Germinating the seeds
Your seeds should be planted right away Getting started -- Rinse the seeds briefly under water. Use a small pot with drainage holes, about 3-4 inches (10 cm) tall and wide. Fill it with perlite. If you have vermiculite, mix 1 part vermiculite to 2 parts perlite, but this is not necessary. Push the seeds into the surface so the top of the seed is even with the surface. Put the seeds about 1 inch (3 cm) from each other. Water the pot. Make sure the top of the seed is visible (but not sticking out of the perlite). The optimal germination temperature is about 66-76° F (19-24°C) during the day. A little cooler at night is ok. Avoid letting them get above 79° F (26°C). I recommend placing a thermometer near the pot, since the temperature can vary in different parts of a room. Keep the pot in bright light out of direct sun. A fluorescent bulb placed 4 inches (10 cm) away provides the right amount of light. Ensure that the perlite always stays moist. If you enclose the pot in a bag or clear plastic container to maintain moisture, leave it open slightly for fresh air to enter. You may need to drip some water over the perlite daily to keep it moist. The seeds tend to sprout at different times, with most of them sprouting between 1 and 2 months. Occasionally they can take up to 6 months, so as long as the seeds are firm and white, do not give up on them! Once they sprout, continue giving bright light, with no direct sun. Once a seedling's first leaf is one week old, gently dig it up and repot into the soil mix described in the next paragraph. Use a pot with drainage holes, at least 5 inches (13 cm) tall. I prefer to use 1 pot per seedling, but you may use a communal pot - just place the seedlings 3 inches apart (7 cm). Soil -- The plants prefer a loose, well-draining medium. A typical mix would be 1 part fine-grade orchid bark, 1 part potting soil and 1 part perlite or coarse sand. An alternate mix is 1 part potting soil to 1 part perlite. Don't compress the soil after filling the pots. Re-potting -- Plants under 2 years old may be kept in a 1 gallon (4 liter) pot. After 2-3 years, move them to a 5 gallon (20 liter) pot, where they may stay for at least a few years. Long-term care -- Clivia caulescens has similar requirements to the common Clivia. Ideal temperatures are below 85 degrees F (29°C), with nights that are cool. It can survive a few degrees of frost, but the leaves will be damaged, so it's best to protect it from all frost, especially the first 2 years. Bright shade or filtered sun is best. Avoid strong sun exposure. Over about 40% humidity is recommended. The plants like to have their roots kept moist, but not soggy. So aim to keep the soil evenly moistened. Don't let it dry out completely. Don't let the pots sit in a tray of water. If your tap water is very "hard", meaning high in minerals, use bottled water or rain water. Fertilizing -- Feed about every 2-3 months with a slow-release (pelleted or organic) fertilizer. Small seedlings do not need much fertilizer, so be careful not to overfeed them the first few 2 months. It's possible that this species needs cooler winter temperatures in order to flower, like the common Clivia. So once the plants are 2-3 years old, try to expose them to temperatures between 45 and 60° F (7-15°C) for at least half the day during Winter. Reduce watering slightly in cooler temperatures, but don't let the soil dry out. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
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