How to Grow your own Cutting Garden – Starting with Alstroemeria

Posted on 13th April 2022 by Bronwynne Britt

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a gorgeous bunch of alstroemeria on the kitchen table every week in flowering season?

If so, growing your own cutting garden is the way to go!

Why Grow your own Cutting Garden

There are many reasons to have your own alstroemeria cutting garden:

Alstroemeria thrive on being picked. The more you pick, the more they grow! The tugging method of picking (See “HOW TO PICK ‘EM” below) encourages more blooms to spring up and keeps them free of dying debris.
You can enjoy a greater variety than might be available to buy ready-picked.
You can tailor-make your selection and have them on hand forever.
You’ll learn more about the world of plants and what thrives in your garden.
It’s an affordable way of having a regular supply of fresh flowers in the vase.
Long stemmed flowers such as alstroemeria make great vase dwelling blooms. Their stature makes such a striking statement.
Perennials like alstroemeria are repeat flowering, meaning they come back year after year. So you will have a constant supply of flowers in blooming season!
If you plant them in pots in a greenhouse you can have alstroemeria flowers all year round.
Flowers encourage beneficial insects.

How to Plant ‘em

The alstroemeria plant varieties we grow are garden winter hardy. However, for the first couple of winters while they are establishing it will be best to mulch them well to make sure they are protected until they are big and strong enough to get through the winter without any assistance. Mulching helps prevent weeds too.

You’ll also want to:

Pick a sheltered, partly sunny, partly shady spot in the garden.
Grow them in pots. This is an even better option as they can be contained, whereas in the garden they can spread too much.
Keep them flowering for longer by moving the pots from the garden to a greenhouse or conservatory in the winter.
Feed them weekly through growing season (from May to September) as this will encourage your alstroemeria to flower well and repeatedly. A high potash fertiliser such as our Alstroemeria Feed is great.
Water them well but make sure the soil is well-draining as they don’t like having soggy feet.
Prevent long stemmed flowers from breaking off because of their height or the bed being overwhelmed by too much plant by spacing them out and providing supports for the taller varieties.
Keep your growing bed to 1.2m wide or less for ease of picking. However, if you are tall or are advanced in your yoga practice, you could make it wider than that.
Dead head after flowering season in the same way you pick them (See “HOW TO PICK ‘EM” below). This is important as it fends off disease, keeps the plant looking tidy and prevents them wasting energy on producing seeds at the expense of more flowers.

How to Pick ‘em

As mentioned above, there is a specific way in which to “pick” alstroemeria. So even though it’s traditionally called a “cutting garden”, when it comes to picking, you won’t be wielding secateurs with your alstroemeria.

That said, it is best to wait until at least one summer has passed to ensure your alstroemeria’s roots have taken hold in the ground and cannot be dislodged before employing the “tugging” method. Until then, you can still have fresh flowers by cutting them instead (with those sharp secateurs).

Otherwise, here is the preferred “tugging” method and other tips:

Get hold of the base of the stem and give it a firm tug and a slight twist at the same time. In this way the whole stem is removed from the root. This will ensure that the root area is free of rotting plant debris which causes disease. It also encourages the plant to re-flower, as it will produce another bud under the ground.
Pick them on a cool day/morning rather than when it is hot as they will be droopy from the heat.
Take a bucket of water with you while picking so you can put the stems straight into it.
Once ready to go in the vase, remove the leaves that will be under the water and put a little Milton in the water. This will stop the fungal moulds from growing and prolong their life.
Trim the stems and change the water every 2 to 3 days to keep them fresh.

Last but not least, sit back and enjoy gazing at them with a cup of tea.

Your eyes and mind will thank you.

Parigo Relaunch at Chelsea 2021

Posted on 17th September 2021 by Bronwynne Britt

We're excited to be relaunching this British Heritage brand to visitors and keen gardeners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. It's been nearly twenty years since Parigo was at Chelsea so we are delighted to be back!

With the show moving from May to September this year, it's a fantastic opportunity for us to be able to show off the beauty of Alstroemeria. Although Autumn is not the most flowery time of year for many plants, Alstroemeria flower right up until October.

Our exhibit will demonstrate, in a contemporary way, the extraordinary colour range of these versatile, repeat flowering plants.

So you'll get to see them in all their blooming glory!

Who's Parigo?

Parigo was originally established in the UK in 1938 by John Goemans who was the first in the world to grow Alstroemeria commercially under glass. In 1959 Goemans bred and introduced the first Alstroemeria variety specifically intended for glasshouse growing. By the mid 1960s he had bred an entire collection and it was some years before anyone else could emulate the success.

In 1985 Bob & Frank Goemans took charge of the remaining Spalding site, with his brother Frank Goemans managing the Chichester site. By the end of the century it was decided to concentrate on the breeding and propagation of the Alstroemeria for both the cut flower and garden markets.

Come 2019, Frank decided it was time to retire. Rather than shutting the business down he thought he'd find someone he could pass his father's Alstroemeria legacy on to. Frank handpicked Alec White to take over his treasured family business because of his success in growing peonies and his brand PrimroseHall Peonies.

After taking over the Parigo brand in 2019, Alec plans to reignite the breeding programme and bring this British horticultural heritage brand into the 21st century. He is committed to producing the highest quality Alstroemeria plants for our customers. His passion is to show the world what a fantastic assortment of Alstroemeria are available, both as cut flowers and as garden plants.

Parigo at Chelsea

As a British bred and grown flower, Parigo fits right in to one of the themes of this year's show - sustainability and environmental awareness.

In line with this, there is a new competition - The Chelsea Flower Show Floristry and Floral Design – with the main theme “Our World”. The aim is to create awareness around our environmental impact, particularly in the cut flower industry. Making small changes over time can make a big difference!

Entrants will choose between ‘Floral Windows’ and ‘Floral Installations’ which have the following options:

‘Floral Windows’ will have the themes ‘British Blooms’ or ‘Preservation’ to emphasize the importance of keeping things local and reusing plant materials to reduce those carbon footprints.

‘Floral Installations’ will be centred around ‘Pollination’ and the ‘Beauty of Nature’. These designs will be required to use plants from the RHS Plants for Pollinators list or carry a strong horticultural message in the design.

Find out more about the exhibitors here.

Better yet, get some tickets and see us all in person!

British Alstro

Posted on 2nd August 2021 by Bronwynne Britt

Now is as good a time as any to be proudly British.

Because, why not?

Also, with more interest in buying local and supporting smaller, homegrown companies closer to where we live, why not add Alstroemeria to that list?

British Grown

Some of us may remember a time when 90% of the flowers supplied in the UK were British grown. We were all going along swimmingly until a fuel price hike in the UK and Dutch government subsidies turned the tables in the 1970’s.

Up until a few years ago, the percentage of British grown flowers sold in the UK was less than 15%. And 90% of that was going to the supermarkets. But that is starting to change.

Although Dutch flower companies have been one step ahead in the flower industry since the 70’s, government subsidies have recently started being phased out which is having a impact on their production.

With many campaigns encouraging greater enthusiasm for British flowers, the demand for British grown flowers is steadily growing.

If you’re in England and buying Alstroemeria grown in British soil, there’s no doubt you’ll be getting a better quality plant. It makes sense to buy plants that don’t have to travel for weeks to get to your door.

Think about how we humans often feel after travelling a few hours on a plane.

Not a pretty sight...

British Bred

Although Alstroemeria originate from South America the first new varieties were bred in Spalding, Lincolnshire by plant breeder John Goemans, becoming known as 'the father of alstroemeria’. He was the first in the world to grow Alstroemeria commercially under glass, introducing the first Alstroemeria variety specifically intended for glasshouse growing in 1959.

By the late 60’s breeding really took off with his launch of pink ‘Ballerina’ - the first of about 50 new varieties he developed over the years for the garden and cut-flower industry. This led to Alstroemeria becoming one of the major glasshouse grown cut flower crops in the world today. In 2018 John Goemans’ company 'Parigo' was taken over by Alec White of Primrose Hall Peonies, where the growing and breeding continues.

There are now about 250 different varieties of alstroemeria available in Britain. We grow over 200 varieties on our 8 acre nursery based in rural Bedfordshire, including original British bred Parigo varieties (such as ‘Apollo’, ‘Friendship’ and the ‘Little Miss’ series), the ‘Colorita’ (‘Princess’) series, ‘Inca’ series, ‘Planet’ series and Inticancha collection. Some of our favourites are ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ and ‘Colorita Fabiana’ with their beautiful and unusual variegated leaves.

Alstroemeria are marvelous because of their comparatively long vase-life (up to 2-3 weeks) and have a long, prolific flowering season.

And strong stems & long bracts make British grown alstro a first prize choice. Also, known as a ‘dry’ and a ‘cool’ crop, they require very little watering or heating.

So they are a sustainability win too!

Gives us reason to be even more proudly British.

And that’s why we love ‘em.

Caring for your Alstroemeria

Posted on 13th May 2021 by Bronwynne Britt

It could be said that Alstroemeria are a bit like Goldfish. Such an easy pet. You just sprinkle a few flakes at them everyday and keep those air bubbles going and there you have it. Much ado about nothin’!

Well, in a similar way Alstroemeria are such vigorous bloomers they don’t need much encouragement to keep going and growing.

But how much care does an Alstroemeria really need?

Here are some guidelines to help you along:

Feeding

Alstroemeria are hungry little creatures, so regular weekly feeds through growing season from May to September is recommended and will encourage them to flower well and repeatedly. A high potash fertiliser is recommended such as our Alstroemeria Feed.

Mulching

All of the Alstroemeria plant varieties we grow are garden winter hardy but, for the first couple of winters while they are establishing, it will be best to mulch well to make sure your new plants are protected until they are well established and can get through the winter without any assistance.

Watering

Alstroemeria are reasonably drought tolerant but will need regular watering during the summer months. If your Alstroemeria are planted in containers these tend to dry out quicker so make sure to keep the ground moist but don’t over water.

Alstroemeria need free draining soil. This is essential for them to grow well and establish in the normal way. The root system doesn’t like to be waterlogged as this can cause the roots to rot and likely cause it to die.

Picking Flowers

Alstroemeria are fabulous flowers in a vase and can last many weeks. A few tips for picking your own Alstroemeria are as follows:

Pick at the point when the buds are not yet open but have colour and looking ready to pop. They will last longer in the vase if picked at this point.

You’ll want to get hold of the stem about halfway down and give it a gentle twist followed by a sharp tug which will pull out the stem. This ensures that there are no pieces of stem left to rot which can cause fungal disease to build up on the root.

Pulling the flowering stem at the base and ripping it from the ground also encourages the plant to re-flower as it produces another bud under the ground. They‘ll then keep producing an endless supply of flowers for every vase in the home throughout the Summer.

It is best to allow the plant to become firmly established (so at least one Summer to pass after planting) until employing this method. You can still have fresh flowers by cutting them instead until the roots have had time to establish.

Dead heading

Once all the flowers in a cluster head have faded and died, remove the whole stem with a gentle tug, the same method as picking. This encourages further flower stems to sprout and keeps the plant looking neat and tidy. It also prevents it from wasting energy on producing seeds at the expense of more flowers.

So a little more care and maintenance than a Goldfish but totally worth it!

How to Plant your Alstroemeria

Posted on 2nd April 2021 by Bronwynne Britt

The Alstroemeria you ordered has just arrived at your door.

Now what?

Do you leave it in the pot it came in? Or pop it straight into the garden? Or in another pot?

Alstroemeria are quite easy-going plants. The most important thing is that they have a healthy root system when planted on.

If you’ve ordered your Alstroemeria from us it will come in a 9cm pot, ready to be potted on into a larger one and they are fast growers so will easily fill a 3 litre pot within 6-8 weeks in growing season.

Read on to find out how you can help your new Alstroemeria establish well and grow into a strong healthy plant that flowers from June to November.

In Containers

Alstroemeria are repeat bloomers through the Summer which makes them great choices for containers in the garden or a sunny balcony or patio. The short and Inticancha varieties such as ‘Noah’, ‘Little Miss Roselind’ and ‘Inticancha Navayo’ make fantastic container plants as they are nice and compact.

Here's how to get them in the pot:

Place some broken pottery ,tiles or gravel loosely at the bottom of your 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 down firmly but gently so as not to damage the stems – you want the plant to be secure but the compost should still be light and airy, not compressed too much
Water in lightly
Whenever the compost is getting a little dry give it a drink. If the very top of the compost is dry that’s healthy, but the compost needs to be moist around the roots
Remember to feed regularly once your alstroemeria starts flowering, use a liquid feed high in potash

In the Garden Border

Alstroemeria make wonderful border plants especially the medium and tall varieties such as ‘Marguerite’, ‘Pandora’ and ‘Apollo’.

Their rainbow colour selection make alstroemeria a bright, eye catching feature that will keep producing flowers for up to 4 months a year, flowering from early Summer into Early Autumn.

Here’s how to plant your babies into 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 to the depth 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
You can add a layer of mulch to help keep the roots moist but be careful not to let the mulch pile up against the stem
Water occasionally and thoroughly for a month or three, until the roots get established. Occasional deep watering is better than a frequent sprinkle.

Once you’ve followed these instructions for Alstroemeria in pots or in the garden, you’ll be guaranteed flowers ‘til the cows come home (or at least the first frosts in the Autumn).

Just make sure that when the cows come home your Alstroemeria aren’t in a place they can be trampled...

And please pop us a message on social media and let us know how your planting goes, we’d love to hear from you!