Harvest Time

by Dr. Loukie Viljoen, South Africa

Starting Clivia Seeds in Arid Climates

Part 6

Well it is Saturday morning and lets go and have a look at V74-00.

Image 4210. These seeds still have our round green rings round the micropore. No fungus problems

Image 4211. There is a lot of vigorous root development but in some places the roots could not penetrate the seedling mixture and started standing up all over the show.

Image 4215S. A root is lying on the surface, we then take an old ball point pen (Does not have to be a BIC but then it need not be old and the adverts tell us it will still write) and make a neat hole.

Images 4217S and 4218S. Gently lower the root into the hole, tamp it down gently round the newly planted root and water if you wish.

Image 4221S. All the roots are back in place. I will water with an aerosol spray of water, put the peg back and leave till next week.

It seems that the roots develop first then the leaves, if you observe the seeds that germinate in the berry the reverse seems true, there the leaf development outstrips the root, could be due to the very cramped space in the berry. Well cheers for now.

Loukie Viljoen