Caterpillars ?

Tags

butterfly, caterpillar, clivia, crinum, environment, green tip, home grown, jeremy taylor, nature, netting, organic, Pest control

Do you have a problem with caterpillars on your Crinum and Clivias?

This innovative method was sent to me via Jeremy Taylor from Sydney.

Simply drape netting over your plants, this stops the butterfly from laying her eggs on your plants.

Photo credits Jeremy Taylor

Plant propagation

Tags

clivia, Cutting (plant), cuttings, division, gardening, layering, nature, plant, propagation, Seed, seeds, vegetative propagation

Propagation is the term used to describe the process of plant reproduction. There are two categories of propagation, i.e. seminal and vegetative. Seminal propagation results from sowing seeds. Plants grown from seed are entirely unique and may differ from each other and from the parent plant. Vegetative propagation embraces all other techniques of reproduction such as cutting, grafting and layering and plants propagated in this manner are identical to their parents i.e. they are clones.

Cuttings

The terms softwood, semi-ripe and hardwood are to plant life the equivalent to the stages of infant, teenager and adult life in humans.

Softwood – is taken very early in the growing season, before there is any sign of hardening of the new shoots. They are green, both at the tip and base.

Semi-ripe – is taken at the end of the growing season when the tip of the stem is soft and green, but the base is hardening, going brown and starting to become woody.

Hardwood – is taken in the winter when the stem has become hardened and woody throughout its length.

Other terms used in cutting jargon are heel, stem and tip. These refer to the part of the stem that is being used for the cutting.

Heel cutting – the stem is torn off in a way that retains a portion of the parent branch – a heel – at its base. Heel cuttings are most often made from softwood or semi-ripe wood. They are normally about 3 to 15 cm long.

Stem cuttings – most often used for hardwood cuttings. They normally include 20 to 30 cm of the stem to provide a reservoir of nutrients so that the cutting can survive through the winter until growth begins in spring.

Tip cuttings – short portions 3 to 15cm long taken from the tips of the stems. These parts are used for softwood and semi-ripe cuttings.

The reason for the different types of cuttings is that some species will propagate more readily from a stem cutting than a root cutting. There are, however, many plants that will reproduce from more than one type of cutting.

Cuttings are encouraged to grow roots and to this end they require moisture, light and a clean, free draining soil. A dusting hormone in the form of rooting powder may be used to help cuttings take root. It is advisable to strip most of the leaves from the cutting in order to reduce the amount of moisture lost through transpiration, while the remaining leaves will add to the food reserves through photosynthesis.

Division

This is the quickest way to increase perennials that have a spreading rootstock and produce new shoots annually from the crown. Division is best carried out when the plant is dormant. Lift the parent plants and shake off excess soil from the roots. Separate the plants into sections using a garden fork, a spade or a sharp knife. Ensure that each plant has a good root system. Discard old or damaged pieces and replant the segments at the original depth of soil. Examples of this type of division include Agapanthus, Clivia, Iris, and Shasta Daisy.

Seed

Most seed is best sown as soon as ripe. If necessary, soak fruits in water first, then extract seeds by rubbing the flesh and leave to dry. Hard-coated seeds may need soaking or scarification before germination. Soak in recently boiled water from between 10 minutes to 72 hours, depending on the species. Viable seeds will swell and should be sown immediately in situ or in a tray or seedbed. Soil should be kept moist. Lightly cover the seeds with compost or soil. As a general rule, cover seeds with about their own depth of soil. Mix fine seeds with a little dry river sand, trickle them over the compost and do not cover. Ensure that the seeds are kept moist.

Stored in a dry place most seeds remain good for 2 to 3 years but germination rates gradually decline.

Layering, suckers and grafting

Layering is a simple method for increasing plants with stems that will produce roots if wounded. The stem is pegged into the ground and left to form roots, while still attached to the parent plant.

Suckering plants, such a Tecomaria, Wisteria and Plumbago, naturally produce suckers that may be detached and inserted as ready-rooted plants.

Grafting involves taking the stem of one plant and uniting it with the rootstock of a closely related plant. Roses and fruit trees are propagated in this way. Grafting is best left to the specialists.

Caterpillars ?

Tags

butterfly, caterpillar, clivia, crinum, environment, green tip, home grown, jeremy taylor, nature, netting, organic, Pest control

Do you have a problem with caterpillars on your Crinum and Clivias?

This innovative method was sent to me via Jeremy Taylor from Sydney.

 

Simply drape netting over your plants, this stops the butterfly from laying her eggs on your plants.

Photo credits Jeremy Taylor

Clivia Miniata.

Tags

Africa, Cape Town, clivia, duchess of northumberland, Flowers, gardening, Kwazulu-Natal, nature, November, plant, plants, South Africa, South African endemic plant

Clivia miniata

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Common names: Bush lily (English); Boslelie (Afrikaans); umayime (Zulu)

Clivia miniata

Clivia- after the Duchess of Northumberland, Lady Charlotte Clive who first cultivated and flowered the type specimen in England.

miniata – colour of red lead – referring to the flowers.

The world’s love affair with South Africa’s clivia began in the 1800’s when specimens were sent back to England from Kwazulu-Natal. In Victorian times this beautiful plant was very popular for indoor use in England and Europe. The discovery of the yellow flowered Clivia miniata (C. miniata var. citrina) in the late 1800’s fuelled an interest which still persists today.

Clivia with variegated leavesPart of the fascination has been with the breeding of clivia, both between the four species (C. nobilis, C. gardenii, C. caulescens, C. miniata ) and between forms and colours within the species. Breeders select for specific traits in each generation which produces pronounced qualities such as huge, broad petalled flowers, red, yellow or apricot coloration, broad leaves, fan shaped leaf arrangement, variegation, dwarfism and many others. Internationally, the most advanced breeding of Cliva is happening in the Far East, most notably Japan.

Yellow formClivia miniata is a clump forming perennial with dark green, strap shaped leaves which arise from a fleshy underground stem. The flowering heads of brilliant orange (rarely yellow), trumpet shaped flowers appear mainly in spring (August to November) but also sporadically at other times of the year. The deep green shiny leaves are a perfect foil for the masses of orange flowers.

Clivia are endemic to southern Africa, meaning that they do not occur naturally anywhere else in the world! The wild bush lily grows in the forests of Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Swaziland. The habitat may vary from subtropical coastal forest to ravines in high altitude forest. The bush lily grows in dappled shade, often in large colonies. The soil is well drained and humus rich. Occasionally they may be found growing in the fork of a tree.

Sadly in many areas colonies of wild bush lilies have been destroyed by harvesting for traditional medicine and also by plant collectors. The rhizomes are reportedly extremely toxic but are used medicinally for various purposes.

Growing Clivia miniata

Clivia miniata is easily cultivated and very rewarding. It should be planted in dappled shade, (they are sensitive to sunlight and will burn easily) in well composted soil. This will also help with soil water retention during dry periods. The plants should be watered regularly during the summer months which is their growing season. Watering can be reduced during winter and the plants will tolerate fairly long dry periods. Bush lilies are spectacular container subjects. They should be grown in a well drained potting medium which has plenty of compost added. This will also ensure good aeration which is another of their requirements. Clivia respond well to feeding in the summer months, either with slow release fertiliser included in the potting mix or with a good liquid feed. Beds of established clivia can be given a granular fertiliser such as 3:1:5 or 2:3:2 and will benefit from a thick layer of organic mulch such as well rotted compost, annually.

The bush lily is frost tender and may be damaged if in a position that is exposed, to cold winds especially. It takes a long time for the damage to grow out if this happens, so it is best to select a sheltered site.

Clivia miniata can be propagated by seed or by removing suckers. The fruits are bright orange when ripe (or golden in the case of the yellow-flowered plants). The pulp should be removed from the seed when you are ready to sow . The seeds are large with a pearly sheen and should be sown fresh for best results. (Remember to wash your hands very well after cleaning the seed.) Sow the seed in deep trays in sifted seedling mix which has been sterilized. Simply press the seeds gently into the mix until they are almost flush with the surface. The medium should be kept moist but since the seeds take a long time to germinate (four to six weeks), keep an eye out for algal growths on the surface which will deprive the germinating seeds of oxygen. They may remain in the trays for up to two years before they are large enough to plant on.

Large clumps can be split up using two forks to lever them apart or individual plants can be removed using a clean, sharp spade. These plants may not flower for a couple of seasons after splitting. This method of propagation is a reliable method of obtaining plants which are true to colour which is a problem when using seed. A yellow clivia will not necessarily yield yellow seedlings!

References:

* Duncan, GD. 1999. Grow Clivias. Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. National
Botanical Institute. Cape Town.
* Pooley, E. 1998. A Field Guide to Wild Flowers of Kwazulu-Natal and the
Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban
* Van Wyk, B-E, van Oudtshoorn, B & Gericke, N. 1997. Medicinal Plants
of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.

Source :http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantcd/cliviaminiata.htm

 

Plant propagation

Tags

clivia, Cutting (plant), cuttings, division, gardening, layering, nature, plant, propagation, Seed, seeds, vegetative propagation

Propagation is the term used to describe the process of plant reproduction. There are two categories of propagation, i.e. seminal and vegetative. Seminal propagation results from sowing seeds. Plants grown from seed are entirely unique and may differ from each other and from the parent plant. Vegetative propagation embraces all other techniques of reproduction such as cutting, grafting and layering and plants propagated in this manner are identical to their parents i.e. they are clones.

Cuttings

The terms softwood, semi-ripe and hardwood are to plant life the equivalent to the stages of infant, teenager and adult life in humans.

Softwood – is taken very early in the growing season, before there is any sign of hardening of the new shoots. They are green, both at the tip and base.

Semi-ripe – is taken at the end of the growing season when the tip of the stem is soft and green, but the base is hardening, going brown and starting to become woody.

Hardwood – is taken in the winter when the stem has become hardened and woody throughout its length.

Other terms used in cutting jargon are heel, stem and tip. These refer to the part of the stem that is being used for the cutting.

Heel cutting – the stem is torn off in a way that retains a portion of the parent branch – a heel – at its base. Heel cuttings are most often made from softwood or semi-ripe wood. They are normally about 3 to 15 cm long.

Stem cuttings – most often used for hardwood cuttings. They normally include 20 to 30 cm of the stem to provide a reservoir of nutrients so that the cutting can survive through the winter until growth begins in spring.

Tip cuttings – short portions 3 to 15cm long taken from the tips of the stems. These parts are used for softwood and semi-ripe cuttings.

The reason for the different types of cuttings is that some species will propagate more readily from a stem cutting than a root cutting. There are, however, many plants that will reproduce from more than one type of cutting.

Cuttings are encouraged to grow roots and to this end they require moisture, light and a clean, free draining soil. A dusting hormone in the form of rooting powder may be used to help cuttings take root. It is advisable to strip most of the leaves from the cutting in order to reduce the amount of moisture lost through transpiration, while the remaining leaves will add to the food reserves through photosynthesis.

Division

This is the quickest way to increase perennials that have a spreading rootstock and produce new shoots annually from the crown. Division is best carried out when the plant is dormant. Lift the parent plants and shake off excess soil from the roots. Separate the plants into sections using a garden fork, a spade or a sharp knife. Ensure that each plant has a good root system. Discard old or damaged pieces and replant the segments at the original depth of soil. Examples of this type of division include Agapanthus, Clivia, Iris, and Shasta Daisy.

Seed

Most seed is best sown as soon as ripe. If necessary, soak fruits in water first, then extract seeds by rubbing the flesh and leave to dry. Hard-coated seeds may need soaking or scarification before germination. Soak in recently boiled water from between 10 minutes to 72 hours, depending on the species. Viable seeds will swell and should be sown immediately in situ or in a tray or seedbed. Soil should be kept moist. Lightly cover the seeds with compost or soil. As a general rule, cover seeds with about their own depth of soil. Mix fine seeds with a little dry river sand, trickle them over the compost and do not cover. Ensure that the seeds are kept moist.

Stored in a dry place most seeds remain good for 2 to 3 years but germination rates gradually decline.

Layering, suckers and grafting

Layering is a simple method for increasing plants with stems that will produce roots if wounded. The stem is pegged into the ground and left to form roots, while still attached to the parent plant.

Suckering plants, such a Tecomaria, Wisteria and Plumbago, naturally produce suckers that may be detached and inserted as ready-rooted plants.

Grafting involves taking the stem of one plant and uniting it with the rootstock of a closely related plant. Roses and fruit trees are propagated in this way. Grafting is best left to the specialists.