I posted this in the container forum, but thought I'd try here as well.
Does anyone do this? I know that the soil must be free flowing and not heavy. I'm considering using one of two peat based mixes. One is the Pro Max Growers Mix and the other is the one offered by Miracle Grow. I believe the MG mix has fertilizer in it. Any opinions or suggestions? Do you think sand needs to be added to either mix?
Also, I'm considering using an 18" pot . I'm not aware that there are any requirements on depth, however in a garden setting, I've heard the tubers can go down as far as 18 inches.
Alstroemeria in a Container
Don't have an answer for you, but I'll be following the thread!
Sanna
Beaker,
I have mine in a larger clay pot, 20 inch, with a peat mixture. It is doin really well and is covered with blooms. Kinda late here and I will be gone until Saturday. Will get some pics then and post them.
I wish I'd grown mine in a container - it is rampant in the garden! The roots are long and fleshy so get the deepest pot you can. The flowers are so lovely :)
Well, I've heard they can become invasive out in the garden. I'm hoping for something better behaved in a pot. Do you know anything about fertilization requirements? Do they like to be fertilized or not?
ask zuzu, she grows a lot of alstromerias. you can find her in the rose forum and the california forum.
This message was edited May 14, 2006 8:43 PM
Very interesting! I did not know it could be invasive. Luckily I have it growing in the flower bed around my patio. The bed is contained on all sides by stone. Almost impossible for it to escape.
beaker, How do they grow for you? Do yuo have luck with other zone 5 plants?
Pauline, right now I have two in tiny pots sitting on a shelf in my dining room. I want to put them in pots, but wasn't sure how big a pot I needed or the soil mix. It's looking like I should go for a 20" pot using Pro Mix peat mixed with some course sand. I'm not sure if they like fertilizer or not. I got my plants from Wayside and they were kind of ill when I received them. I treated them with some of the fish stuff (Super Thrive? I can never remember these names), but after 2 treatments it started to decline again, so I switched to straight water. Seems better now and putting out new growth. My plan, if I can get these to grow, is to overwinter them in pots in my basement. So, I'll be out looking for some very light 20" pots.
The only zone 5 plant that I've had luck with, besides lilies, is an Agastache, Golden Jubilee. The bumble bees love it and it came through this winter unharmed. It was very well mulched. I actually didn't think it would make it because I moved it last fall. Afterwards, I read you shouldn't move them in the fall. I've heard of people having luck with a lavender, Munstead I think.
I have tried lavander for the last time. I tried in three years in a row and no luck. I try to get zone 3 plants if possible. I think part of it is that we live on a hill and get little snow cover and a lot of wind.
I also look for zone 3 plants. I've given up on shasta daisies. I tried those for 3 years and each winter they died out. Linders seems to have a lot of zone 5 plants that they push. For instance, the Etain Viola. I planted three of those last year and they died out. Linders guarenteed them.
I was really pleased yesterday when I went to Rice Creek Gardens. When I got up to the check out I was told that they couldn't guarentee one of the plants I had chosen it might not come back next year even though it was labeled as zone 4. So I chose another one. Now that makes you feel good.
I've got to get up there. Maybe when I'm on vacation over Memorial Day week. Is this the place that is moving? Maybe I shouldn't go up there. If I really like it, I'll be bummed they are leaving.
It is the place that is moving and I am bummed that it is moving.
I was watching this thread, beaker. How did your Alstroemeria do in their pots?
I'd love to know too.
They did very well. I have them in the basement right now and we'll see how they come back. I used 8 inch pots and they didn't seem to outgrow them yet. These are the shorter ones. I plan to get a few more next summer.
They were really weak to begin with, so dosed them with Super Thrive and MaxiCrop several times. They were doing quite well by the end of the season. They gotthe same general fertilizer that everything else got.
Flowers were beautiful and my neighbor was jealous. I haven't quite figured out how to pull the flower stems. They don't come out as easy as I was lead to believe, so I didn't take too many for the house. You're not suppose to cut the stems for some reason.
You can just tug on the stems. You won't break them off from the tubers.
I just love alstroemerias and am getting a collection of them now. They really don't like to be disturbed so putting them in the ground is the best way to grow them.
There is a yellow alstr. that is invasive. The tubers do run/grow all over. I have had this one and put it in a place that was quite dry. I thought it was dead. Well, I noticed this fall that it isn't at all. The tubers in the ground just decided to come back alive........................... so plant the yellow one in an area where you don't care or is contained!
Carol
What kind did you have, beaker? I'm just betting Carol is able to keep some in the ground that wouldn't work for you or me.
Zone envy going on here, Carol.
I can't be objective on my own plantings, but jealous neighbors is the sign you've done a great thing. If your experience in Zone 4 turns out to be good, I will try some here in Zone 5. I think they are SO beautiful! Let us know how they come back in the spring and take some pictures next year.
I think they are going to be a great little container plant. I will try one of the larger varities next summer to see how it does. It's too bad they are so expensive. I have Laura, Freedom and an unnamed variety that I picked up at a local nursery.
I found this site that sells Alstroemeria, but I haven't even checked them out on the WatchDog yet. I'm anxious to add a few more to my collection.
http://www.buy-alstroemeria.com/retail.html
I would think the best time to transplant them is while they are still dormant. They've been down in my basement now for about 2 months with no water. I intend to withhold water until April
Great link - thanks. I've bookmarked it to check out later.
I have all mine in the ground. Yes, I mulch around them and they seem to do just fine.
I just love them for bouquets and the blooms last forever on the actual plants.
I have like 7 different in the ground now. I received about 8 different type of alstro. seeds and I am now sowing them in their pots. Can't wait to see how they do.
I did learn tho it you do plant/sow them, you need to wait until they get pretty big to transplant. They do not like to be transplanted as mentioned before and I tried to transplant them when they were probably too small. So I sowed the seeds in like quart/gallon pots size and will just be patient to let them grow and grow in those pots.
I have the 'Laura' one too. So far, that one hasn't grown too far from its home. The other yellow is the wild one tho. I will have to look up the name of the other ones that are in the ground.
I will look up the link, beaker. Thanks for posting. Yep, Alstro. are so expensive to buy so..........that is why I like to be able to trade them or grow from seed myself.
Carol
McGlory I have A. aurea growing outside for years! It is perfectly hardy in zone 5...I don't even mulch. But I do get a good snow cover. I think a descent mulching would get them to survive in your area. I even got A. pallida to survive outside in the rock garden. I know they grow them in northern Norway! The key is to plant the tubers below the frost line. Around here, if I plant them 6 " deep, they are OK. I even get dahlia and glads to survive overwinter by planting them deep. I plan on trying some of the Ligtu's this year to see if I'm successful with them. Here's the A. aurea.
Wow! I'm learning a lot here, and that one is gorgeous, Todd! I'm a sucker for yellow, orange, or red flowers though.
I got seeds for A. umbellata from Ursula, and was going to start the seeds about mid-January. According to PF, A. aurea is only hardy to Zone 7, so I never would have guessed to try them here. I didn't even realize until beaker posted that link that they were rhizomes.
Anyway, where did you find A. aurea, Todd, if you remember? Plant Scout doesn't list many sources for any of the species, and only lists seeds available for A. aurea. The link beaker provides has them though. Did you get them from there? (Haven't checked GWD on them yet.) If they grow and survive for you, I'm sure they will for me too, and I am an avid mulcher.
Carol, how long does it take when you grow them from seed? I am saving your notes about not transplanting too soon. Nothing like me counting the chickens..... LOL
Mcglory, just plant them now. They take a long time to get going, at least for me. Two winters ago, I started some in the fall and overwintered them just outside. They grew finally but were so tiny. They had like 3-4 shoots by like June. Dumb me. I planted them, all 6 of them, anyways, and evenuately they all died. That is why I say to let them get big.
I also got my alstroe. seeds from Ursula. Am looking forward to seeing how they do. The reason why I say plant the seeds now is for one, the seed coats need to break dormancy with moisture, plus in Chile where they originate from, it gets cold there in the wintertime.
I have sown seeds a few weeks ago of Alstroe.:
augustifola
listu simsii
exserens
umbellata
palida
and some pink ones I got from a neighbor. These are the ones that died before. But hers look great in her yard so............
Todd, that yellow one sure does look very nice. If you ever get some seeds from that one, sure would love to try to grow it here in the NW.
So the palida isn't too hardy? I will try to remember to plant it deeper then.
Well, I checked out that link. Very interesting. Thanks for posting it.
I am asking my neighbor to see if she wants to go in with me to order some. Ordering 4-7 clumps for only $8.10 shipping isn't bad.
Daisyruffles, you will have no problem with any of the Alstoemeria in zone 8. I planted pallida deep in my zone 5 to help ensure its survival. This winter I am trying the same for A. ligtu (the species) and A. pelegrina. I hope they survive. I got A. pallida, pelegrina, umbellata and ligtu from Ursula. All bloomed within 8 months from seed! Ursula was shocked when I told her. I have backups in a cool greenhouse (45 F) but they are all into active vegetative growth right now.
A. aurea were found in an old abandoned local garden. Must have been there for nearly 100 years! They do run a bit. I can't say I've seen mail order sources, but my plants did produce seed but I sent them all to a Canadian seed exchange. Sorry.
Here is a pic of A. pallida from Ursula's seeds.
and her A. ligtu.
Wow.........................
love those pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't wait to see mine grow then.............................
Thanks for posting the pics.
An glad they will survive here then.
Well, if you ever have any seeds to spare, just let me know!!!
Carol
Todd's comment on planting below the frost line is interesting. I plant Oriental Lily bulbs 8 inches or more here is zone 4 with good success. Orientals are supposedly only hardy to zone 5. I bet if I planted alstroemeria at about the same depth, they would survive. I think I need to do some experimenting next year.
I've heard you can do the same with tuberous-rooted Tropaeolums and Oxalis as well. My Glads (species) are about 6-8" deep and survive OK.
Not a chance, Beaker, at least at that depth. There is a reason why our building foundations are at least 4 feet deep. It's a long story, but just five days ago, I "dug" up some of my garlic I planted in October. That part of the garden is still unmulched, but the frost is already down 1 foot for sure. Seems to me I remember Todd gets several feet of snow that stays (?) for insulation.
Snow is usual but no guarantee. Last winter we had no snow cover until the first for Feb...then we had 4 feet! But in Jan. our temps dropped to 0 F with strong winds....I assumed the frost would have killed the Alstoemeria and Glads but they came up the spring the best kind.
Ahah! Came back to clarify my statement and I see it may have already been proven by Todd.
Yes, our Minnesota frost normally goes way down in the soil, but that doesn't necessarily mean death. So even though planting under the frost line is virtually impossible, planted deep enough, temps might still remain survivable through the winter.
Makes me wonder if there aren't some stats somewhere on Minnesota average winter soil temperatures at different depths. You'd think the U of M might have that info somewhere.
Lefty, how deep do you have your G atroviolaceus planted? Does this plant have corms like other glads?
Atroviolaceus has corms like hybrid types, but smaller. I have found the correct depth to be about 5 inches. Some years I have them mulched for winter, some years I forget. Too deep and they do grow and bloom, but don't multiply, yet the bulb doesn't grow larger. As would be expected, it comes up later in the spring, too. This from experience, when I had one about 8-9 inches deep for several years.
That's another very interesting observation, Rick. I also wonder if the sun location can have an impact on deeply planted corms, tubers, etc. For instance, I wonder if there would be a difference in multiplication if they were planted deeply in a full sun location as opposed to a part sun location. I wonder what inhibits the ability to multiply. Do you think it's the actual soil temperature or not having enough top growth to absorb energy from the stem?
Good questions, all of them, but answers unkown by me.
Not sure how relevant my experience with G. atroviolaceus is to hybrid glads. I am guessing very little. Remember how deep Bernie plants his, and then he hills them too. Species anything (in general) is going to be more picky than hybrids. That's what hybrid vigor is all about.