By Greenthumb
alaska, United States
My Gloxinia has not died back after flowering indoors, so I just removed the seed heads as they started to dry and now it has shoots growing up straight out of it. Should I be removing these or potting it up so it can get bigger? As the original plant has big leaves close to the ground, it seems these tal growths are a little strange. I really need some direction. Help please!? :-)
On plant
Gloxinia perennis
- 31 Jan, 2010
Featured on:
house plants
Answers
A rest it must be. Do you know, will it rest like a fuschia? The coolest places really dont get much light. I worry putting it in the dark.
After flowering it rested for a while and then I started up the water when this growth started. I suppose repotting and growing it on a bit could be okay and then resting after the next flowering? I bought it flowering probably at an unusual time as far as the seasons here.
1 Feb, 2010
It does need light - I used to put mine in a northfacing but light room, with very little heat, when it stopped flowering and ignore it. Some years it disappeared back to the corm, and then I'd spot a tiny bit of growth and start watering and move to a warmer spot for flowering. But if yours has had a rest, maybe it'll flower again soon anyway? And then you could give it the resting treatment.
1 Feb, 2010
Thank you so much for this information Bamboo. I think I'll try letting it grow on and flower again. I fear losing it stopping it now as it is trying to grow. I've a northeast window that is cool, but no artificial light since there and I dont get sun for three months. I think I'll have to plan on having it all die back each year from now on. That or I'll end up with a very big, tropical looking gloxinia....lol. In a larger house I'd have more options.
2 Feb, 2010
Let it grow for now, GT. When it finishes flowering you can let it die back. Then stop watering it & keep it in a cool place. No light for three months won't do it any harm. It's sleeping after all. Does the lack of light bother you when you're asleep? (It certainly does my wife!)
I have two plants that my wife bought me two years ago. She works in a supermarket & when she finished for the day she passed by the plant section & saw these 2 Gloxinias reduced so she got them for me! When they finished flowering they did die back but didn't stop altogether. The next year I had a lot of flowers from them, I've posted several in My Garden, then they went into rest & this time all the foliage died away. I kept them almost dry over the winter & a few weeks ago I noticed a tiny green shoot trying to push its way through the compost so I watered it a little. A few weeks later I moved them into the living room & put them in the lightest spot. Now they are about 1" tall. I will repot them in a week or two.
28 Feb, 2010
Thanks Balcony. I've kept it going and its growing right along. It's in the window with my Avs. I hope I do got some nice bunches of bloom. Next rest it'll go in the cool backroom with the other bulbs. I found mine on a bargain shelf as well. Still blooming! I'm not sure why hey had it going. Lots of thing swill go there becasue the trip here isn't easy, but they prek up once they get home and meet my other 'kids'. :-)
28 Feb, 2010
Looks like its just growing apace - if you've continued to feed it and it's in a warm room, that's not unusual. Best thing is to rest it by moving it to a cool room and stopping feeding for a while. Keep it just moist.
1 Feb, 2010