What should I do with my Clivias?

16 years ago

I have about 25 Clivias growing in my cellar under lights and they all look so nice! Some even in flowering stage. Especially the variegated version. But here is my dilema?

If it is true that they don't like their roots being disturbed, then what should I do?

When I first got them, before I even heard of this site or Al's wonderful soiless well draining mix, I potted them all up in peatmoss and regular potting soil in clay containers. Some in 6 inch, and some bigger sizes... I would like to transplant everyone of these into this soil for the summer, for fear eventually, the soil they are already in is starting to look like it is getting tired and could break down causing root rot problems. Clivia plants like to be on the drier side of things in pots.

All I see on instuctions ,on how to grow clivia, is to put them in a well draining, rich humesy mix, even leaf mold? What the heck this is I have no clue.. I think Als' fits the descripton unless someone has a comment otherwise. I am pretty sure that anything will grow well in Als soil consisting of turface, granite, bark, and some charcoal.

Should I leave them alone, or transplant now that it is spring even though the plants seem to be healthy anyways?

Thankyou!!

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Comments (3)

birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Hey Mike, Wow, you have 25 Clivias!!! Amazing. You sure have a good number of plants. Clivias, palms, citrus, etc, etc.
Leaf Mold is broken down, composted trees and shrubbery. One of my plant books explain which medium is used in place of leaf mold, I can't recall type or find the book. Actually, even though compost is excellent for gardens, I wouldn't use in place or in addition to indoor plants. For one, it'd probably decay, keep soil wet, plus think of the insects. Yuck. Centipedes, milipedes, worms, etc.

I repot Clivias once every three years. The oldest, (started from seed in 1982,) cracked three pots over the years because roots grew and grew and grew. LOL. It it said Clives don't like their roots disturbed, and usually when you repot, for some reason, (this happened to me, I don't know if it happens to everyone) the years I repotted, the following late winter/spring, they didn't bud. It's true they enjoy being rootbound. The tighter the fit, more flowers you get.
If your Clivias need repotting then do so. What material are pots? Clay, plastic? What color flowers? I love variegated..I have 3 Clivias, two tiny. Got one shoot from a friend, 12/05 (7 leaves) (when older it'll sprout yellow flowers) and won the variegated on, I think Ebay (6 leaves.) They are slow-growing. Both are few yrs old, stared with 2 and 3 leaves. Take about 7 years before blooms. My oldest has orange and yellow flowers.
If roots are growing above soil line or of out drainage holes, then repot, but don't pot up too large. Also, I wouldn't touch Clivias in bud/flower. It may or may not kill blooms, it's up to you. Good luck, Toni
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Toni!!

They are all growing in clay pots. I suppose the best thing to do would be to leave them alone until I see signs of stress on the plants..ha.
Well, I have about 17 variegated ones, the rest flowering yellows and reds!
THEY ARE EASY to grow in comparison to citrus!!lol
I grow them under lites in my cellar so they grow straight up in a perfect semetrical shape. The minute I gorw them in window lite, or outdoors, sum of the leaves reach for the sun and it ruins the shape. I only give them 6 hours of lite all winter and little water to get tem to flower. I managed to get three of my variegated to to bloom!! My yellow ones I think are still to young to bloom. The ones flowering have about 7 leaves on each side. I have had these for about 3 years....Man they are so beautiful. When they bloom I bring them up to my home and show them off!!
From summer till fall, I increase lite to 10 hours a day for growth.
I got mine on E-bay too!!
Man they can be expensive, even more so once they are as big as mine!! I have sum worth hundreds of dollars.
Thanks Toni!!!
I would love to see them growing in the awsome soiless fast draining mix I make, now that I know what I am doing, but I just wasn't sure if I should do it now, knowing that I put them in mostly peatmoss when I first got them.
Guess I will wait!!:-)
Take care
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I see Barbara Pleasant, Complete Houseplant Survival Manual (2005, Storey) describes them having the same requirement you mentioned here. A special temperature regimen is needed to make a clivia bloom, but this is easily accomplished by keeping the plant outdoors in fall during the last month before the first frosts arrive, and then moving it to your coolest indoor room and keeping it rather dry until midwinter. After this cool, dry rest, a gradual increase in water, coupled with normal room temperatures, leads to a beautiful show of blossoms in February or March http://www.bing.com/shop?q=complete+houseplant+survival+manual&FORM=SHOPPA&originIGUID=5E411E2F3E8D4CC284BF641D293300CE I didn't ever get "a beautiful show" from mine, rather one or two clusters each time. Well below the leaves and off to the side. The basis for plants and seeds needing seemingly special or peculiar conditions like this in cultivation is how they have come to react to the climate of their native area, with there being times of the year when it is not suitable to be doing something like sprouting or blooming.
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birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Hey Mike, you have red-flowering Clivias??? Boy, would I love seeing pics of those guys.
I've never even heard of red flowers on Clivias.
When you won them on Ebay, did you buy them from a seller in China or US? Did you notice, there were quite a few Clivia (plants and seeds) sellers in China? More there than US.
I really wish you'd take pics. lol. Would love seeing your palm, (what's its name, w/red leaf?) Torch or something, and red clivias in bloom.
I'm shocked they live in a basement w/so little light, and bloom to boot. Clivias don't need much winter sun, but 3 hours of gro-lights? Amazing. Is it cooler in your basement?
Do you have any variegated Clivias with a white stripe? Mine has yellow, very little variegation. Maybe it needs more sun???
Mike I'm not telling you not to repot, okay? It's only a suggestion. If you read info via plant books/websites on Clivia, you'll see where it says they should be repotted once every 3 yrs. Still, I am suggesting, and this is only my opinion, those in bloom shouldn't be bothered. Most flowering plants shouldn't be disturbed, you know? But whether or not to repot is up to you..(S) Toni
PS..Post Pics..LOL..

What should I do with my Clivias?

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birdsnblooms

meyermike_1micha
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What should I do with my Clivias?

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birdsnblooms

meyermike_1michaOriginal Author

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meyermike_1micha
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