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Cultivation: It is relatively easy to cultivate under a wide variety of
climatic conditions provided it is planted in a well-drained situation
given adequate water but not over-watered. It enjoys
light-shade. It may be grown in full sun too but
protect in summer from afternoon sun, and avoid reflected heat. Direct
sunlight along with prolonged drought and make the
leaves turn areddish colour, a sign generally associated with stress.
Frost hardy to -2°C. Maintenance: Removal of old flower
stalks; During the
winter months, the plants should be grown cool to initiate flower
development (about 5-10°C ).
Light fertilizer seems to boost its growth whenever additional water is
given.
Propagation: Propagation is by seed, as it seldom offsets. Seeds
must be sown as fresh as possible.
When
kept too long they are parasitized by small crawling insects. The best
time for sowing would be in the summer from October to December.
Use
coarse river sand and cover seeds lightly, then keep moist.
It
is advisable to treat seeds with a long-lasting fungicide, as seedlings
are prone to damping off, a fungus that eventually kills the young
plants. If you have a number of them you could intentionally damage the
growing point to see if it will offset, but wait to do that
until
September or so, when its
growing season is beginning.
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Cultivation
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