DWARF ALSTROEMERIA 

 A Primer 



( from an article by Phil Gardenier in GrowerTalks, August, 1991) 



their vibrant colors and long-lasting 

 blooms. They are excellent garden and 

 patio plants. Alstroemeria is an excel- 

 lent cutflower because the flowers have 

 a long vaselife; they are also long-lived 

 in the garden. The plants are sold to 

 customers in 6- or 7-inch pots. They 

 can be used as houseplants, then 

 planted outside. 



PROPAGATION 



Alstroemerias are currently propagated 

 by two methods: by seed or asexually, 

 by runners or tissue culture. Plants 

 perform differently depending upon 

 how they're propagated. In general, 

 alstroemerias produced from seed don't 

 achieve consistent height or color and 

 command a lower price on the market. 



GROWING ON 



Soil: Use a light well-drained ( 1/3 

 peat, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 bark is one 

 possibility) mixture. This mixture is 

 recommended for a slower develop- 

 ment of the root system. If the roots 

 develop rapidly and fill the pot com- 

 pletely, the plant may go dormant and 

 stop producing stems. Aslstroemeria 

 likes lots of water, but it is susceptible 

 to soil diseases, so don't saturate the 

 soil. 



Transplanting: Transplant into 6- or 7- 

 inch pots, placing one rhizome per pot 

 just below the surface of the soil. 



Temperature: Temperature and light 

 intensity are important in keeping the 

 plants flowering. The temperature 

 should be below 65 F ( 50-60 F is best), 

 and the light intensity should be high. 

 In a warm room, the plant will survive 

 only a few weeks. 



Light: Additional lighting of 13-16 

 hours may help the plants to flower 

 earlier, although lighting shouldn't be 

 supplemented earlier than 1 1/2-2 

 months after planting. Plants need the 

 opportunity to develop plenty of 

 foliage before flowering shoots are 

 initiated. 



Outside, choose a location with 



morning sun and afternoon shade. 

 Ferrili^otion; Before planting, amend 

 the potting soil to make it slightly 

 acidic (pH 6.0 to 6.5). Alstroemerias 

 are heavy feeders, so a constant feed 

 with 20- 10-20 fertilizer is recommend- 

 ed. Prevent the soil from drying out or 

 accumulating salts (this will cause fo- 

 liage to yellow). Leaves may also dis- 

 color from iron deficiency or, possibly, 

 a high pH. Apply iron chelate and/or 

 magnesium sulfate to alleviate 

 yellowness. 



Pests and Diseases: Alstroemeria is usu- 

 ally not very susceptible to diseases, but 

 the following precautions are advisable: 



Make sure your crop stays dry and leave 

 enough space between plants for 

 adequate ventilation. 



Spray regularly for aphids, whitefly, 

 thrips, catipiUars, slugs, botrytis, 

 rhizoctonia, and pythium. 



Because alstroemena tissue is sensitive, 

 avoid chemical weed killers. 



Harvesting: Harvest time is usually in 

 three to four months, depending on the 

 time of year. Plant alstroemerias grown 

 from runners in January to have plants 

 ready for sale in May. 



VARITIES 



Three genetic dwarf types of 

 alstroemeria, propagated by runners, 

 are currently marketed under the name 

 'Little Princess Lily.' All three grow 8- 

 16" tall: 'Mira' is lilac or purple; 'Silvia' 

 is bright red; 'Marita' is pinkish-red. 



This year, Ohio growers reported the 

 first commercial experience with 'Little 

 Princess Lilies. ' 'Mira' performed par- 

 ticularly well. Although not always 

 grown in optimal environments, 'Mira' 

 developed into a piofusely-flowering 

 plant no more than 12-14" high. 



When pure parent lines of alstroemeria 

 have been established, uniform Fl- 

 hybrids will be produced by seed. At 

 this time, nci pure lines have been es- 

 tablished and hybridizing results in a 

 wide vanety of colors and heights. 



Phil Garder\ier is area export manager 

 for Van Staaven\/Aahmeer, in Aalsmeer, 

 Nederland, which does breeding research 

 for devebping new potted plant varieties . 

 Little Princess Lilies are available from 

 Van StaavemI Aalsmeer. ^^ 



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O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 1991 



