Alstroemeria Garden
Growing Information, flowering 19 cm pot– the Inca Collection®
Controlling Height
The Inca Collection® varieties are quite easy to cultivate; mainly the only thing the grower has to focus on, is to control the height and fertilization. When the climate is suitable for growth outside, height problems are not likely. We advise you to follow the guidelines written below (in particular: Temperature and Fertilization).
Cutting back
When Inca Alstroemerias are grown warmer, they seem to stretch more. They have a faster growing speed, and develop more rhizomes in the pot. This is perfect for the first growing period of around 3 months. During this period it is important to fill the pot with a nice rhizome system. To prevent the plants from getting to tall, it is important to pinch or mow the shoots at around 3 cm length. Normally this should be applied 1 time. More pinches is possible. Compact varieties could be grown without a pinch, but will give more shoots when pinched.
Plant that should be pinched
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Plant is pinched
Pot size:
Most common pot size per plant: 3,5 ltr / 19 cm or 1 Gallon / 8 inch.
Media:
Use a standard herbaceous, well drained, potting medium with a pH between 5,5 and 6, preferably sterilized.
Temperatures:
After planting we advise a little warmer temperature of 10 –12 C.
After 2 weeks temperature can be lowered till 9-11 C. Then the plant can develop a lovely rhizome system, which is important in filling the pot with enough shoots.
Minimum growing period from planting till first flowers is around 20 weeks. Around 8 weeks before first deliveries, the plants should be pinched or mowed. 1 Week after pinching plants should be grown as cold as possible, to prevent them from stretching too much. This means, minimum temperature 6 C, optimal temperatures between 8 and 10 C. It is important to open the windows fast. An installed day temperature of 6 C around 2nd week of March in Holland is ideal. The night temperature can be kept at 10 C. This negative DIF will result in a short and firm crop. It is important to have a well-ventilated greenhouse to achieve the lower temperatures as mentioned above!!
Examples:
Green house with enough ventilation capacity. (20% or more)
Hoop houses with side ventilation.
Cabrio greenhouse.
Hoop house with side vents
Cabrio greenhouses
The Inca Collection® varieties could be grown partly inside and partly outside. Then the last 8 weeks could be taken place outside. Make sure you pinch or mow the plants 1 week before placing them outside. Then the plant can recover from this pinch and grow nice and compact under the outside conditions. Inca Collection® varieties should not be grown outside when temperatures can reach below zero. (Netherlands, week 18)
Example of Inca Ice grown outdoors in California
Our Alstroemeria garden in Nieuwveen.
California, Portugal, Spain, Italy, South of France:
Inca Collection® varieties can be grown totally outside in warmer area’s without (that much) frost like Los Angeles/Valencia/Lissabon/Sicily. In areas like San Francisco, Barcelona, Porto, Milan and south of France they should be grown partly indoors, and partly outdoors.
UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, North of France:
Inca Collection® varieties could be grown outside from week 18. Before it should be grown indoors. Better take the indoor compact or medium varieties.
Alstroemeria plants in pot can survive outside under 2 layers of bubble foil in the Netherlands and UK.
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Inca Avanti outside grown in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands. (outside)
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Inca Lake, Inca Joli, Inca, Yuko and Inca Avanti grown in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands. (outside)
Sceduling:
Best planting period for a 19 cm pot will be in between week 35 and week 50. Inca Collection® varieties could be grown perfectly combined with colder crops like Primula, Viola, bedding plants, perennials and Dianthus. Sales of flowering plants normally starts in April.
Inca Collection® varieties should be grown at 9-14 plants per m2.
Watering:
Keep Alstroemeria moist. This prevents them from making water roots. Alstroemeria makes water roots in nature for surviving periods of dryness. This development of water roots will cost energy. This will affect the final quantity of flowers and shoots.
Best watering system is drip irrigation. Eb and flood is possible as well. Overhead irrigation is more difficult. Alstroemeria will suffer from the umbrella effect. A lot of vegetation in the pot will let the water drip beside the pot, instead of in the pot.
Inca Glow grown with drip irrigation
Inca Glow grown outdoors in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands
Fertilization:
In order to prevent the plant from stretching too much, we advise to provide little nitrogen (N), but plenty of potassium (K): 12-14-24 (NPK). When grown outdoors growers can use 'slow release' granules: 16-8-16.
An application rate of 3 gr/ltr soil is sufficient. When no additional nutrition can be given, a granule with a release period of 8 months is the best choice. We always advise to have a possibility to add fertilizers during the growing season. Especially at the end of the growing period, alstroemeria needs a lot of fertilizers, that’s why the possibility of adding extra fertilizers is very important.
In our test facility in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands, we have a drip irrigation outside. We work with the ‘slow release’ fertilizers, and we also add extra fertilizers during the season. We water them with an EC of 2,0 till 2,5 outside. Rain will wash away fertilizers a lot! During raining periods, we give an E.C. of 2,5. Experiences have shown that by keeping the EC on a high level it will result in sturdy plants and dark-greener leaves. Don’t feed more than 2,5 EC. It increases the risk of desiccated/aborted flowers.
Our dosatron fertilization injector
Diseases:
The plant is not susceptible to diseases. Botrytis is the most prevalent disease. A well-kept crop prevents diseases. We advise to maintain a good air-circulation, to remove all infected plant parts and to occasionally protect the plants by spraying a preventive fungicide. Also, Snails, Slugs, Caterpillars and Aphids may occur. Insect control with the usual methods is advisable.
Varieties:
Our Inca collection ® selections:
| Compact selections (20-35cm) | Medium selections (35-40 cm) | Tall selections (30-50) |
|---|---|---|
|
Inca Pulse ® |
Inca Adore ® |
Inca Classic ® |
|
Inca Desert ® |
Inca Azur ® |
Inca Ice ® |
|
Inca Glow ® |
Inca Exotica ® |
Inca Tropic ® |
|
Inca Lake ® |
Inca Rocky ® |
|
|
Inca Joli ® |
Inca Birdy ® |
|
|
Inca Avanti ® |
Inca Coral ® |
|
|
Inca Yuko ® |
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The compact and medium selections can be grown totally indoors. The tall varieties are only suitable when grown partly or totally outdoors.
Outdoor container field including wind protection. Situated at our facility in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands.
