Germinating the seeds
Your seeds should be planted the day they arrive. They might sprout during shipping, so be careful when opening the packet, to avoid damaging the root. Getting started -- You may either plant them in individual pots, or together in a communal pot. Either way, the pots should be at least 3 inches tall (8 cm) and have drainage holes. Rinse the seeds in water before planting. For soil, use a well draining
mix. I use a mix of 1 part
coir fiber Rinse the seeds in water to clean them. Push them into the soil, sideways, until just a small tip of the seed is exposed. Plant them at least 1.5 inches (4 cm) from each other. Water the soil until evenly moist, but don't fully saturate it. Keep them this moist until they sprout. If you enclose the pot in a bag or clear plastic container to maintain moisture, leave it open slightly for fresh air to enter. They germinate well at about 65-80° F (18-27°C)
during the day. A little cooler at night is ok. I have not tried
germinating them outside this temperature range. I recommend placing a
minimum/maximum thermometer An LED or fluorescent bulb kept 4 inches (10 cm) away provides the right amount of light (See: "Growing indoors with LED lights"). Protect from direct sun. They tend to begin sprouting within about 4-6 weeks. Occasionally they can take up to 3 months, so as long as the seeds look healthy, don't give up on them! Once they sprout, continue giving bright light, with no direct sun for the first 4 weeks. Fertilizing -- The first
6 weeks, feed every 7 days with a small amount of dilute (1/8 strength) liquid fertilizer.
Hydroponic fertilizer
is ideal for seedlings, because it is easily absorbed and contains all essential
nutrients. After 6-8 weeks, you may switch to a granular fertilizer Re-potting -- You may repot to a bigger pot any time after they are 2 months old. The first year you can keep it in a 4 inch (10 cm) pot. The second year, move it to a 5-6 inch (13-15 cm) pot, which can hold it until it flowers. The plants do not mind being root-bound. Repotting it when it nears flowering size might delay flowering. Feel free to remove any offsets that develop. Lighting -- This forest plant prefers filtered sunlight or bright shade with some weak sun. Protect it from strong afternoon sun. Climate -- It comes from 1000-2000 meter elevation, where temperatures are mild all year, and nights are cool. It is reported to grow well in temperatures in the 90s (36°C). Its roots probably can handle down to the mid-20s (-4°C) but it's best to protect it from frost. Indoors, the plant can stay evergreen unless exposed to very cool temperatures, which may cause dormancy. Watering -- The roots like to be kept moist, but not constantly saturated. So aim to keep the soil evenly moistened. Outdoors, if heavy rainfall/watering is unavoidable, use extra perlite in your soil mix. Dormancy -- When the rhizome prepares for dormancy, some or all the leaves will turn yellow and drop. Reduce the watering when this happens, and keep the soil lightly moist (not fully dry) until it sprouts in a few months. Flowering -- I believe that cool nights trigger flowering, so when it reaches flowering size (approximately 1 year), expose it to about 6 weeks of temperatures below 60°F (15°C) for at least 8 hours a day. Just keep it above freezing (over 40°F / 4°C is best). If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Have fun growing them! - Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
|
|||||||||
to 1 part
to 1 part perlite
or coarse horticultural sand. Don't add lime to your mix, but you may mix
in some slow-release fertilizer.
near the pots.
that contains micronutrients, following the dosage on the package. Or continue feeding weekly with
some liquid fertilizer at 1/8 strength.