Sinningia stapelioides
Planting the tuber
Getting started -- Use a pot about 3 inches (8 cm) wide. Use a well-draining soil mix. A typical mix is 2 parts
quality potting soil Keep it around 60 and 80 degrees F (16-27°C) in in a bright spot out of direct sun. A bright LED lamp kept 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) away provides the right amount of light (See: "Growing indoors with LED lights"). Until it sprouts, enclose the pot in a plastic container or bag to maintain moisture. Just allow some fresh air to enter by leaving the container open slightly or punching a few holes in the bag. Add a little water whenever the soil surface dries out. It should sprout in 1 to 3 months, depending on when it went dormant. Once it sprouts, remove it from the container or bag. Younger tubers have multiple leaves, while older tubers usually just have one or sometimes two. Growing onward.. Climate -- It comes from a mild climate, so it grows well for me indoors between 60 and 80 degrees F (16-27°C). I don't know how much cold and heat it's able to take. Over about 40% humidity is best. If it seems to suffer from low humidity indoors, consider using an ultrasonic humidifier. Watering -- Aim to keep the soil evenly moist most of the time. Don't let it dry out completely, but don't keep it constantly saturated either. Lighting -- It likes filtered sun or part sun. It might need some protection from strong afternoon sun. Despite what some say, it doesn't need natural light or short days to trigger flowering. It flowers for me under an LED panel that's on over 12 hours per day. Fertilizing -- It has average fertilizer needs. If your potting soil contains fertilizer, it shouldn't need feeding the first 8 weeks. After that, you can feed using a general-purpose fertilizer, following the dosage on the package. Dormancy -- The tuber will drop its foliage each year and go dormant for a few months. Keep the soil lightly moist throughout dormancy. When it nears flowering size, make sure the soil doesn't dry out during dormancy, since that seems to inhibit flowering. If you have questions, feel free to contact me.. Have fun growing it! - Jeff Strange Wonderful Things
|
|||||||||
to 1 part perlite (use small-grade perlite, not large chunks). Plant it so
the widest part of the base is at soil level. Add water until the soil is
evenly moist (but not saturated). 