How To Grow Alstroemerias - Alstroemeria Growing Tips
Alstroemeria is a wonderful flowering plant to grow in home gardens or even in flowering pots at home. Alstroemeria is commonly called as the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas.
It was a very common and loving flower for the Incas, where the Incas used Alstroemeria as flower offering to their sacred Gods and Goddesses, also as ornamental garland for them.
Alstroemerias are native to South America, although many countries have naturalized some of the species for commercial cultivation purposes. Now a days Alstroemeria's are growing commercially in United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, China, India, Taiwan. Most of the Alstroemeria species are restricted to two distinct centers of bio-diversity, one in central Chile, the other in eastern Brazil.
The Alstroemeria's from Chile are winter-growing plants while Alstroemeria's from Brazil are summer-growing. All are long-lived perennials.
Now a days many hybrids has been invented for commercial cultivation of Alstroemerias, as Alstroemerias are being used as one of the best cut-flowers around the globe.
How To Grow Alstroemerias ?
Alstroemerias mainly grows from their rhizomes, as one mature mother Alstroemeria plant has many healthy rhizomes growing in the soil, so in a small scale level Alstroemerias can be propagated from the mother plant's rhizomes only.
Now a days many commercial venture started propagating Alstroemeria's using laboratory based tissue culture techniques.
As scientists are innovating and introducing many new high yielding hybrid cultivar of Alstroemerias every year for commercial ventures and home gardens.
Alstroemeria Growing Tips
Choosing a planting position
Alstroemerias are low maintenance and very easy growing perennial flowering plants.They are not very fussy about planting site. The
only real problem to the Alstroemeria's is prone to waterlogged soil so avoid
this. Ideally choose a spot sheltered from the wind with full sun or light
shade as Alstroemeria loves sun lights.. The taller standard varieties will grow to an average height of 60-90 cm
so position them towards the back of a border and in most cases they will need
staking or support. Modern hybrid Alstroemeria require minimal maintenance and are not
invasive. Unlike older varieties they will simply form a clump gradually
increasing in size each year. If a group of Alstroemeria is being planted space
each plant 60 cm apart.
Alstroemeria will thrive in most conditions so long as the
soil is well drained. Heavy soil will need improvement with compost, well
rotted manure or even gravel, you can add clay balls or hydrotons, Vermiculite and Perlite when preparing soil for your Alstroemerias.
A very sandy soil will need repeated watering in
the first summer and will benefit from the addition of organic matter.
Alstroemeria can be grown in a pot – a size 12 inch diameter would be fine.
Use a
good quality peat based compost ( add one part soil / sand/ clay balls/coco peat/vermiculite/perlite) , and feed once per week with
a general plant liquid feed or water soluble NPK ( 20:20:20) once the first flower buds form.
Dig the planting area well to a depth of about 1 feet adding 60-125 grams per square meter of organic fertilizers (Vermi Compost, Cow dung, leaf mould etc.).
Before planting,
water the plant well in its pot or seedling bag or you can directly plant the Alstroemeria rhizomes in the prepared soil also.
Plant with the compost level about 5 cm below
soil level, firm in and water. Do not miss out watering regularly if
planting during a dry spell.
Mulching with 5 cm of compost or paddy straw is a good idea as
this will help to retain moisture and keep the rhizome cool in summer (warm,
dry conditions at root level will lead to a reduction in flowering).
Thereafter, each spring feed with a handful of general fertilizer per plant like micro fertilizers / NPK etc.
Alstroemeria are hardy perennials.They can survive frosts
of –5oC. However the most common time to lose a plant is
during the first winter when the plant will not have established a deep root
system.
In recent winters water logging has probably caused more winter plant
failures than low temperatures, so ensure the area or pot has good drainage and no water logging is occurring.
Pruning
Cut back the old growth of Alstroemeria to the ground level in November cover the plant with
5-10 cm depth of a suitable mulch such as garden compost, peat or well rotted
manure or paddy straw The area covered should be 45 cm across.
If the plant is growing in a
pot bring the pot into a greenhouse or conservatory for the winter if your temperature dips beyond minus 5 degree centigrade.
Alternatively,you can plunge the Alstroemeria pot into the border and cover as for a plant growing in
the soil.
When you are planting your Alstroemerias, please plant them 30 inches apart. Stake the plants
or support with 2 or 3 nets as they will grow taller than in the garden – to
about 1.6 meters high. During the summer water well, keep the greenhouse shaded
and use maximum ventilation.
If the soil dries out or the soil temperature
rises above 20 degrees centigrade for more than a few days, under these
conditions flowering will slow down or cease.
A good mulch of bark chips or
well rotted manure applied after watering will help keep the soil moist and
cool. Thin the stems once a month by pulling out any weak stems or those which
have reached a height of 40 inches without forming a bud.
Feed the Alstroemeria plants whilst
flower buds are present using a liquid vegetable fertilizers at the concentration
recommended for vegetables.
Alstroemerias are rarely troubled by aphids (greenfly) or
other sap-sucking insects.
The young shoots are susceptible to slug damage in
the spring so use slug traps near them.
Alstroemeria Toxicity
This plant's lovely appearance, however, belies its toxicity:
All species of Alstroemeria especially cut or damaged parts ,must be handled with care.
Every part of the Alstroemeria can be toxic. The cause of this toxicity is the compound Tulipalin, which is produced when plant tissues are damaged—for example by a cut. The sap of the Alstroemeria plant contains the compound Tuliposide A, whose enzymes produce the allergen, according to the Botanical Dermatology Database.
Because any part of the Alstroemeria plant can cause a reaction, gardeners may experience a reaction from such everyday handling as transplanting bulbs or cutting flowers.
To be safe, wear plastic gloves when working with Alstroemeria; ordinary cloth gardening gloves may allow the irritant, Tulipalin, to reach your skin.
Remove gloves as soon as you are finished, and wash your hands in warm, soapy water; be careful not to touch your face, especially your eyes or mouth, until you have done so.
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