How to Care for Clivia in Winter? A Detailed Guide to Edible Mushroom Cultivation Methods
In winter, when temperatures are low, special attention should be paid to strengthening management after Clivia is brought indoors.
1. Keep warm and control temperature. Clivia likes warmth and fears both heat and cold. Growth is hindered below 5°C, and at 0°C it is prone to frost damage. In the Yangtze River basin and areas to the north, potted Clivia must be moved indoors or into a greenhouse or polytunnel for care in winter. When the indoor temperature drops below 10°C, in addition to covering the surface of the potting soil with a 1 cm thick layer of charcoal powder for insulation, it should also be placed in a sunny, warm spot indoors. When the indoor temperature continues to drop, a plastic film cover can be placed over the flower pot to help raise the temperature, but the temperature inside the cover must not exceed 25°C; if it does, ventilation is needed to cool it down. After the Clivia flower scape forms, keep the room temperature at around 18°C, and it is best to maintain a day-night temperature difference of 6°C to 10°C; otherwise, the flower scape will bloom before reaching the proper height, causing the "stuck scape" phenomenon. After flowering, ventilation and cooling can be appropriately increased, which helps extend the flowering period.
2. Fertilize appropriately. After Clivia is brought indoors, a small amount of solid fertilizer can first be applied, such as fermented soybean cake, decomposed sesame oil residue, roasted bone meal, and dried blood meal. After that, about every 20 days, a fermented soybean cake solution can be added along with watering. The amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied must be strictly controlled to prevent excessive leaf growth and adverse effects on flowering. Plants about to bloom can be given a moderate increase of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote flower bud differentiation and formation, rapid "scape shooting," and earlier blooming.
3. Adjust lighting. Indoors, Clivia has limited light conditions, which can be adjusted by manually moving the flower pot. Normally, during the day the pot can be placed in a sunny spot so it can receive sunlight and maintain its proper color. In the early stage before flowering, artificial supplementary lighting is also needed at night by placing it under a fluorescent lamp. In particular, to keep the leaves on both sides of the Clivia growing in a neat and uniform direction, the plant's light exposure must also be kept balanced; be sure to turn the flower pot 180 degrees about every half month to prevent the leaves from growing lopsided and reducing ornamental value. After flowering, the lighting time can be appropriately reduced to extend the flowering period.
4. Control watering. Clivia has fleshy roots and fears waterlogging; excessive watering can suffocate the roots or even cause root rot. Especially in winter, because temperatures are relatively low and water evaporates slowly, the amount of watering should be controlled even more. The potting soil is best kept slightly dry, and watering about once every 20 days is suitable. The water temperature for watering should not be too low and should be comparable to room temperature. To increase air humidity, water can be sprayed on the ground around the pot. Avoid excessive watering that causes waterlogging or half-watering that affects root absorption.
5. Extend the flowering period. The flowering period of Clivia is mostly from December to March of the following year. The method to extend the flowering period is to place it in a dark place when the flowers are about to open, appropriately control watering, and maintain a room temperature of 8°C to 12°C, which can extend the flowering period by 10 days to 20 days. In order to produce more famous Clivia varieties, during flowering, a famous cross-pollinated Clivia variety can be selected as the male parent for timely pollination. Generally, self-pollination should not be used, because it not only has a low seed-setting rate, but the variety will also degenerate.
6. Clean the plant. Clivia is a flower variety valued for both leaves and flowers. If the leaves are polluted by dust, they will lose their green color and develop disease spots and rotten leaves, reducing flower quality and shortening the ornamental period. If the leaf surface is polluted by dust or mud, it should be wiped clean at any time with gauze dipped in clean water. When fertilizing, care should also be taken to avoid fertilizer liquid touching the leaves. When watering and washing leaves, prevent water from accumulating in the leaf axils; otherwise, it will cause heart rot and "stuck scape," affecting growth and flowering. (Cao Dihuan, Liu Jianwu)