Streptocarpus update No2
By tanny
7 comments
Spring is here and all the plants are rushing up to grow and flower and all the seeds are sprouting,
that include the weeds. My greenhouse is full to overflowing with pots and pots of streptocarpus, some already in bud and others with just one little leaf.
The older plants from last year have been put into the porch
and the overflow from there are out in the garden under the shade of the Holly tree. I’ve had to, “bite the bullet” and experiment with their survival, they have two choices, survive or die because I haven’t heard of Streptocarpus being grown outside of a greenhouse in this country. They have been there for the last two weeks and a couple of them have already started sprouting buds, thankfully we haven’t had any frost to cause them problems.
Obviously if a flower is unusual, I will treasure it, and try to cultivate a new member of the family.
These Streptocarpus, or African Primrose as they are sometimes called, don’t seem to have many problems and propergating them is very easy. I check the plants every day and occasionaly find a fungi growing from the Peat Jiffy Pots, but its no problem to dig them out
4 May, 2010
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Comments
That's a lot of plants.
I would love a green house but must settle for my window sills for now LOL
Good luck with them all :O)
4 May, 2010
Gosh Tanny I am so envious I love Streps., I have a few but they do struggle , no greenhouse you see, I'm afraid its window sills for me as well.
I await the next instalment ! ;0))
4 May, 2010
Window sils are fine......don't need a greenhouse....just keep the sun off the leaves.....
4 May, 2010
Thanks for that tip, now I know why the ones in the north facing window always thrive better.
5 May, 2010
When I bought 6 varieties of streptocarpus and they all flowered in quite a short time I was delighted and thrilled to see such wonderful flowers. I put them all on my north facing window sill. Imagine my horror and deep disapointed as one by one they all died! I thought they must be very difficult to grow and decided not to replace them. However, recently on a visit to my uncle, I noticed he had one, doing very nicely and asked him where I went wrong, After breaking off two plantlets for me, we decided that a) I had potted them into the wrong type of compost -not airy enough. b) I had been watering them from above. My two lovely pure white flowered plants are thriving and I am keen to buy more. I don't know their name. Many thanks Tanny, for inspiring me after seeing all your little babies, although I am not sure where to start!
24 May, 2010
I am mostly a green newbie and I am writing because I fell in love with the streps from Dibleys and ordered many. Now I found out they are more difficult than african violets and I struggle to help them survive.
Would you help me and suggest a good mix for wicking? I have many flowers and have to wick them due to lack of time
Thank you so much for your kind help!
Sincerely,
Lexy
28 Jun, 2012
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28 Jun, 2012
This is fascinating Tanny.....streptocarpus will thrive in a "woodland type" situation.....they don't, as you will be aware, like the sun on their leaves or overwatering..please keep us informed of your progress with these fasinating plants, and your trials.
I wish I had as much room to house them. I lost most of my collection (about 30 varieties) and am trying the American varieties this year.....
4 May, 2010