- Clivias prefer being planted in large drifts under evergreen trees or shady areas. They can easily be planted with other shade plants.
- Work great in containers, which enables one to move them around.
- They dislike the hot afternoon sun which can burn their leaves.
- Planting them in a shady area will have the extra benefit of sheltering your Clivias from heavy frosts.
How to plant Clivias
- Clivias prefer a soil with adequate drainage and loads of organic matter topped off with a layer of mulch.
- Plant them 50-60cm apart with Clivia mix and Bonemeal.
- If the soil stays wet and doesn’t drain well, mix in riversand to improve the drainage.
- When planting Clivias in containers use equal parts potting soil and Clivia mix, with gravel in the base of the pot for drainage.
- Ensure that they always have a layer of mulch spread out on top of the soil. Not only will this help you cut down on watering, it will also mimic their natural growing conditions.
Clivia tips and tricks
- To get the best out of your Clivias feed them before and after flowering with a fertiliser for flowering plants such as 3:1:5.
- If you aren’t interested in growing Clivias from seed, it is best to cut off the flower stalks as soon as the flowers have faded. This will help your Clivia conserve energy that can rather be used for flowering and growing.
- Amaryllis caterpillar can be a nuisance on your Clivias. They start by damaging the leaves and then move down to the crown of the Clivia. They can easily be controlled by preventatively spraying with Margaret Roberts Biological caterpillar insecticide.
- Split your Clivias every 3-5 years to ensure that they don’t become root bound.
- When dividing Clivias try and keep them in clumps of 3-5 rhizomes. This will ensure that they flower the following year.
- Only divide or transplant Clivias after flowering.
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