Jax4ever
Boxford, MA
Zone 6a
October 11, 2006
8:51 PM | I hope this is the forum to post to for Clivias... if anyone knows of an "Uber" or Clivia expert, please let me know.
First, let me jump up and down and scream for awhile..... I am SO MAD!!!
OK- Here's the problem. I cannot-CANNOT- grow a Clivia!!! I grow mostly C/S, and I am the stingiest waterer ever. Some of my C/S only get water if they're out during the summer. My house is very dry, with forced hot air (that's why only C/S and a Philodendron will tolerate it!)
I adore Clivias. I purchased a 2-year plant about 5 years ago. It developed a brown ring at the area near the soil, and it died within 7 months. I thought it was an isolated occurance, and purchased another, from another source. Same thing. Furious but undetered, I purchased 3 smaller plants from a local greenhouse a year ago. One died within 2 months; same brown rot. I took the other two out of the pots, hosed off all the soil, and found some mushy roots. I tore off the mushy roots, sprayed with Captan (fungicide) and re-potted in fresh soil. Inside of 6 months, they were losing leaves. I repeated the process and put them out for this summer season; this time, I set the crown of each plant on rock chips, so only the new root shoots were touching the soil. I mounded up the rock chips to hold each plant upright. To my delight, they started aggressively and quickly growing big, heathy roots.
Long story even longer... I brought them inside for the fall last week. I just went to check on them, and the SAME rot is starting on the new roots! The formerly healthy leaves are turning yellow, and the roots are rotting right on top of the rock top dressing.
I once tried some Clivia seeds-- they sprouted and grew wonderfully for me-- and each one developed rot and keeled over before their 6 mo. birthday!
Now, I grow Pachypodium and other succulents; they don't rot on me! I don't water my plants. What is this Curse of the Clivia???? |