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Turquoise Puya

 

Eucrosia mirabilis

Planting your bulb

 

  Start your bulb in a pot about 4 inches (10 cm) wide.

 Use a fast-draining soil mix, such as 1 part potting soil to 1 part perlite.  If you tend to overwater your plants, use extra perlite.

 The neck of the bulb should stay above the soil surface. 

 If your bulb has leaves - keep the soil evenly moist (but not fully saturated).  The first month, keep it between about 65 and 80 degrees F (18-27°C) during the day (a little cooler at night is ok). 

 If your bulb is dormant and has no leaves - keep the soil lightly moist throughout (not fully saturated) until it sprouts, which should be 1 to 4 months, depending on when it went dormant.  Until it sprouts, try to keep it between about 65 and 80 degrees F (18-27°C) during the day (a little cooler at night is ok). 

 It likes mostly-sunny conditions, or very bright artificial light.  But avoid giving strong sun the first month to prevent burning.

 Fertilizing -- It has low to average fertilizing requirements.  Feed it about every 3 months with a general-purpose fertilizer that contains micronutrients, following the dosage on the package.

 Dormancy care -- Reduce watering when the leaves drop as it nears dormancy.  While it's dormant, keep the soil slightly moist, but not completely dry.  If you wish, you may separate any baby bulbs that have emerged.

 Transplanting -- After about a year, you can repot it to a pot about 1 quart (1 liter), or about 5 inches (13 cm) wide), and leave it there until it flowers.  Avoid repotting it or separating the babies when it nears flowering size, when the bulb is about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.  It's ok if part of the bulb becomes exposed as it grows - you don't need to cover it.

Pests to watch for -- Mealybugs may attack the bulbs (look for cottony growth around the soil surface).  To control mealybugs, try using an insecticidal soap soil drench.

 General info about this plant

 Have fun growing it!

- Jeff

Strange Wonderful Things

 

 

 
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Turquoise Puya

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