Clivia Breeding Techniques and a Detailed Guide to Watering Time and Frequency

Clivia has relatively well-developed fleshy roots that store a certain amount of water, so this flower is fairly drought-tolerant. However, even drought-tolerant flowers must not be severely deprived of water, especially in summer when high temperatures combine with dry air, timely watering must not be forgotten, otherwise the roots and leaves of the plant 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 overwatering will also cause root rot. So it is important to master this well, always pay attention to the dryness and moisture of the potting soil, and water once as soon as it becomes half-dry, 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 best to water? Under general circumstances, water once a day in spring; for summer watering, a fine watering can may be used to water the leaf surfaces and the surrounding ground together, watering twice a day on sunny days; water every other day in autumn; water every other day in winter; in winter, water once a week or less. But it must be noted that this refers to "general circumstances." It must be flexibly adjusted according to various specific situations. For example, water more on sunny days; water less on cloudy days, and when there are consecutive 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 large pots, because the soil holds a large amount of water and does not dry out easily, water less; for small pots, where water evaporates easily, water a moderate amount more. If the pot is placed in a well-ventilated spot where evaporation happens easily, it is appropriate to water a moderate amount more; in places with poor ventilation, slow evaporation and high air humidity, water less. During the seedling stage, water less; during the flowering stage, more water is needed. In short, it should be decided according to the specific situation, with the principle of keeping the potting soil soft and moist, not too dry and not too soggy.

If conditions permit, magnetized water is of course the best; next is rainwater, snow water or running water from rivers; next is pond water; the worst is tap water. Flower growers living in big cities only have tap water available, so a small water vat, basin or bucket can be used, put the tap water into 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 can bring the water temperature close to the moisture level of the potting soil, so that it is not too cold or too hot and the plant is not harmed.