How to water a Clivia? Mastering the correct method is key
Watering methods for Clivia:
The temperature, humidity, pot size, soil permeability (aeration), season and other conditions in each friend's home are all different, so do not fix the watering interval at just one value. Consider the length of the interval according to changes in the environment.
To judge whether it is time to water, let me tell you a few little tips:
1. Tap. Lightly tap the pot at the 1/2 to 1/3 point; a crisp sound means the soil moisture is already insufficient and it needs watering. A dull sound means there is plenty of moisture and no watering is needed.
2. Weigh by hand. Before watering, lift the pot to feel its weight. Water it. After watering, lift the pot again to feel the weight. Over time, with some experience, one lift of the pot tells you whether it is time to water.
3. Probe. This is the most direct method. Insert a finger about 1/3 of the way into the soil to feel the moisture. If it is moist, no watering is needed. If it is damp, get ready to water. If there is only a slight trace of moisture, it is time to water.
How to water a Clivia?
1. Tap. Lightly tap the pot at the 1/2 to 1/3 point; a crisp sound means the soil moisture is already insufficient and it needs watering. A dull sound means there is plenty of moisture and no watering is needed.
2. Weigh by hand. Before watering, lift the pot to feel its weight. Water it. After watering, lift the pot again to feel the weight. Over time, with some experience, one lift of the pot tells you whether it is time to water.
3. Probe. This is the most direct method. Insert a finger about 1/3 of the way into the soil to feel the moisture. If it is moist, no watering is needed. If it is damp, get ready to water. If there is only a slight trace of moisture, it is time to water.
When watering a Clivia, water it thoroughly. At home, the best way to water a Clivia is the “pot-in-basin” method. That is, place the Clivia's pot in a basin and water it, and keep the water that flows out of the pot to water the flowers next time. This way the soil is easily watered thoroughly, and the nutrients flowing out of the pot are not lost and wasted with the water. When watering, everyone should also take care not to pour water into the leaf core; if water accidentally gets into the leaf core, immediately use highly absorbent paper or cotton to draw the water out.
How does Clivia carry out sexual reproduction?
Clivia usually uses only two propagation methods: one is sexual reproduction, namely seed sowing propagation; the other is asexual reproduction by division. For the large-flowered Clivia, seed sowing propagation is relatively common. The advantage of this propagation method is that it can propagate in large numbers to meet the needs of many growers. But with seed sowing propagation, artificial pollination must first be carried out, and cross-pollination between different plants is best, because the seed-setting rate is high with cross-pollination; a robust plant after cross-propagation can generally set ten seeds; self-pollination can only set a few seeds.
The pollination method is: 2-3 days after the flower is split open, when the bud is mature and the stigma secretes mucus, that is the time for pollination. When pollinating, use a new brush to dip up the pollen from the stamens and gently shake it onto the stigma of the pistil. To increase the seed-setting rate, pollinate once each between 9-10 am and 2-3 pm. The seeds mature only after about 8-9 months. When the fruit skin gradually changes from green to blackish purple, the fruit cluster can be cut off, and after 10-20 days the seeds can be peeled out. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at 30-35°C for 20-30 minutes, then take them out and air-dry them for 1-2 hours (at this time, if they can be soaked in 10% sodium phosphate solution for 20-30 minutes, then taken out and washed, and then soaked in clean water for 10-15 hours, so much the better), and then sow them into the culture soil. Place the sowing pot in an environment at room temperature 20-25°C and keep the humidity at about 90%, and in about 1-2 weeks the radicle will sprout.
For seed sowing propagation, one more thing to do well is to first prepare the culture soil. Many materials can be used to make culture soil, but one that is relatively easy to obtain is loose soil taken from the surface layer of woodland with sufficient humus, mixed with 1/3 clean fine sandy soil.
Clivia likes slightly acidic soil, and a pH value of 6-6.5 is suitable. The time requirement for propagating Clivia by the sowing method is not strict; it can be sown in spring, autumn and winter, but temperature is an important condition. It is best to sow under a temperature condition of 20-25°C, which can meet the temperature requirement for germinating the embryo.
How to water a Clivia
Clivia has relatively well-developed fleshy roots, and a certain amount of water is stored in the roots, so this flower is relatively drought-tolerant. However, even drought-tolerant flowers must not be severely short of water, especially in summer when high temperatures are combined with dry air, when you must not forget to water in time; otherwise the roots and leaves of the flower will be damaged, causing new leaves to fail to sprout and the original leaves to scorch, which not only affects flowering but may even cause the plant to die. But too much watering will also rot the roots. So you must grasp it well and often pay attention to the dry and wet condition of the potting soil. When it is half-dry, water once, but the amount watered should not be too much; keeping the potting soil moist but not soggy is just right.So, how many days apart is it good to water once? Under general conditions, water once a day in spring; in summer, when watering, you can use a fine watering can to water the leaf surface and the surrounding ground together, and on sunny days water twice a day; in autumn water once every other day; in winter water once every other day; in winter water once a week or less. But you must note that this refers to "general conditions." You must grasp it flexibly according to various different specific situations. For example, water more on sunny days; water less on cloudy days, and during continuous cloudy days water once every few days; do not water on rainy days. When the temperature is high and the air is dry, water several times a day; for a large pot, because the soil holds a large amount of water and does not dry out easily, water less; for a small pot, water evaporates easily, so water a moderate amount more. If the pot is placed in a well-ventilated place where evaporation is easy, it is appropriate to water a moderate amount more; in a place with poor ventilation, slow evaporation and high air humidity, water less. During the seedling stage you can water less; during the flowering stage more watering is needed. In short, it depends on the specific situation, with the principle of ensuring the potting soil is soft and moist, neither too dry nor too damp.
If conditions permit, of course magnetized water is best; next is rainwater, snow water or running water from rivers; next is pond water; the worst is tap water. Growers living in big cities only have tap water available, so you can use a small water vat or basin or bucket, put the tap water in it, and water after 2-3 days. This allows some harmful impurities in the water to settle. In addition, it allows the substances contained in the water to be oxidized and purified, and it can make the water temperature close to the humidity of the potting soil, so it will not be too cold or too hot and harm the plant.
(Reporter Anonymous)