Heliconia schiedeana, what a tease.

[Patrick]

Hello,

 

I have a good size Heliconia schiedeana that I've had in the ground for probably 6 or 7 years now, and I was hoping I could get some suggestions on how to get this one to perform better. This is just after last nights storm. Lots of wind! I'm surprised that the leaves weren't more tattered. The bamboo and mule in the back ran pretty good defense, I suppose. I always have plenty of growth, but never any flowers.

About every other year I get frustrated with this thing and verbally threaten to rip it out if it doesn't start making flowers. Well, I did that in about September of this year... again.

Low and behold when I was out doing damage control this morning, I found this:

This plant seems to do this EVERY TIME I get frustrated and think about getting rid of it! This plant has a real attitude problem! "Oh yeah, pal? I'll show you. Here's your 1 flower!"

So I'll keep it another year...

 

Does anyone have some suggestions for the coming year to get this guy to flower more? Are these fertilizer hogs? I'll give it a few rounds of the liquid soluble, blue crystal miracle grow over the warm season, but I never seem to have much luck in getting a more profuse bloom. Any tips are appreciated. This is the only heliconia I can get away with up here in my climate in Nor-Cal; but I know these are grown in many, many other areas. All the Heliconias always look so good in the botanical gardens, etc. I have flower envy.  

 

Thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate it!

[Silas_Sancona]

43 minutes ago, Patrick said:

Hello,

 

I have a good size Heliconia schiedeana that I've had in the ground for probably 6 or 7 years now, and I was hoping I could get some suggestions on how to get this one to perform better. This is just after last nights storm. Lots of wind! I'm surprised that the leaves weren't more tattered. The bamboo and mule in the back ran pretty good defense, I suppose. I always have plenty of growth, but never any flowers.

About every other year I get frustrated with this thing and verbally threaten to rip it out if it doesn't start making flowers. Well, I did that in about September of this year... again.

Low and behold when I was out doing damage control this morning, I found this:

This plant seems to do this EVERY TIME I get frustrated and think about getting rid of it! This plant has a real attitude problem! "Oh yeah, pal? I'll show you. Here's your 1 flower!"

So I'll keep it another year...

 

Does anyone have some suggestions for the coming year to get this guy to flower more? Are these fertilizer hogs? I'll give it a few rounds of the liquid soluble, blue crystal miracle grow over the warm season, but I never seem to have much luck in getting a more profuse bloom. Any tips are appreciated. This is the only heliconia I can get away with up here in my climate in Nor-Cal; but I know these are grown in many, many other areas. All the Heliconias always look so good in the botanical gardens, etc. I have flower envy.  

 

Thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate it!

K   LOTS of K.. Langbeinite preferably, 1X's a month, mid/ late March - October there..  Would also add some Oyster Shell and Crab Shell Meal 3x's/ yr.    Using the blue crap does nothing except ruin the soil -and everything that would help the the plant flower ( Mycorrhizal Fungi, earthworms, etc... ).

[Patrick]

Thanks Silas, so THAT'S what that pink mineral is called. Thank you for that information. Now I just need to locate 50LB bags... for all my other palms, too...

[Silas_Sancona]

36 minutes ago, Patrick said:

Thanks Silas, so THAT'S what that pink mineral is called. Thank you for that information. Now I just need to locate 50LB bags... for all my other palms, too...

 Haha, yep.. 

Would think any nearby Hydroponic store, or independent Nurseries should stock either Down To Earth ( specialize in single- ingredient fertilizers ( Langbeinite, Crabshell, Sea Bird Guano, etc ) or E.B. Stone products ( SulPoMag, Palm and Hibiscus, etc combined ingredient fertilizer line )  While nothing is perfect, both are excellent options though, as is the case w/ using organics, the benefits can take a little longer to be fully realized, ..but are more steady in the long run.. 



 

[Patrick]

51 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

 Haha, yep.. 

Would think any nearby Hydroponic store, or independent Nurseries should stock either Down To Earth ( specialize in single- ingredient fertilizers ( Langbeinite, Crabshell, Sea Bird Guano, etc ) or E.B. Stone products ( SulPoMag, Palm and Hibiscus, etc combined ingredient fertilizer line )  While nothing is perfect, both are excellent options though, as is the case w/ using organics, the benefits can take a little longer to be fully realized, ..but are more steady in the long run.. 



 

You know, I have about 150 lbs of some stuff called KMS Made by Diamond K. They want it blended into the water though, it's more of a white powder as opposed to the pink granules of langbeinite. I had thought to just sprinkle it on the soil, but I need to figure quantities per plant. I guess I'd better try and figure out how to apply that stuff...

[Silas_Sancona]

7 minutes ago, Patrick said:

You know, I have about 150 lbs of some stuff called KMS Made by Diamond K. They want it blended into the water though, it's more of a white powder as opposed to the pink granules of langbeinite. I had thought to just sprinkle it on the soil, but I need to figure quantities per plant. I guess I'd better try and figure out how to apply that stuff...

That should get the ball rolling for sure. K ratio looks to be exactly the same as Langbeinite, just released faster.. I myself might use it to get things going in the spring.. but also spread some langbeinite around the Heliconia itself / any other related plants you might have later.  Not sure about what the actual application rate would be, but see " 1 gram to 1gal of water " suggested in some online descriptions of the product..

Might have to find a small bag to try on some stuff here.

[Patrick]

1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

That should get the ball rolling for sure. K ratio looks to be exactly the same as Langbeinite, just released faster.. I myself might use it to get things going in the spring.. but also spread some langbeinite around the Heliconia itself / any other related plants you might have later.  Not sure about what the actual application rate would be, but see " 1 gram to 1gal of water " suggested in some online descriptions of the product..

Might have to find a small bag to try on some stuff here.

Was just searching around, It might be the same stuff, just fine powder. https://www.naturalorganicwarehouse.com/image/data/Sylvite/KMS-OMRI-2014.pdf 

 

I'd like to find some of the bigger crystal stuff, still. I kind of thought the fine powder of this stuff would be like a "pow" to the system. Most of my palms are all Mg deficient, especially the syagrus/ butia/ parajubeas. I've been stalling on administering this stuff. Better get going on it. One site I came across said to broadcast 20-50Lb/ acre. 

[Merlyn]

I bought a 50lb bag of SulPoMag for $70 shipped from Seven Springs Farm, it's the pink stuff in granular form:

https://www.7springsfarm.com/collections/potassium/products/kmag-or-sulpomag-granular-0-0-22-21s-11mg-50-lb-bag

[Silas_Sancona]

8 minutes ago, Patrick said:

Was just searching around, It might be the same stuff, just fine powder. https://www.naturalorganicwarehouse.com/image/data/Sylvite/KMS-OMRI-2014.pdf 

 

I'd like to find some of the bigger crystal stuff, still. I kind of thought the fine powder of this stuff would be like a "pow" to the system. Most of my palms are all Mg deficient, especially the syagrus/ butia/ parajubeas. I've been stalling on administering this stuff. Better get going on it. One site I came across said to broadcast 20-50Lb/ acre. 

Think Sylvite is a K / Chloride (KCl ) mineral, while Langbeinite is an K /Mg / So ( Potassium sulfate ) mineral.. so the Sylvite would contain more salt. 

  Agree, would be a great kick start as everything is awakening come spring, especially after this year's good rainy season..   Definitely check your local garden centers / hydro. supply stores for the crystals.. Pretty sure Down To Earth offers Langbeinite in 50lb bags, as well as in a box.. 

Not too many palms that need some on my end, but are repotting some things this year, and have other flowering stuff that i need to get to set seed better / nudge a little more to encourage flowering.

[Patrick]

Must do this to my Jubaeopsis, then... I have buds budding from its flower event last fall....

 

The queen palms?? I just wish they'd stop with all their seeds lol!

[Silas_Sancona]

14 minutes ago, Patrick said:

Must do this to my Jubaeopsis, then... I have buds budding from its flower event last fall....

 

The queen palms?? I just wish they'd stop with all their seeds lol!

If only the rare-er things set seed as easily as Queens or Washingtonia can right?, haha..

Fyi, if you're growing any edible fruit ( and / or grow Tomatoes / Peppers ) throwing some extra K on them when fertilizing everything else will encourage higher yield also.  As mentioned few times in the past,  Plumeria and Hibiscus are also K and Mag. hogs, just in case you're growing either.

 

[mnorell]

Make sure you don't ever cut these to the ground (or allow same via frost/freeze injury) at the end of the year, after winter cold, etc. This species requires overwintering and flowers on second-year stems. It seems that most people in the Bay Area have had success with this one. There are a number of others (really high-elevation species) that are suitable for your climate, no doubt...but you have to find them. Easier said than done in many cases. You'll have a hard time sourcing H. lankesteri, even probably H. spissa; but you could try H. griggsiana in variety, H. subulata, H. aurantiaca, H. latispatha in variety, H. bourgaeana and its hybrid, H. 'Pedro Ortiz,' maybe even the very hardy H. bihai hybrid 'Hot Rio Nites.' If you order rhizomes you will probably need to root them in water in a Rubbermaid tub or similar with an aquarium heater set to at least 80F. Most Heliconias will throw roots in this environment within a week, and you can plant a three-week-old sprout raised under these conditions (should be full of healthy roots by that time) and plant directly in the ground to get a good strong plant over the summer months.

[Tomas]

In my experience, not only they need two years of growth, but also need to get through the winter in good conditions, some of the stems will not produce new leaves in spring even if they seem to be undamaged. In that case, it is better to cut down them to give more water and fertilizer to those in good conditions. And yes, they need a lot of water and food.