Clianthus maximus
Germinating the seeds Note - your seeds might have some white fluff around them. It is not mold, but rather the natural "packing material" that's produced inside the seed pod. :-) Pre-treatment -- Rub each seed over coarse sandpaper or a nail file for a few seconds to scratch the hard seed coat, so water can enter easier. Next soak the seeds in a small cup of warm water for about 24 hours. The seeds will expand to about twice their size, and plant them once this happens. After 24 hours, repeat the sandpaper treatment, but soak them in hot water (not hot enough to burn you). If any seeds don't plump up after 24 hours, plant them anyway. Planting the seeds -- You may
plant each seed in individual, small containers, such as seedling starter trays For soil, use a well draining
mix. I use a mix of 1 part
coco fiber Fill the pots with the soil mix, place a seed on top, cover with 1/4 inch (6 mm) of soil, and water until evenly moist. If you enclose the pots in plastic container to maintain moisture, leave it open slightly to prevent stem rot later. They germinate well between
about 65 to 77 degrees F (18-25°C). A little cooler at night is ok.
Avoid letting them get above 80° F (27°C) for prolonged periods. I recommend placing a
minimum/maximum thermometer Most of the seeds should sprout within 4 to 6 weeks, although allow up to 10 weeks for any slow ones, especially at cooler temperatures. Once they sprout, give them bright light, but protect them from strong direct sun the first 2 months. For the first few months, i recommend keeping them above 55 degrees F (13°C). Growing on -- Repot to larger containers when they are 1-2 months old. Water the soil before repotting, to keep the soil ball from breaking apart, which can damage the delicate roots. For the first week after repotting, shade from sun and give no fertilizer. Fertilizing -- The first 6 weeks, feed weekly with a small amount of dilute (1/8 strength) liquid fertilizer. Hydroponic fertilizer is ideal for young seedlings, since it is easily absorbed and contains all essential nutrients. After 6 weeks, you may switch to a granular fertilizer that contains micronutrients, feeding at half the dosage on the package. Or continue feeding weekly with some dilute liquid fertilizer. Climate -- It does best with temperatures above freezing, although it reportedly can survive brief dips down to 22 degrees F (-5°C), although the foliage will likely die. If you are not in Zones 8b through 11, you may grow it in a pot and move it indoors for the winter, pruning it to any size that is convenient. It prefers mostly sunny conditions, although some afternoon shade may be needed in warmer areas. The plant is happiest below 85 degrees (29°C) and might lag in consistently hot summers with warm nights. Feel free to train the branches to grow along a fence or trellis. When the plant blooms, the flowers will dangle down, creating a spectacular effect. You may trim any branches that will block the "view" of the blooms. Pests to watch for - If slugs & snails are a problem in your area, make sure to bait for them, or keep the plant in a hanging planter. Watch for any insects that can affect your other plants. Have fun growing them! - Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
|
|||||||||
. 
to 1 part
(use fine- or medium-grade perlite, not coarse-grade). An alternate mix is 2 parts
quality potting soil
to 1 part perlite.
near the pots.