Pot luck for plants

Having flowering pot plants in the home is one way of bringing a bit of colour indoors in what is fast becoming a dark time – both weatherwise and financially, thanks to the Government's Spending Review.

But leaving politics behind (where, many would say they belong) let's look, instead, at the likes of chrysanthemum, cyclamen and cineraria.

Don't expect these pot plants to be permanent members of your house plant collection. Most are best thrown away when they have finished their display although it is possible, with a lot of TLC, to persuade them to keep growing and flowering year after year.

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Warm air is the biggest enemy of these temporary visitors. A bright, cool spot with moist atmosphere is the position they need, and any help with a daily mist of cooling plain water over the flowers and foliage will work wonders.

Just as we water houseplants because the rain doesn't reach them, so we need to feed them because their roots are not able to reach out for nourishment.

For best results, feed regularly when the plant is actively growing or flowering. Each fortnight simply add a capfull of something like Miracle-Gro Pour & Feed over the surface of the compost and water as normal. If you're a bit more old-fashioned, a does of Phostrogen plant food will do just as well.

The normal flowering time for Hippeastrum (Amaryllis to anyone over 50) is spring. Gone are the days when plain red, pink or white were the only colours available. Nowadays, an assortment of patterns exist in which flecks, streaks, stripes and spots are combined to give new effects that are fascinating to watch unfurl.

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New ideas now include bulbs that produce five or more stems, each carrying three or four flowers at the top.

'Lovely Garden' is a red form of these multi-flowering types while 'Baby Star' produces many smaller trumpets with a white background and pink flared markings.

You can even now find 'doubles' that instead of a simple trumpet flower have several rows of petals.

Look out for red 'Cherry Nymph', pink stripes 'Nymph' and white and pink 'Blossom Peacock'.

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When you buy new Hippeastrum bulbs in winter, unpack them immediately and check for plant growth before you plant them. To encourage new growth soak the roots in tepid water for 12-24 hours without letting the base of the bulb get wet.

Plant up in individual pots of compost. Place on a shelf above a radiator so that bottom heat encourages good root growth.

When they have started into growth, keep them in a coolish, well-lit spot. When the shoots appear, feed the plant weekly with a complete feed.

Use tepid water and only water from the top, never from the bottom.

Tip away any excess water after 10 minutes and allow the surface of the compost to dry out completely before you water again.

YP MAG 30/10/10

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