Planting

GROWING ADVICE: Planting

Planting Alstroemeria in the Garden Border

Alstroemeria are wonderful border plants, flowering from early Summer into Early Autumn. the medium and tall varieties can create a stunning feature giving your garden colour for an extended period as they repeat flower for up to 4 months a year. Below are some tips for planting your new alstroemeria plants into your garden borders.

  • Mix fertiliser and organic matter into the soil around where you want to plant: bonemeal or blood fish and bone are good choices.
  • Make a planting hole in this soil mixture, the right depth so that the top of the plant’s root ball is level with the top of the soil.
  • If the soil is dry, fill the empty hole with water and leave it to drain. Place the plant in the hole, filling around it with the soil and organic matter mixture. Add the plant and firm with your hands or a lightly applied foot.
  • Water well, even if rain is forecast – this helps settle the soil.
  • Add a layer of mulch if you like, to help keep the roots moist. Don’t let the mulch pile up against the plant’s stem though.
  • Water occasionally and thoroughly for a month or three, until the roots get established. Occasional deep watering is better than a frequent sprinkle.

Planting Alstroemeria in Containers

Alstroemeria are repeat flowering plants through the Summer which makes them great choices for containers in the garden or a sunny balcony or patio. The short and Inticancha varieties make excellent container plants as they don’t get too tall and flop over, they form low growing clumps of green foliage and the flowers sit above the foliage. There is an exceptional choice on colours so you can go wild and create some wonderful bright and vibrant colour combinations.

  • Start with some broken pottery ,tiles or gravel loosely placed at the bottom of pot or container. Add good quality, fresh compost, mixing in some slow release fertiliser.
  • Free-draining soil is essential.
  • Place the well watered plant onto the compost. Put more compost around it. The compost should finish level with the top of the rootball, 2-4cm below the rim of the new container (to allow for watering space).
  • Once in place pat the compost until it is firm but make sure to do this gently so you don’t damage any stems– you want the plant to be secure but the compost should still be light and airy, not compressed too much. Water lightly afterwards.
  • Water the plants whenever the compost is getting a little dry. If the very top of the compost is dry that’s healthy, but you need the compost to be moist around the roots.
  • All of our alstroemeria plants are garden winter hardy; however mulch well in the first couple of winters to ensure that the plant is well established and can get through the winter on its own.
  • Deadhead by twisting and pulling the flowering stem at the base of the plant, ripping it from the ground – this method of dead heading encourages the plant to send up another