How to Grow and Sow Clivia Seeds

Clivia, also known as junzilan (Clivia miniata), is suitable for indoor cultivation, is very beautiful, and carries the noble character of a gentleman, so how do you plant Clivia seeds?

1. Prepare the potting soil

Clivia has fleshy roots and requires loose, fertile, well-drained soil; it grows best in slightly acidic soil (pH 6.2-6.7). You can use decomposed chicken manure and pond mud mixed at 4:6, or better still, use pine needles, decomposed organic fertilizer, and river sand mixed at a ratio of 5:3:2.

2. Light

Clivia likes partial shade, especially in summer, when direct blazing sun easily causes “sunscald”. Therefore, in summer it must be shaded, with half shade and half sun being best, giving deep green leaves; but in winter it needs sufficient sunlight, and good light is an important condition for producing large, brightly colored flowers.

3. Humidity

Clivia likes to grow in a humid environment; the relative air humidity should be no lower than 60%, and then the leaves are glossy; if the environment is dry, the leaves are dull and lusterless, and may even wilt, turn yellow, and grow poorly. Therefore, in summer, when temperatures are high and evaporation is fast, sprinkle water on the ground around the pot and mist the leaf surfaces 2-3 times a day to increase humidity, lower temperature, and keep the leaf surfaces clean. But be careful not to let water run down to the root crown, to prevent the potting soil from becoming waterlogged.

4. Watering

Accurately judging the wetness and dryness of the Clivia potting soil is the key to watering; the method is not to water if not dry, and when watering, water thoroughly. In spring and autumn, during vigorous growth, the amount of water can be greater, keeping the potting soil moist; during the “dog days” of midsummer, evaporation is high, so if ventilation is good you can water more, but if the weather is muggy and ventilation is poor, water less; during the “three nine days” of midwinter, growth basically stops, so watering is not advisable; to keep the potting soil moist, you can place a layer of moss on the surface of the pot.

5. Fertilizing

Follow the principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently”, and never apply strong or raw fertilizer, to avoid leaf scorch and root rot. Organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed. The suitable growing temperature for Clivia is 15-25°C; if you can keep it within this range, you can fertilize continuously all year round. If it is at natural temperatures, apply more in spring and autumn, and apply less or not at all in summer and winter. Plants that have not yet flowered should be given more decomposed cake fertilizer and other fertilizers with a higher nitrogen content (one-year-old small seedlings are not fertilized); at the end of autumn you can apply fertilizer with a higher potassium content, which not only promotes vigorous growth of leaves, stems, and roots, but also improves cold resistance and disease resistance. For plants that have already flowered, apply more decomposed cake fertilizer in spring, and especially in autumn apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; you can also use a 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution for foliar feeding in the early morning or evening.

6. Changing the potting soil

Change the potting soil once a year; when planting, do not plant too deep, burying soil only up to the fleshy root crown is enough, and the surface can be covered with a layer of moss.

Throughout the year of caring for Clivia, the potted plant should often be sprayed with clean water, and after spraying it is best to wipe it dry with a fine cloth; this not only increases the glossiness of the leaves but also enhances its ornamental value.