and fertilizer and water must keep up. Do not water with plain water; add a little liquid fertilizer each time. Around the flowering period, when scapes are emerging, buds are forming, flowers are blooming, and fruit is setting, a large amount of nutrients is needed. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizer need to be supplemented, about once every 10 days.

8. Fertilizing taboos: do not apply concentrated fertilizer, do not apply chemical fertilizer. Do not fertilize during high temperatures (above 30 degrees), low temperatures (below 15 degrees), dormancy, or weak and diseased periods. Do not fertilize within 20 days after repotting. Do not fertilize during the seedling-raising period. Do not fertilize young seedlings with one leaf. Do not fertilize at noon (around 25 degrees). Do not fertilize without light. Raw fertilizer that has not been fermented and rotted cannot be applied, otherwise it easily causes scorched leaf tips and edges and root rot. (Because if not rotted, it will undergo a second fermentation in the pot, causing the flower soil temperature to rise rapidly to about 50 degrees and burn the roots.)

9. Fertilizing methods:

It must be diluted with water (animal manure-fermented types 30-40 times, plant-fermented types 15-20 times) and applied by soaking the pot. Soaking the pot is the first choice because fertilizer is received evenly and roots are not damaged. Pouring causes loss and waste; second, fertilizer is unevenly received. For base fertilizer and side fertilizer, the method is: when repotting, bury fried hemp seed and sesame at the bottom or above the roots. Remember that fertilizer must not contact the roots, otherwise it will burn them.

10. Absorption:

Due to the biological characteristics of Clivia, with fleshy roots, the absorption area is concentrated at the root hairs and hair-like structures at the tips of new roots. Therefore, if it is too strong or too concentrated, it cannot handle it. Root hairs are easily burned and fall off, losing absorption function. So when supplementing fertilizer for Clivia, it must be fully fermented, mild, and easy to absorb.

12. Fertilizing amount

Thin fertilizer applied frequently: young seedlings 50:1, medium seedlings 40:1, mature Clivia 30:1.

Interval: 15-20 days (growing period)

13. Fertilizing notes

(1) The nutrient supply for potted Clivia is mainly ensured by artificial topdressing. Apply different fertilizers in different seasons and at different growth stages. (a) When repotting in autumn, add oil crops such as hemp seed and sesame as solid fertilizer, which has the characteristics of long-lasting fertilizer effect and slow, uniform release of fertility. Oil plants also make leaves shiny. (b) Appropriately and timely supplement liquid fertilizer, supplementing whatever is lacking, under human control.

(2) Light: when fertilizing during the growing periods of autumn, winter, and spring, you must choose sunny weather. Only under photosynthesis can the plant fully decompose and absorb nutrients. If there is no light and the temperature is low, the plant cannot decompose and absorb nutrients. At this time, supplying fertilizer very easily causes fertilizer damage and root rot. 

(3) Clivia is a plant that grows in all four seasons. As long as the temperature is suitable, it will grow normally. It does not have a self-regulating absorption function. In other words, as long as you fertilize, it will absorb. It grows slowly at low temperatures and quickly at high temperatures, so entering summer it easily grows leggy. Scientifically controlling fertilization is very important; otherwise, improper fertilization will cause leaves to be uneven in length, width, and thickness. Excess fertilizer makes leaves wider and thicker, and leaves also easily wrinkle. Too little fertilizer makes leaves narrower and thinner, and can also lead to failure to bloom or failure to set fruit after blooming.

(4) Clivia is an herbaceous flower with fleshy roots that rot easily. Whether soybean, hemp seed, or animal-based fermented materials, they must be fermented before they can be converted into substances that plants can absorb. Otherwise, they have no effect at all. Instead, they will cause root burn and root rot due to the heat from a second fermentation in the pot, and will also breed mosquitoes and insects and pollute indoor air.

(5) Add orange peel when fermenting liquid fertilizer. The aromatic tincture in orange peel can improve some of the fertilizer odor. After it rots and ferments, it is also fertilizer and is beneficial for plant absorption. It can also increase acidic substances and improve the pH of the flower soil.

(6) Fertilize according to soil dryness and wetness. Fertilizing in moist soil facilitates diffusion in the soil, with good effect.

(7) Potassium fertilizer nourishes roots, and root care is the first priority. If the roots are well cared for, all aspects of appearance will show, and gold will shine. Appropriately supplement potassium fertilizer because the flower is growing, but it cannot be excessive; excess will instead inhibit flower growth.

(8) Fertilizing must stop at low temperatures below 10 degrees, high temperatures above 30 degrees, the summer dormant period from July to September, and during disease. The normal stages when Clivia lacks fertilizer are the two growing periods and the bud-forming period when fertilizer needs to be supplemented. No fertilizer supplementation is needed at other stages.

13. Targeted fertilizing

(1) Nitrogen fertilizer

Mainly used for flower seedlings under three years old to make leaves thick, wide, and with raised veins; mature Clivia should not be given it before bud formation (December-January), to prevent it from only growing leaves and not forming buds.

(2) Phosphorus fertilizer

Apply before flower bud formation to promote the development of flower buds; at this stage a certain amount of potassium fertilizer is also needed.

(3) Potassium fertilizer

Mainly applied after the flowers are pollinated, with the focus on ensuring the formation and growth of the fruit embryo. Do not use too much, otherwise it will inhibit plant growth.

(4) When using bone meal, you must increase the permeability of the flower soil, and it must not come into direct contact with the flower roots. Use a little at the bottom of the flower pot, cover with soil, then plant the flower; when the flower soil covers 2/3 of the flower roots, apply a little more along the edge of the pot. This way it is less likely to burn the roots.

(5) Short-leaf varieties should not have hemp seed base fertilizer or side fertilizer added; just add a thin, diluted fertilizer once every fifteen days.

(6) It is better to add less base fertilizer than to add more; adding more is not recommended, as it will compact the soil, because liquid fertilizer can be applied during normal care.

(7) If you do not grow many orchids at home, using sesame oil mixed with water as fertilizer is best. For one pot of flowers, 100 ml of oil per year is enough, and watering flowers with sesame oil is hygienic. The best time to fertilize is during the growing season, generally starting in early May and continuing until mid-September, watering once every two weeks."

(8) Understanding of fertilizer: it is determined by four factors: light, water, air and temperature. That is to say, fertilizer in the soil can only be decomposed and absorbed by the plant when light, temperature, moisture and aeration are all good and microorganisms are active. Only then can it eat well, drink well and grow well as people wish.

Balance in fertilizer use is very important; no matter how much nitrogen you apply, without potassium your orchid will not absorb the phosphorus. 

Fermentation of water-based fertilizer

1. Liquid fertilizer must be fermented by yourself; know your own materials and their properties. If conditions are good, you can ferment them separately, mainly according to the proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content, for ease of use. Sesame, hemp seeds, soybeans, blood and trotters are high in nitrogen; bones, fish scales and bone meal are high in phosphorus; plant ash and charcoal ash are high in potassium.

For comprehensive fermentation, ferment bones, trotters, bone meal, plant ash, sesame, hemp seeds, soybeans, etc. together. Fermentation ratio: in a 10 kg bucket, cooked sesame, hemp seeds and soybeans 1000 g each, bone meal 200 g, plant ash and charcoal ash 500 g each, pig trotter bones 2000 g; you can also add fish scales, trotters, blood, bones with the salt removed, various waste oils, spoiled milk, etc. Comprehensive fertilizer must be fermented for more than two years before it can be used. Comprehensive fertilizer is used most often in daily care and has the highest usage rate, so you can ferment more of it; two buckets or more is best. Ferment in rotation so you never run out of fertilizer.

  2. The main point of fermenting water-based fertilizer is that it must be fully fermented; preferably it should go through winter freezing and summer sun exposure, and be fully fermented for more than two years, turning dark brown, with no foul odor, becoming a clear liquid with no strange smell. When used, the odor disperses quickly (odor from incompletely fermented fertilizer persists for a long time). Before use, adding orange peel, apple peel, edible vinegar, koji liquor, etc. can improve and reduce the odor; it can also add acidic substances to adjust the pH of the flower soil, making it weakly acidic.

3. For the fermentation container, a 5 kg round plastic bucket with a double-layer lid is enough. Put the fermentation materials in the bucket, add water, and preferably place it in a bright, warmer place to ferment. Before use, open the lid and let the odor dissipate for 10-20 days. When using, dilute with water at 50:1 for animal materials and 30:1 for plant materials; it is basically odorless and harmless.

V. Light

Light is an extremely important condition for the growth of Clivia. Clivia is a plant that greatly loves light; the longer the light duration, the better it grows. The more sufficient the light, the more chlorophyll decreases, the lighter the leaf color becomes, and the higher the orchid quality and various parameters are, with hard boards, raised veins and an upright posture. If light is less than 3 hours, all indicators of the plant will be greatly reduced, obviously with soft boards, dark color, no veins and a dull appearance. Light requirements:

Different varieties have different light requirements. Variegated Clivia is weaker than green Clivia, light-colored Clivia is weaker than dark-colored Clivia, and mature Clivia is weaker than seedlings. One-year-old seedlings have strong adaptability to light; light can inhibit excessive growth of seedlings, and during the growing season, if water and fertilizer are appropriate, no shading is needed. Three-year-old plants are weaker than two-year-old plants, and mature Clivia is weaker than three-year-old plants. During flower bud formation and flowering, light duration can be appropriately increased.

Light intensity and temperature are inseparable. At 10-20 degrees with sufficient light, the chlorophyll of Clivia will increase somewhat through photosynthesis. At 20-30 degrees, Clivia has the highest photosynthetic utilization rate. When the temperature exceeds 35 degrees, photosynthesis of Clivia tends to stop. If it is not shaded at this time, the leaves will be scorched and killed by the sun.

During the day, plants mainly rely on photosynthesis to produce nutrients, and at night they use nutrients for vegetative growth. In summer, days are long and nights are short, nutrient utilization rate is not high, which affects plant growth. Proper shading to shorten light duration allows the plant to effectively accumulate nutrients, which can more effectively ensure the growth of Clivia and also control stretching.

Clivia grows in the scattered light of tropical rainforests; sunlight cannot shine directly on the leaves. When cultivated artificially, light must be controlled. In summer, during high temperatures and strong light from 8:00 to 16:00, shading is necessary; in spring and autumn from 10:00 to 14:00, shading is also needed. From mid-September to June, full-day light is possible. The two peak growing seasons of Clivia are from September to November and from March to May, because the light duration is long, reaching more than 8-10 hours, and the temperature is between 15-25 degrees; both temperature and light are suitable for rapid growth of Clivia.

Second, the angle of light determines the upright angle of the leaves. If you want the leaves to be upright, not only do you need oblique light, but more importantly you need overhead light. This increases the leaf area receiving light and enhances photosynthesis. Only then will the leaves be tall and upright. Without the pull of overhead light, the uprightness of the leaves will be greatly reduced. Clivia leaves have a strong phototropic tendency, similar to sunflowers, so the uprightness of Clivia grown on windowsills is not as good as in flower cellars, precisely because of the lack of the pull of overhead light.

VI. Temperature

Clivia is a semi-sun-loving flower, fond of scattered weak light, warmth and humidity, clean pollution-free air, and tropical rainforests that are like spring all year round, with an annual average minimum temperature not lower than 15°C and a maximum temperature not exceeding 25°C. The development of the various growing organs of Clivia has adapted to this neither-cold-nor-hot, humid and warm natural environment.

(1) When the temperature exceeds 32°C, it will go dormant and stop growing, and the various organs will naturally enter a dormant state.

When the temperature drops below 10°C, the plant's growth and development slow down, and it may even grow duck-tongue-type mutated leaves. Below 5 degrees, growth and development will be inhibited and stop. When the temperature drops below 0°C, it will freeze to death.

(2) At different temperatures, the state of leaf growth is also different. In summer high temperatures, leaves tend to stretch out, that is, they become thin, narrow and long. In spring, autumn and winter, especially in winter, newly grown leaves are wide, thick and short. Controlling temperature is a key measure for growing good orchids.

Temperature also has a great influence on the flowering period. If the temperature is too high, the flowering period is shorter; if the temperature is low, the flowering period is longer. In summer, when the high temperature is above 30°C, the flowering period may last 15-20 days. In winter, at a temperature of 10-15°C, the flowering period can reach more than 30 days. The most suitable temperature for the flowering period is 15-25°C.

(3) Different sizes of Clivia plants have different suitable temperature requirements. Seedlings require relatively higher temperatures. This is because the seedlings are small and have strong growth vigor; higher temperatures are beneficial to rapid growth during the seedling stage. Seedlings need a smaller temperature difference. The growth temperature for seedlings should be controlled at 20-30°C; below 15°C, new leaf growth is slow. For one-year-old seedlings, the temperature should be controlled at 20-25°C. For plants more than two years old, the temperature should be controlled at 15-25°C. For mature Clivia, especially during the winter arrow-emergence season, the temperature can be between 10-25°C, artificially creating a larger temperature difference, which is extremely beneficial for the flower stalk to emerge and prevents stalk clamping.

(4) Temperature has a direct effect on both photosynthesis and respiration. Within the suitable temperature range, the plant's metabolic function is related to the level of temperature. When the temperature is high, metabolism speeds up and the plant grows rapidly; when the temperature is low, metabolism slows down, and the plant's growth rate also slows accordingly.

VII. Temperature difference;

It is the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures in the cultivation environment, and also refers to the temperature difference between day and night. Temperature difference can regulate the plant's absorption rate of nutrients, which is more conducive to the plant's growth and development. It is beneficial to the full absorption of leaf nutrients in Clivia. It is beneficial to the accumulation of various nutrients. Temperature difference is one of the main conditions for the vigorous growth of Clivia. The most suitable temperature difference is 6-10 degrees between day and night, with the temperature controlled between 15-25 degrees. For mature Clivia during arrow emergence, the most suitable temperature is 10-20 degrees; a larger temperature difference is beneficial for arrow emergence. If there is no 8-10 degree temperature difference, 80% of Clivia will have stalk clamping.

There is often a big difference between Clivia grown on windowsills and balconies and those cultivated in flower cellars. Flower cellars have a large temperature difference, while windowsills have a small temperature difference. Especially in winter, there is almost no temperature difference when growing orchids on windowsills. Plants cultivated in flower cellars are superior to those on windowsills in several aspects such as leaf brightness and color. Plants grown on windowsills are poorer in leaf gloss, color and fineness, and are prone to stalk clamping, while flower cellars almost never have stalk clamping. But one thing is certain: Clivia grown on windowsills and balconies has shorter leaves and better hardness and rigidity than those grown in flower cellars (balconies are better than windowsills).

VIII. Humidity

The optimal humidity is 60-80%. Clivia originally grew in tropical rainforests, where relative humidity is relatively high. Based on this characteristic, if you want to grow Clivia well, you must create a similar rainforest environment, frequently spraying water to maintain an ecological environment with 60-70% humidity. Especially in winter, when the indoor environment is relatively dry, even more attention should be paid; spring, autumn and summer should not be neglected either.

With high humidity, the orchid appears oily and shiny; with low humidity, it appears waxy and shiny.

For household cultivation of Clivia, humidity is key. With humidity, the leaf surface is fine and the brightness is good. With humidity, the head shape and width can reach the best state. With humidity, the plant's transpiration can be balanced. Grow the roots well; only with strong roots can the leaves flourish.

If the humidity is as low as 40%, spray water to increase humidity.

At a relative humidity of 60%, leaf brightness and fineness will be relatively good.

When the humidity is greater than 80%, the transpiration of Clivia leaves will be greatly inhibited, and the following situations will occur:

1. Easy root rot, heart rot and leaf rot.

2. Easy to breed mold, causing various leaf spot diseases, anthracnose, etc.

3. Affects pollination and fruit setting during the flowering period.

4. Not conducive to raised leaf veins and the formation of a waxy film (shine).

IX. Ventilation

Clivia grows in well-ventilated tropical rainforests. If you want to grow Clivia well, you must create a well-ventilated environment so that Clivia can grow vigorously, with strong roots, hard boards and upright leaves. Clivia most fears stuffy heat without ventilation. Especially in hot summer, bacteria in the pot soil multiply rapidly at high temperatures, the pot soil becomes severely oxygen-deficient, and in 3-5 days the fleshy roots will rot. However, it is not the case that the more ventilation the better. What Clivia fears even more is cold wind and cross-ventilation. Even spring wind cannot blow directly on it. In summer high temperatures, some people use fans to blow air, but they must not blow directly at the leaves; they can blow at the parts below the flower pot. 1. It can cool the environment. 2. The pot soil can also be cooled, which is beneficial to the growth of Clivia.

X. Cultivation skill

People often say three parts variety, seven parts cultivation. Cultivation skill is more important than dry cultivation, but dry cultivation is not the same as completely dry growing. The essence of cultivation skill is the control of soil, fertilizer, water, light, temperature and humidity.

(1) Cultivation skill: it means fully understanding and mastering the growth habits of Clivia, artificially creating a warm, slightly humid environment with suitable light similar to the natural environment, precisely controlling the entire process of watering, fertilizing and changing soil, and also skillfully mastering cultivation, propagation, breeding and seedling techniques, so that the quality, character and appearance of different Clivia varieties can be fully expressed.

(2) Modern Clivia grows, reproduces and evolves under the influence of artificial factors. It can be said that a good variety only has the basic conditions to become a premium orchid. If it cannot be matched with excellent cultivation skill, and is forced with heavy water and heavy fertilizer, the leaves will become wider, the vein patterns will be stretched wider, the veins will not protrude, the boards will not be thick, the shape will not be good, and all indicators will be greatly reduced. If matched with excellent cultivation skill, with internal and external factors perfectly combined, then cultivating premium orchids is not a vain hope. It can be affirmed that premium orchids come from experts. Conversely, although the cultivation skill is excellent, if the variety is mediocre, it is also impossible to produce premium orchids. A mediocre variety, plus inferior cultivation skill, will produce nothing more than a low-grade product.

(3) Cultivation skill requires the "three hearts": dedication, a calm heart, and perseverance. Dedication is the prerequisite for growing good orchids. With a calm heart, doting, seeking speed, will all run counter to one's wishes; growing orchids should be combined with cultivating the mind and character. Perseverance: cultivating a good variety cannot be done in 3-5 years; it requires persistence. Only by becoming an expert can one get twice the result with half the effort and have one's wishes fulfilled.

(4) The three stages of growing orchids: love orchids, understand orchids, recognize orchids - grow orchids, observe orchids, appreciate orchids - nourish life, nourish the mind, nourish the character, leisurely and joyful within it. To grow orchids, one must first cultivate one's mind and will; only then can one achieve the true result. How can one grow a pot of high-standard Clivia?

I. Cultivating premium Clivia

Friends who have just entered the orchid world often hear many different opinions. After some time, they will find that various views differ, and some theories even contradict each other, leaving them at a loss and confused. If they are not careful, they can easily be misled or even deceived. How can one take a shortcut on the road of growing orchids? Through my own practice, I have summarized the following experiences:

(1) Cultivation skill

Cultivation skill is mainly reflected in soil mixing, fertilizing, watering and disease prevention. It is the basic work of growing orchids. No matter how good the orchid is, if you cannot grow it well, it cannot show its proper appearance. Senior figures in the orchid world have summarized much successful experience through decades of practice. On the basis of summarizing predecessors' experience, through practical research I have developed a simple and easy-to-learn method - the "foolproof growing method."

1. Formula of the growing medium

Clivia is a plant with semi-aerial roots and semi-water roots, so the water permeability and air permeability of the growing medium are very important. The main reason many friends' orchids rot roots is excessive water. My formula is:

Broadleaf soil 30%; coniferous soil 30%; sand 15%; charcoal 10%; degreased bone granules 5%. The sand should be the size of sorghum grains, the charcoal the size of corn kernels, the bottom of the pot should use charcoal and bone granules 1 cm in diameter, and bone granules should be placed in the middle of the pot.

The characteristics of this formula are that it does not easily retain water, has good air permeability, has a short wet-dry cycle, and is easy to root; phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and trace elements are in a saturated state, so there is usually no need to supplement them.

2. Watering

For Clivia cultivated according to the above formula, the watering method is very simple. Regardless of the season, when the surface of the pot soil is seen to be dry to 1 cm, water thoroughly, preferably with aged water.

3. Fertilizing

Fertilizing should follow the principle of balancing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Usually when we see leaves spreading out and leaves stretching, apart from variety reasons, the main cause is excessive nitrogen fertilizer. It is like a person with a slim figure: if you feed him rich fish and meat every day, he will gain weight. How can balance be achieved? This is a very complex problem. Through research I found that using charcoal as potassium fertilizer and degreased bone granules as phosphorus fertilizer does not burn roots, and adding a large amount to the growing medium does not have side effects on the growth of Clivia. Therefore, when mixing soil, let the phosphorus and potassium fertilizers be in a saturated state. In this way, among the three unknowns of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, phosphorus and potassium become constants, thereby simplifying the complex problem. Usually, only nitrogen fertilizer needs to be given.

Then how should nitrogen fertilizer be given? How much to give and how to determine it? There are mainly three ways to apply fertilizer: solid base fertilizer, liquid water fertilizer and foliar fertilizer. The usual methods are burying base fertilizer and watering with fertilizer. I think that from the perspective of easily controlling the amount of fertilizer applied, watering with fertilizer is better than burying base fertilizer. Because each person's fermented nitrogen fertilizer concentration is different, no uniform standard can be given. You can only experiment from dilute to concentrated to find the best fertilizer-water ratio, with the principle of not burning roots. Remember, it is better to give less than too much! In addition, fertilizer should be given in all four seasons, once every half month, so as to maintain stable leaf growth.

4. Disease prevention

The main diseases of Clivia are insect pests and fungal diseases. Prevention should be the main approach. Each time, add an appropriate amount of "Fungus and Insect Killer" to the fertilizer water to achieve effective prevention. Usually you only need to use a brush to deal with mealybugs.

The above is the main content of the "foolproof growing method." Its characteristics are simple daily management, no root rot, a good root system, low susceptibility to disease, and stable growth throughout the four seasons.

(2) Recognizing flowers

To cultivate premium orchids, you must first understand what a good orchid is. What kind of orchid used as a base makes it easy to cultivate premium orchids? Simply put, an orchid whose comprehensive indicators approach the peak of the "ten standards" is a premium orchid. This is very general. In reality, where do we start? How do we approach this peak? Using reverse thinking, I proposed the "three-part water theory." Following the logic of raising a question, analyzing the question and solving the question, we call the orchid to be cultivated the ideal orchid, and then dissect its components. First, the orchid quality of the ideal orchid should be the best. Then among the various varieties we see today, which orchid has the best orchid quality? I think Jishi is the best. This should tell us that the ideal orchid should contain the component of Jishi. Second, the ideal orchid should have good uprightness. Then which variety currently has the best uprightness? That is short-leaf, so the ideal orchid should contain the component of short-leaf. Third, the ideal orchid should have good veins, head and base, so we naturally think of round-head, which is to say the ideal orchid should contain the component of round-head. From this we can conclude that the ideal Clivia should contain at least the genetic components of these three varieties: short-leaf, Jishi and round-head.

At present, pure short-leaf, pure Jishi and round-head are already very few. Even if there are some, most are of distant generations and cannot be used as base orchids. Instead, one should choose orchids with relatively high brightness, fineness, thickness and hardness that contain the components of short-Jishi, short-round, short-round-Jishi, or short-Jishi-round as base orchids. By complementing the advantages among orchids separately containing these four combined genes, it becomes easier to cultivate higher-quality Clivia. In addition, high-quality Jishi components will also show yellow-body or flower-body, which is even more ideal.

(3) Pollination

At present, the cultivation of new varieties is mainly carried out through sexual hybridization. Among the above four base orchids, proceed according to the principle of complementary advantages. After breeding offspring, select the ideal ones as the next generation base orchids, and likewise carry out hybridization or backcrossing according to the principle of complementary advantages. Repeating this cycle and advancing step by step will inevitably bring the quality of Clivia ever closer to the ideal goal. If the genes need to be stabilized, repeated selfing is required, but it basically takes 5-7 generations to complete.

II. Experience in Clivia hybridization

It is best not to use horizontal orchids as the male parent. Horizontal orchids themselves are unstable, and the offspring will show too many variations during cultivation.

Most pockmarked faces have horizontal orchid pollen in their background.

The male parent should have more good points than the female parent.

To cultivate yellow short-leaf, use one with a Jishi base as the female parent and short-leaf as the male parent. If short-leaf is used as the female parent and Jishi as the male parent, the offspring will also produce a small amount of yellow short-leaf, but the effect is not as good as with the former.

Nowadays good orchids are all produced using short-leaf as the female parent. The hardness of the male parent must be stronger than the female parent in order to produce offspring that follow the male parent more! Otherwise they follow the female parent!

If the head shape of short-leaf is pointed, it can be pollinated with thick-board round-head to improve the head shape, but it is best not to pollinate with round-head flower-face, because the genes are too mixed! There are many flower-face varieties; the monk flower-face has many variables and is unstable, while the flower-face produced by Jishi and dark-colored orchids is relatively stable.

The so-called flower-face nowadays is not valuable in Northeast China. Because rigidity is poor and orchid quality is poor. There are now too few flower-faces that can reach the orchid quality of the former Tiebei! This is why flower-faces cannot be seen in the appreciation of famous masters' famous varieties and premium orchids. Today's flower-faces can only be used for ornamental purposes and cannot be used as parents! Nor should they be backcrossed with monk, because monk has poor orchid quality and poor rigidity.

Round-head monk is best pollinated with short-leaf pollen! This can enhance the rigidity of the offspring.

The offspring of Tiebei pollinated with short-leaf can produce light-colored flower-face short-leaf.

Without the offspring of Jishi and oilman, it is forever impossible to cultivate high-quality orchids. Jishi and oilman are not extinct, but have undergone improvement. Although the improved varieties have become wider and shorter, in terms of orchid quality each generation is worse than the last. Relatively pure Jishi and oilman are now rarely seen. Relatively pure old Jishi and oilman varieties have stable genes and are essential tools for targeted cultivation.

Jishi and oilman are crossed with short-leaf; Jishi and oilman serve as the female parent and short-leaf as the male parent. The pointedness of Jishi and oilman is very difficult to breed out! Even if round-head is used to cross it, it cannot be removed in one generation. You can use short-leaf round-head with rigidity exceeding Jishi, or round-head short-leaf with rigidity exceeding Jishi, to improve it. If "yellow Jishi" is used as the male parent, the offspring easily produce flower-face, so "yellow Jishi" can be called the father of Clivia flower-face. The yellow Jishi circulating in society today is mostly Nth-generation hybrid seedlings bred using yellow Jishi as the male parent; purebred "yellow Jishi" is extremely rare. To improve the irregular horizontal veins of Jishi, use varieties with regular horizontal veins to cross, such as round-head short-leaf.

Anshan orchid is a Japanese hybrid and also has many premium specimens, but its genes are unstable, with excess width and shortness but insufficient vein patterns.

Japanese orchids are better used as the female parent! The male parent is best a domestic orchid with strong rigidity, high brightness and protruding veins, because Japanese orchids have stable genes, and when used as the female parent their head shape and width can be retained. The purpose of pollinating with domestic orchids is to borrow the brightness, veins and rigidity of domestic orchids.

If domestic orchids are used as the female parent and pollinated with Japanese orchids, then the domestic orchid must not have too thick a board; too thick a board affects rigidity. If the board is too thin, rigidity is good but the veins will not protrude. Generally, when veins protrude, especially when they form pits, the leaves are thick, but their rigidity is poor.

If you want to produce high-quality Japanese hybrids, it is recommended to use short-leaf with good veins and high brightness as the female parent and pollinate with Japanese orchid, which can produce flowers similar to Morning Star. If Japanese hybrid is used as the female parent, use a domestic orchid with strong rigidity, protruding veins and bright color as the male parent.

Seedlings from young mature orchids resemble their parents more, while seedlings from older mature orchids are more chaotic and may also show atavism. My finding is: use older pollen and a younger female orchid; older pollen has stable genes and a high fruit-setting rate, while younger pollen is unstable but has strong vigor when used as the female orchid.

III. Planting Clivia

The first generation of Tiebei was produced by crossing Gong Zhanyuan monk as the female parent with yellow Jishi as the male parent. The improved flower length dropped to 40 cm, the head shape gradually became pointed, leaf width 10 cm, gloss waxy and bright, and vein patterns clearly protruding. This is Tiebei Zhang first generation. Its shortcomings were long leaves, not upright, and an unsatisfactory head shape. So after crossing with short-leaf as the male parent, the leaves dropped to 35 cm, the leaves were upright, the flower shape was beautiful, the head shape was sharply pointed, the vein spacing was not wide, and the pigmentation was relatively poor. This is Tiebei second generation. The third generation was produced by crossing round-head monk with second-generation Tiebei, after which the head shape became the most ideal oval shape. The fourth generation was produced by pollinating third-generation Tiebei with flower-face monk pollen; the leaves dropped to 30 cm, leaf width 12 cm, the leaf surface was bright, the head shape oval, the color light green, and it had clearly visible veins with green ribs and yellow ground, with a plant shape like a fan, upright and elegant. Waxy-film flower-face: it is the offspring selected and bred from the hybrid combination using "monk" as the female parent and "yellow Jishi" as the male parent. Its characteristics: fine orchid quality, large vein spacing, light color, green ribs with yellow ground or green ribs with green ground, luster like wax, dignified and elegant, green and charming, giving people a feeling of clear mind and refreshed eyes, with relatively high ornamental value. The degree of flower-face is related to the orchid quality and color depth of the leaves of the male and female parents selected in the hybrid combination, and to light and humidity. The appearance of "waxy flower-face" has both the innate nature of the hybrid combination and the acquired cultivation conditions of light and humidity. Having both conditions is the secret to cultivating "waxy-film flower-face." "Waxy-film flower-face" is also an important indicator in the appreciation and evaluation of Clivia. This is not a passage by Mr. Yuan Qinglin on Japanese orchids:

"Flower-face" refers to Clivia whose leaf veins are clear and obvious, with distinct light and dark separation between the ribs (referring to leaf veins) and the ground (referring to leaf flesh).

"Flower-face" Clivia already appeared as early as the 1960s. Comrades such as Gong Zhanyuan, Liu Renduo and Zhang Wenyue used Clivia with different traits as female or male parents and cultivated many "flower-face" Clivia with different traits.

Factors in the appearance of "flower-face" Clivia:

When combining hybridization, the leaf colors of the selected female and male parents must be one dark and one light, so that their offspring will show "flower-face" as a result of the inheritance from both parents. It requires sufficient light duration. It must have a certain level of humidity.

There is also a highly controversial view: the thinner the leaf flesh (or thick ribs and thin flesh), the more vivid and obvious the "flower-face." Clivia's self-account:

1) Before you adopt me, you need to know that my life is unlimited and I never die, so some people call me the longevity flower. But my youth can only last about 10 to 15 years, though I will continue to be with you through asexual budding.

2) When giving me commands, please give me advance time. Do not water or fertilize me randomly. Although I will certainly revive, your patience and understanding can make me grow faster and more luxuriant.

3) Please treat me well, because in the world the one who cherishes you most and needs your love most is me. Do not cover me for too long, and do not shut me away. I need ventilation and I need to talk with you. Because you have your life, your friends, your work and entertainment, while I have only you as a friend.

4) Talk to me often. Although I do not understand your language, I recognize your voice. You know how happy I am when you come home, because I have always been straining my ears waiting for your footsteps.

5) Please note: I will never forget the good you do to me. If it is cruel, it may affect me forever, and may even cause my death.

6) Please do not hit me or scold me. Remember, I may show resistance, but I will not bite you.

7) When you think I am lazy, no longer growing, stagnating in leaves or not blooming, before scolding me, please think that maybe something is wrong with me. Maybe I am too dry, too wet, lacking fertilizer or overfertilized, in sufficient light or too dark, troubled by too many insects or fungi, or the medium or water source is too poor.

8) When I am old and no longer as cute as when I was a little baby or in my youth, please still take care of me, treat my illnesses, separate my buds, and cut away my old stems and old roots. I will gain new life. Please still treat me well, because we will all have a day when we grow old. 

9) When I am already very old, when my health has gone and I can no longer live normally, please do not try every way to make me continue living, because I am already finished. I will continue to exist through my buds. I know you also do not want me to leave, but please accept this fact and be with me at the final moment. Please do not say "I cannot bear to watch it die" and walk away, because at the last moment of my life, I will be reborn in a new form. I will be with you forever.

Notes on growing flowers in summer, flower-growing tips to keep flowers from dying

Flower Bonsai Network introduction: Today Flower Bonsai Network editor shares with you notes on growing flowers in summer, flower-growing tips to keep flowers from dying. Flower friends who like it, come and take a look.

Summer is about to arrive, temperatures are gradually rising, and flowers at home need even more attention in care, otherwise they will only die. But flower friends do not need to worry. Today Huahua will focus on introducing how exactly summer flowers should be grown so they can safely pass the summer!

Chinese rose

Once the May flowering period is over, it enters the hot and rainy summer, and Chinese roses are about to enter a dormant and semi-dormant state. For Chinese roses, the focus of summer care is to make the plants that have already flowered grow robustly and prompt them to bloom again as soon as possible.

1 Shading and cooling

Potted Chinese roses have limited soil, and hot weather easily heats the pot soil through. Chinese roses must be shaded and cooled. Today Huahua will introduce several shading methods so the Chinese roses at home can receive scattered light.

1. Use shade netting or straw mats to shade the Chinese rose to a semi-shaded state, forming shadows on the ground, which can achieve the purpose of cooling.

2. You can place a larger flower pot outside the Chinese rose's flower pot, and add some pumice, ceramsite and the like at the bottom of the large pot and in the gap between the two pots, which can also play a cooling role.

2 Watering and fertilizing

In summer high temperatures, Chinese roses gradually begin to enter dormancy. But Chinese roses still bloom in summer, so they also need fertilizer, only the amount should be less than in spring and autumn.

1. In summer, apply a thin liquid fertilizer once about every 15 days. The liquid fertilizer can be made from moldy soybeans or animal manure soaked in water, sealed and fermented. The concentration is best 1:50 or above, which can meet the growth needs of Chinese roses.

2. Summer evaporation is high, so water once every 2-4 days. The water used for Chinese roses is best left to stand in the sun before use, which can reduce the temperature difference between the pot soil and the water. If too-cold water is used, it will stimulate the Chinese rose root system and affect normal plant development.

3. In addition to normal watering of Chinese roses, you should also spray water on the leaves more often, preferably once in the morning and once in the afternoon, before eight o'clock and after 5 p.m. When spraying, you can also add a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, which can make the Chinese rose flowers large and brightly colored.

3 Pest and disease prevention

Summer is a period of high incidence of rose diseases, such as leaf spot, scale insects, powdery mildew and so on, all of which occur in summer.

1. When the weather is hot, the ground where the rose pots are placed should be frequently sprayed with 15% quicklime, or carbendazim or potassium permanganate solution, to achieve sterilization and disinfection and prevent the invasion of pests and diseases.

2. If the roses are already found to have powdery mildew and leaf spot, they can be sprayed with 0.3% lime sulfur mixture, once a week, and they will basically recover after about 2-3 times; if small insects are found, they can be immediately sprayed with 800 times diluted Dibishi for control, which can kill the insect eggs.

Geranium

As summer arrives, whether geraniums can safely get through the summer is a question many flower lovers are very concerned about. As long as you follow Huahua and do these few things, you can let your geraniums safely get through the summer.

(Author: Muzi Hua Piaoxiang h   Source: Geranium Bar)

1 Shading and ventilation

Summer is hot and the weather is stuffy; if the air is not circulating, it is very likely to cause the death of geraniums.

1. In summer, you can add some covering material on top of the geranium's potting soil to reduce water evaporation, avoid the soil temperature rising caused by direct sunlight, and also isolate bacteria on the surface of the potting soil. Orchid stone and ceramsite are both fine; do not choose bark that easily breeds insects or stones that are not breathable.

2. Geraniums should be properly shaded in summer. They can get sun in the morning and evening, and at noon they should be moved to a place with scattered light. For those placed by the window, you can pull down the curtains or add a shade net.

(Author: Ly Ayi Source: Geranium Bar)

2 Watering and fertilizing

Watering geraniums in summer is the most troublesome thing.

1. The best time to water is in the morning or evening, and wait until the soil temperature has dropped before watering. The water to be used should be left to stand for a while so that its temperature can be similar to room temperature.

2. There are many watering methods. Do not water from overhead, as this can easily lead to water in the upper part of the pot while the roots at the bottom do not absorb water, causing death. You can use the soak-pot method to water and ensure the geranium's water needs.

3. Do not fertilize geraniums in summer, because geraniums in the dormant period cannot absorb fertilizer at all, and it may also cause fertilizer accumulation and root rot.

(Author: Ly Ayi Source: Geranium Bar)

3 Pests and diseases

Geraniums are also particularly prone to pests and diseases in summer, so preventive work needs to be done in advance.

1. To prevent geraniums from getting stem rot, you can drench the roots once a month with carbendazim solution, root rot treatment solution or potassium permanganate solution, to prevent bacterial infection. If geraniums are found to have stem rot, then you can only discard the seedlings and the soil.

2. If geraniums are found to have leaf spot, flower wilt disease, etc., promptly remove the diseased leaves after discovery to prevent the spread of infection, and then spray Bordeaux mixture for control.

Clivia

Clivia is basically in a dormant state in summer. In order for Clivia to get through the summer steadily, Huahua has found a few points for you that must be paid attention to. Flower lovers, be sure to remember them.

(Author: Qiuhe Wuyu Source: Clivia Bar)

1 Shading and ventilation

Summer is hot, and Clivia is in a semi-dormant state, so heat prevention and cooling work must be done well.

1. Clivia likes weak light and dislikes strong light, and fears direct sunlight the most. Therefore, in summer it must be placed in a cool and ventilated place so that it can see scattered light in the morning and evening.

2. The method of burying it in sand can be used to lower the temperature. That is, bury the Clivia together with the pot in sand, to the state where the pot is completely buried, and then spray water on the sand every morning and evening. In this way, you can both keep the potting soil moist and use the heat absorption effect of water evaporation from the sand to achieve the purpose of cooling.

2 Watering and fertilizing

Watering Clivia is also very important.

1. In summer, the temperature is high and evaporation is relatively large, so Clivia's water demand is also relatively large. For Clivia 1-2 years old, water about once every 5-7 days; for Clivia over 3 years old, it also depends on the size of the pot and the age of the Clivia.

2. The water used for watering Clivia is best stored rainwater. Tap water can only be used after being left to settle for 24 hours, to prevent the soil from deteriorating. If the potting soil drains poorly and water accumulates for too long, it can easily cause the fleshy roots of Clivia to rot.

3. Summer is hot and rainy, so fertilization should be stopped to avoid root rot. If the Clivia is placed in a cool and ventilated place, it will not go completely dormant. At this time, a thin soybean cake liquid fertilizer can be applied once every 10-15 days, and the potting soil should be kept dry before fertilizing.

3 Pests and diseases

Because Clivia is in the dormant period in summer and ventilation is poor, it is particularly vulnerable to scale insects. At this time, you can use pesticides such as Jiebizhi or dichlorvos, mix them with water at a ratio of 1:2000, spray on the Clivia leaves, and at the same time drench the roots, which can effectively kill scale insects and other pests.

Kalanchoe

As summer arrives, the temperature keeps rising. In hot weather, how should Kalanchoe be cared for? Huahua will introduce it to you in detail.

1 Shading and cooling

Summer is hot, and Kalanchoe is basically in a dormant state. At this time, Kalanchoe's resistance is relatively poor, so proper shading and cooling are needed.

1. In order to lower the temperature, you can spray more water toward the ground so that when the water evaporates, it takes away part of the heat. You can also spray water on the leaves to lower the temperature around the Kalanchoe. When spraying, be careful not to spray too much, otherwise it can easily cause the Kalanchoe to rot.

2. To avoid strong light scorching the Kalanchoe leaves, shading treatment is needed in summer. You can add a shade net, or move the Kalanchoe to a place with weaker light.

2 Watering and fertilizing

For Kalanchoe in the dormant period in summer, pay attention to water control. Water control means reducing watering, but you cannot stop watering altogether, otherwise long-term drought can easily cause the roots to die from lack of water.

1. For people growing Kalanchoe indoors, water about once every 10-15 days and just keep the soil slightly moist. If too much water is given, the fleshy roots of Kalanchoe can easily rot. For Kalanchoe outdoors, a moderate amount of light rain is fine, but when there is heavy rain, it should be moved indoors in time.

2. When fertilizing Kalanchoe in summer, the concentration should be low. Basically, thin liquid fertilizer can meet its growth needs, applied about once every 8-10 days. You can use decomposed soybean cake fertilizer or Chinese medicine residue.

Today Huahua will introduce this much first,

Flower lovers,

what other methods for helping plants get through summer do you want to know,

welcome to leave a message and tell Huahua!