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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE everyone has a number of micro On 17th July Helen Marriott will climates, controlled verse natural present a pictorial account of the 2014 Dear Members. As I write this watering, light, and air movement KZN Clivia show and associated message today in mid-May, the being key aspects. I am going to do events. This meeting will also be a season has gone from the beauty of an audit on my collection and will real treat for members to be early autumn to a very wintery feel. likely replace the medium I have entertained and informed as to the To offset this gloomy sky I am used in the past with a better mix, wonderful new plants being enjoying seeing some C. gardenii in hopefully this will help eliminate root presented in South Africa. If you flower. Hopefully I now have some rot. have a friend that simply enjoys mid-season interspecifics to enjoy in beautiful plants, this would be an flower before the main C. miniata I am pleased to report that the raffle ideal event to invite them to attend. season in spring. While on a day like prize donated by Mark Cant of a today, thoughts of spring seem far offset of Bill Morris’ “Best Kept I wish to welcome here new off, the committee and the newly Secret” was a huge success members, Jules Hogan and Ken appointed sub-committee are focused financially, and I jumped out of my Smith. Many of you will know Jules on planning a successful day. MCG chair when I won the prize. I felt already, as he is Di Mathews’ Vice President Peter Haeusler is chair somehow blessed and did not miss husband. Jules was a fantastic help of the sub-committee. Peter has the coincidence that I was presenting with set up, pack up and catering at previous experience as Expo a talk on two famous yellow Clivia. CLIVIA EXPO 2014. The name Ken Convenor and is joined by Brenda Thanks to John Trotter for donation a Smith and Clivia go hand in hand, Girdlestone, Erika van der Spuy, wonderful C. nobilis and Yvonne for with Ken being the Australian Haydn Lomas, Mal Foster, Yvonne the donating the fertilisers. The representative to the international Hargreaves and Andrea Whitty. We Trading Table had some great Clivia Society, so it is a pleasure that are lucky to have a team with a offerings, and a number of members Ken is a member of our group. I look wealth of experience from various found something special to add to forward to contributions both with fields to plan our big event. I’m their collections. Please bring plants bring to the group. trying to observe new places that are to sell at meetings, however in happy to display flyers, so please addition to a clearly completed Lastly my sincere thanks goes to our keep a note of where you can help trading table form with details of newsletter and website editor Lisa promote CLIVIA EXPO 2015. what is offered, be reminded that you Fox on the great job she does in are required to assist on the Trading making our publications look so The April meeting was well attended. Table, no one can better answer professional, it is greatly appreciated I am glad to say that the new questions about what is offered than by us all, thanks Lisa. audiovisual purchase of a data yourself, and this helps sell the plant projector was easy to use, and was as well. The June meeting holds Michael Barrett such a benefit to illustrate the lives of promise of being a ‘peach of a night Sir Thouron and Sir Smithers. I hope for raffle ticket buyers’. Raffle tickets those unable to attend the meeting are now 2 for $5 – a good incentive to will enjoy the article included in this purchase more tickets and be in the volume. I was enlightened by the running for multiple wins. presentation and group discussion led by Rae Begg and Peter Haeusler. I I hope all members in Melbourne will have a much clearer idea of the be able to attend our next meeting on properties of potting medium, 19th June when Greg Anderson will particularly water holding and air be our interstate guest speaker. Greg capacity of the mix, and in addition will be discussing “Breeding with the importance of this mix not Anderson’s Peach”. I have read a decomposing too quickly. A lively little of the Anderson’s pollination discussion followed with a variety of techniques and lengths they go experiences shared, including the towards ensuring crosses are kept successful use of animal manure as a isolated. I look forward to hearing
“jiffy pot” of sort for seeds that are more about this and the observations left to their own devices under trees Greg is making as seedlings grow to
in South Africa. It seems that there is flower. This is sure to be a great a range of what works for some and night.
not others. Partly this is because
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totally disappeared and I CULTIVATION NOTES detected this in the nick of time. Peter Haeusler Systematically looking at each OK, so it’s getting cold. Toughen up, GENERAL MEETING plant in this way is also an put on an extra jumper and get out opportunity to take stock of Friday 19 Jun 7.30pm there among your Clivia as there is how plants are going more lots to attend to during winter. Here Uniting Church generally. are a few suggestions: You will also notice that your Cnr Blackburn Rd & Clean fallen leaves (from seed pods are ripening. I know Burwood Hwy, Burwood deciduous trees and shrubs) out that some people pick these of the centre of your Clivia as Breeding with ‘Anderson Peach’ – while still green and then leave litter can harbour snails and Greg Anderson the spikes in a sugar solution for other bugs. Excessive litter may a short while before proceeding also impede the emergence of to remove pods and clean seeds. healthy flower spikes. BUT, Frankly, I think nature is best COMMITTEE remember that these leaves equipped to ripen the pods make great compost so leave properly (unless the stem has Michael Barrett – President them on the ground around started to deteriorate sharply Peter Haeusler – Vice President those Clivia you have growing and you are at risk of losing the Roger Clarke - Secretary in the garden. pods altogether). From my Rae Begg – Treasurer Remove old, yellowing Clivia experience, seeds that are Mal Foster – Committee members leaves as these harbour harvested while the pods are Steve Wright mealybugs and other pests. green can result in seedlings Yvonne Hargreaves Start your attack on snails … i.e. that lack the vigour of those don’t wait until the flowers are raised from ‘naturally ripened’ being eaten! Get the snail bait pods. around, and repeat at intervals
over the next couple of months. Deadline for next issue – THE TWO SIRS
15 July, 2015 Be careful that plants aren’t Michael Barrett Newsletter editor – Lisa Fox getting too wet (e.g. if they have The history of Clivia cultivation in [email protected] ended up under a particular Western horticulture is filled with drip line or the pot is sitting in a many names and events. Publications depression) as this can mean by the Clivia Society provide accurate that rot soon sets in. details of personalities of importance. OUR ADDRESS You can keep repotting Clivia in Such resources can be referred to by Melbourne Clivia Group Inc. the colder months. However, as newer enthusiasts, who share an Burwood East LPO a rule I do not repot, or remove interest in history. However, in the PO Box 4225 offsets, during the winter process of sharing information on the Burwood East, VIC 3151 months as plants can sit and fail Internet, including the Clivia Forum, to generate root growth in the Yahoo groups and Facebook, some cold, with consequent fungal rot Clivia history is retold in a casual www.melbournecliviagroup.org.au problems setting in. If, for some manner and, on occasions, [email protected] reason, I divide or repot a plant inaccurately. Such is the case of Sir in winter, after the initial Peter Smithers and Sir John Thouron. watering I take particular care These two gentlemen share many to keep it relatively dry for a similarities; both men were of the month or two. same generation, with world events Check those plant labels. Yes it and shared passions shaping their can be monotonous, but it is https://www.facebook.com/pages/ lives. From time to time the two men time well spent. Now and then I Melbourne-Clivia-Group- are confused for each other, with find that a dodgy ‘permanent’ Inc/130556943692834 mistakenly credit for an action marker means that descriptions mistakenly ascribed to the on tags fade and one can get inappropriate person, or the two lives caught. I recently found details blended into a hybrid of on a whole batch of plants I achievements. Some psychology potted up a year ago had almost research (Fiske et al) suggests that © Copyright 2015 Melbourne Clivia Group Inc. Page 2
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when people confuse or “misname” John Rupert Hunt Thouron was born Sir John and Lady Thouron lived on a one person for another, it is because in 1907, Cookham, England to an magnificent 220 acre estate called Doe one shares the same relationship American father, with Huguenot Run. Located in the Brandywine mode with the other who is (French Protestants exiled in the 17th Valley, this extensive garden and misnamed. Here, it may be that both century) roots and a British mother. horse stud was internationally highly individuals of the same gender, His father’s nationality would regarded. Sir John was assisted in generation and class and are similar influence his later life and presenting Doe Run by a Scottish in significance in the history of Clivia achievements. His father served and head gardener, Jock Christie, a very miniata cultivation. When a died in WWI. In 1930 John Thouron modest and humble man and an contributor is adding content to an married Lorna Elliot and they had a excellent gardener. Jock worked at Internet site, they may know well the son. John and Lorna divorced in 1939. Doe Run in the mornings and in the two individuals concerned, but In 1940, Mr. Thouron enlisted into the afternoon would work next door at misname them, typing and thinking Gordon highlanders as a 2nd Runnymede that belonged to the of the other, however newer lieutenant and was commissioned to Wister family. Jock’s son, John enthusiasts may read this information the Black Watch (Lewins, 2014). Later Christie, is presently in charge of the as trusted and authoritative. Often he was made a captain and served in gardens at Doe Run. (L.T.Tran, with the chatty nature of posts and the Special Operations Executive at personal communication, 2014). The forums, errors are quickly corrected. Bletchley. His role was to assist with gardens included alpine and It is in this context that I wished to the establishment of resistance herbaceous boarders. Sir John also present here a brief biography of the movements and sabotaging enemy had a series of glasshouses that two gentlemen and their distinct communications. He also ran “House contained a wide variety of rare roles and immense importance to the to House” fighting courses. Towards plants and an extensive orchid advancement of Clivia, particularly the end of the war, Thouron joined collection. In 1985, when Prince yellow/cream miniata. the Special Allied Air Reconnaissance Charles and the Princess of Wales Force and made many parachute stayed at the British Ambassador’s It is important to put the rarity of jumps behind enemy lines to foil residence, Sir John played an yellow Clivia miniata into context. attempts to massacre prisoners of war important role in providing unusual While we now enjoy relatively easy (Lewins). fresh flowers to fill the residence and access to cream and yellow Clivia, it he and Lady Thouron attended the was a very different story 35 years In 1953 John Thouron married Esther Ambassador’s dinner held in the ago yet alone before then. The earliest du Pont from the famous du Pont honour of the Wales (Blakely 2014). record of yellow Clivia is from 1888 dynasty. The cooperation of the UK when a plant was displayed in and USA forces in the Second World Sir John would participate in the Europe. About the same time a plant War had left an immense impression internationally famous Philadelphia was discovered in Eshowe, KwaZulu- on Mr. Thouron. Together with his Flower Show (PHS) held annually in Natal. It was formally described as wife, in 1960 they established the early March. Regarded as the largest Clivia miniata var. citrina in 1899. This Thouron Award to foster Anglo- indoor flower show in the world, plant, from this same area, was sent American friendship through an specimens would be judged in to Kew gardens around 1893 and is academic exchange scholarship at the various categories. One plant that known as ‘Eshowe Yellow’ (Dixon, University of Pennsylvania. This would cause great interest, and was 2005). award has assisted 1,000 students, awarded blue ribbons annually in its two-third British, to study at the class, and on one occasion was University of Pennsylvania or for US overall Best Plant of Show was a students to study abroad in their cream Clivia miniata belonging to Sir chosen field. Mr. Thouron was John. When Jock Chrisite was awarded a Companion of the British interviewed for The New York Times in Empire in 1967 in recognition of his 1994 and said he had no idea where support and leadership of the the plant originated, only knowing Thouron Award program. In 1976, on that it was at Doe Run before he the visit by HM Queen Elizabeth II to arrived in 1963 (Raver, 1994). Sir Philadelphia to mark the bi-centenary John was a generous man, and first of American Independence, Sir John shared offsets of this special cream was made a Knight of the British Clivia with special friends, including Empire. neighbors Pamela du Pont Copeland and Diana S Wister (Tran). Diana Fig. 1 Sir John Thouron Wister, an heiress of the Campbell
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Soup fortune, is well known as a flower judge and for her success at the PHS in her own right. However two acts of generosity by Sir John allowed his special cream Clivia to become better known, and eventually accessible to people outside his circle of friends.
Fig. 4 Delaware Cebtre for Horticulture logo - http://www.thedch.org/activities- events/rare-plant-auction/history-rare- plant-auction
Annie Raven (1994) recounts the events of the first Rare Plant Auction Fig. 3 A cut umbel of 'Sir John and White Flower Farm’s sale of the Thouron'- photo courtesy of L.T. Tran yellow Clivia in an article in The New Clivia miniata York Times. The first yellow Clivia ‘Sir John Thouron’ donated by Sir John was the prize lot of the evening and sold for $1700 to a Fig. 2 'Sir John Thouron' owned by Mike Our 35th anniversary wouldn’t be Riska New York real estate executive, complete without the centerpiece that MacRae Parker Jr. (Raven). When The Delaware Center for Horticulture launched the Rare Plant Auction – interviewed, Parker said he had been had held annual plant sales for a the magnificent Clivia miniata ‘Sir growing orange Clivia for 50 years. number of years before 1981, the year John Thouron’. Its elegant beauty has When news came that a famed of their 25th anniversary. It was in made it a bidding sensation yellow Clivia was to be auctioned he that year that Sir John donated an throughout the years and we are begged, almost daily, to attend the offset of his famous yellow Clivia. The pleased to offer our signature plant event, which was a sit down dinner board of directors, delighted with this for this special occasion. Originally for members of the Natural History donation of such a precious gift, brought from Britain to Philadelphia Museum. When a cancellation decided to organise their first rare in the 1950’s by the late Sir John allowed him to attend he was plant auction. Details of that first Thouron, a legendary local delighted. The auction was intense, auction will be recounted later in this plantsman, this Clivia was notable and he lowered his hand in near text. The auction has been held defeat until a woman lent over to him for its formal, upright habit and annually since that year raising funds and said, “I thought you came to buy for urban agriculture, education and unusual flower color. The funnel- that plant”. He continued to bid and greening neglected inner city spaces. shaped flowers are a clear, soft finally won the auction. In Access to this event is tiered, with the primrose yellow that deepens slightly subsequent years that plant produced highest being ‘Clivia level’ guest at at the throat. Fruits ripen to yellow many offsets and Mac Rea Parker Jr. $600 that includes a luncheon and for a second display against the has donated offsets to other auctions. exclusive preview of plants at strong, strappy foliage. (2015 Raven, in the same article, also Longwood Gardens. For a number of catalogue page 47) describes the events that brought that years the auction logo was a stylized special yellow Clivia to wider yellow Clivia. (Fig. 3) The year 2015 availability. Mr. Frowine from White marks the 35th Rare Plant Auction. Flower Farm nursery in Connecticut The catalogue for this year’s event approached Sir John on two pays tribute to the origins of its occasions. He proposed to Sir John to success as follows: donate his highly desirable yellow Clivia to Longwood Gardens and White Flower Farm, with a percentage of proceeds from the sale of plants to go to the Thouron Award. Longwood received 90 © Copyright 2015 Melbourne Clivia Group Inc. Page 4
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plants to grow on to flowering size. Exbury strain), Lilium and Clivia, germinating seeds, growing and Half of these were presented for sale mean his name is part of the displaying potted plants. At 13 he in 1994, at $950 each, with a limit of cultivation history for each plant was sent to Harrow for his education, one per customer. It was Longwood genus. For the benefit of the reader, a and here fell in love with lilies in a garden that named the plant ‘Sir John very brief biography is provided big way. At this time he also Thouron’ in recognition of his here. persuaded the Royal Horticultural generosity (Raven). Society (RHS) to admit him to the Chelsea Flower Show, the first child to be given permission to attend. School was uninspiring until a new master sparked Peter’s interest in history and politics. Young Peter started at school a plant index to record his plants, which continued until 1993 with 32147 entries, (by which stage, the man, Sir Peter, embraced computer technology to record his plants). After Harrow, Fig. 5 'Sir John Thouron' owned by Rob young Mr. Smithers went to Oxford Oliver University to study history, and was awarded a doctorate with his study Ester du Pont died at their winter of 18th century essayist, Joseph home in Florida in 1984. Sir John Addison. He then went on to study lived another 23 years to reach 99 law. years of age and also died in Florida in 2007. The generosity of Sir John Fig. 6 Sir Peter inspecting the nerine made this special yellow Clivia within bulbs' photo taken from Adventures of a reach of enthusiasts over a period of gardener time. This plant is held in various collections around the world, often a part of a Clivia narrative, holding special significance and sentimental value in addition to its beauty and value in hybridising programs.
In contrast to the private life of Sir John Thouron, the life and achievements of Sir Peter Smithers are well documented and accessible via a number of pathways. He does receive mention in the famous Who’s Who, Sir Peter also provides an Fig. 7 Adventures of a Gardener - book Fig. 8 Sir Peter Smithers autobiography of his life in his book cover Adventures of a Gardener (1995). Sir Mr. Smithers joined the Royal Naval Peter furthermore supplied a Peter Henry Berry Otway Smithers Reserves in 1939. He contracted personal history of his life with plants was born in 1913, son of Lt. Col and measles, and this was to change the when he was awarded the Herbert Mrs. H Otway Smithers in Yorkshire, course of his life. Via friends of Medal from the International Bulb England. Sir Peter Smithers describes friends, he came to the knowledge of Society in 1997. A number of his early years as follows. As a child Ian Fleming and was summoned for obituaries appeared in various UK his parents were away with war an interview (The Telegraph 2006). papers, contextualising and detailing service, and young Peter was raised He then was recruited to Naval his political and horticultural by a nanny who shared a love of Intelligence and MI6. It was his contributions. His wide interest and gardening and nature. As he grew he association with Fleming that later contribution towards a number of would shadow gardeners on his led to flattery in some obituaries that plant varieties, such as tree peonies, parents’ and his aunt’s properties, he was an inspiration for James Bond Nerine (ex Rothschild’s famous and they taught him skills including (The Telegraph), while other dismissed © Copyright 2015 Melbourne Clivia Group Inc. Page 5
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this account as pure fancy (Roth Peter said it indicated both colour 2006). Friends would jest that he was and place of origin (Dixon). This “more green fingers than Clivia was the first to be commercially goldfingers” (The Telegraph). In Naval micro propagated by tissue culture Intelligence he was posted to Mexico by Miyoshi & Co. for commercial and Washington. In 1943 he met and distribution. The results of this married Dojean Sayman. Later he and asexual reproduction have had mixed Dojean had two daughters and raised results in terms of identical clones of them with Dojean’s son from a the original. Nakamura has been previous marriage. Fig. 9 Nakamura 'Vico Yellow' original - careful to refer to the true offsets as photo by Helen Marriott ‘Vico Yellow’ original to distinguish After the war Mr. Smithers was it from the tissue culture plants. elected to the UK parliament. He had However, significantly for our Nakamura and Melbourne Clivia his greatest domestic success with interest, Sir Peter also went on to Group member, Shigetaka Sasaki, stopping plans to create a vast 4000- cross pollinate three Clivia x have extensively used the pollen acre gas storage facility under ‘Kewensis’, one a cream and two from ‘Vico Yellow’ original in their Winchester (The Telegraph). In 1960-62 orange from the same group that he breeding as the pollen is rich with he was a delegate at the United acquired from Mr. Russell at Castle good seed set and gives excellent Nations, and Under Secretary of State Howard (Smithers) in 1971 (Dixon). results, particularly large well from 1962-64. He went on to be These Clivia x ‘Kewensis’ plants trace reflexed tepals (Dixon). Sir Peter was Secretary General for the Council of their origins back to Charles Raffle, a member of the early Clivia Club Europe from 1964 to 1969. He was and a slow program of yellow gene that became the Clivia Society (van nominated to a peerage, but members recovery, where habitat yellow were der Linde, p.25). of his own conservative party crossed with improved orange plants opposed it. He was not considered (Dixon). Sir Peter describes that he Tory enough, being pro-American grew these seedlings on under the and the wrong sort of pro-Europe stage in his greenhouse, but the (Roth). He was knighted in 1970. parent cream died before the However, Smithers was becoming seedlings matured. When one cream more disillusioned with Britain and plant eventually flowered Sir Peter accepted an offer of Swiss citizenship thought it to be an improvement on from the President of the Swiss the parent. In due course he sent an Confederation, Will Spühler (The offset to his friend Dr. Shuichi Hirao Telegraph). in Japan. Sir Peter believed that a plant was not truly enjoyed until The relocation from Britain to shared (not exchanged) with a friend. Switzerland gave Sir Peter yet In Japan this particular plant was another opportunity to design a referred to as ‘Smithers Yellow’ garden and grow new plants. He (Smithers p. 146) and was featured on built a house inspired by Caribbean the cover of the Japanese and Japanese architecture above Lake Horticultural Society newsletter. Lugano, at Vico Morcote (The Sadly, Hirao died prematurely. A Telegraph). Smithers, in Adventures of a couple of years later Sir Peter Fig. 10 Japanese Horticultural Society Gardener praised the location for received a letter from Yoshikazu newsletter providing an ideal environment to Nakamura. In this letter Nakamura grow a wide range of plants. Here he told Sir Peter that he had received Sir Peter enjoyed success with his created a garden that was filled with from Hirao’s widow the yellow Clivia photography of his flowers. He Magnolia, Rhododendron and Wisteria. and asked for permission to use purchased his first Leica in 1932 (The The Financial Times named it among ’Smither’s Yellow’ for breeding Telegraph). His skill earned him eight one of the 500 greatest since Roman purposes. Sir Peter wrote that he was gold medals from the RHS. The times (Martin 2006). He created astonished, and replied that he was President of the RHS, Sir Simon hybrids of nerines, liliums, and free to use the plant as he wished, but Horby, wrote that, “Sir Peter may peonies by “pollen dappling” perhaps could call it ‘Vico Yellow’ have some equals round the world as (Smithers). (p.146). This name had earlier been a gardener, but probably none as a suggested and accepted by David plant photographer” (Smithers). The Brundell in New Zealand, where Sir RHS also awarded Sir Peter one of its
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highest awards, the Veitch Memorial Journal of Personality and Social http://cliviasociety.co.za/Newsletter Medal. Psychology, Vol.60, N.5, 656-674 s/newsletter%201-2004.pdf Retrieved from Sir Peter Smithers had written about http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro Special thank you to Helen Marriott, a desire to end his life like his hero, /faculty/fiske/pubs/Fiske_Haslam_ L.T. Tran and Mike Riska for their Joseph Addison, and wrote that his Fiske_Confusing_One_Person_with_ contribution to this article. wish was to be “surrounded by Another_1991.pdf beauty, which is my garden… As Delaware Center for Horticulture POTTING MIXES long as my memory lasts my garden (2015) History of the Rare Plant Rae Begg will remain with me, like my own Auction, Retrieved from past life, a delightful dream which http://www.thedch.org/activities- Why do we need to use potting one I dreamed here on this events/rare-plant-auction mixes in pots? mountainside”. Dojean, Lady Lewins, S. (2014) Lieut. John Rupert Because Clivia, and any other plants Smithers, passed away in early 2006. Hunt Thouron. British Resistance grown in pots, need well drained Sir Peter passed away aged 92 on 8th Archive. Retrieved from media which has the capacity to hold June 2006 (Martin). http://www.coleshillhouse.com/lieu enough water and nutrients for t.-j-r-h-thouron.php healthy growth. While the biographies outlined above Martin, D. (2006) Peter Smithers Dies show these gentlemen to have had at 92; Spy With a Green Thumb, The How long do we want our potting quite distinct lives, there are a New York Times, retrieved from mix to last? number of similarities. Both were http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/ Most people will say ‘years’ or ‘as born British citizens but died in 25/world/europe/25smithers.html?_ long as possible’. adopted countries. Both served in r=0 For potting mix to remain stable for a WW2, and were involved in military Delaware Center for Horticulture long time, consideration must be intelligence. Both married American (2015) Rare Plants for Common given to the materials used. ladies. Both created famous gardens, Ground Retrieved from and had specialist collections. Both http://www.thedch.org/sites/defau Physical properties of Potting Mixes were generous to other gardeners, lt/files/ckeditor_uploads/other/Con and horticultural organisations. It tent_Event_RPA15_Catalog_LoRes.p Physical properties means: was the act of sharing special df - shape, size and density of treasured plants, in this case Raver, A. (8/12/1994) $950 lillies, individual particles and the way particularly good cream Clivia, which but one to a customer please. The New particles stack together led to the wide distribution of those York Times, retrieved from - the stability and whether or not plants and their hybrids today. The http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/ there is internal pore space Clivia fraternity is richer for their 08/garden/047007.html eg. stone or sand vs perlite or bark. generosity and it is fitting that they Roth, A., (2006) Sir Peter Smithers, are remembered frequently. The Guardian. These properties then determine: http://www.theguardian.com/news - the proportion of air and water in References /2006/jun/15/guardianobituaries.ob the mix when it is drained Blakely, J. (2014) A History of the ituaries - the ease with which the roots can Gardens of the Ambassador’s Smithers, P. (1995) Adventures of A extract water Residence, British Embassy, Gardener London, Harvill Press - the bulk density or weight of the Washington. Retrieved from The Telegraph (2006) Obituaries, Sir mix. Weight is considered necessary https://washingtonembassygardens. Peter Smithers. Retrieved from to keep containers stable. wordpress.com/2014/07/01/john- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ Mixes must contain a high proportion thouron-landscape-architect-british- obituaries/1520841/Sir-Peter- of readily available water so watering embassy/ Smithers.html can be infrequent. Thus the formula Dixon, R. (2005) Have Genes, Will University of Pennsylvania, Almanac, for potting mix needs to balance air travel; On the trail of ‘Vico Yellow’ 2007, Vol. 53 No. 23 Retrieved from filled porosity and water holding Clivia Society Yearbook, Retrieved from http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/v capacity. http://gardenzainparadise.com/files olumes/v53/n23/obit.html /articles/2005_YB.pdf van der Linde, J. (2004) Personality Effects of particle size Fiske, A, Haslam, N. Fiske, S. (1991) Profile- Sir Peter Smithers, Clivia - pores between large particles are Confusing One Person with Another: Society Newsletter Vol. 13. No. 1 larger than the pores between small What Social Errors Reveal About Retrieved from particles Elementary Forms of Social Relations, - the smaller pores will be filled with water © Copyright 2015 Melbourne Clivia Group Inc. Page 7
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- the larger pores will be filled with Using very coarse sand Materials: air - increases the air filled porosity to Ratio - water in the largest of the smaller around 40% Pine Bark pores will be readily available to the - reduces the water released to 1 plants around 8%. Pine bark: sand - water in the tiniest pores will be 2:1 to 4:1 unavailable The most common materials used in Pine bark: sand: peat moss potting mixes include peat, 4:4:1 Therefore: composted bark, sand, perlite, Pine bark coarse: fine bark: sand - the proportions of air and readily coconut fibre and vermiculite. 3:2:1 (my wholesale mix available water in a mix will depend from Debco for Clivia) on the proportions of: - Peat holds more readily available - pores of different sizes. water than any of the others listed Poor mixes - many large particles should give but has a much finer particle size so it soil: pine bark: sand much air in the mix is not suitable for use in Clivia potting 7:3:1 - many small particles should give a mix. loam: sand: sawdust high ability to hold water. 3:2:1 Coconut fibre has: The recommended air filled porosity - an air filled porosity of approx. USING POTTING MIXES for Clivia is about 20% or more ie. 12.5% 20% of the volume of mix should be - water holding capacity approx. 88%. When potting plants, don’t press the air. potting mix down. This reduces the Perlite allows higher air filled air filled porosity. Air filled porosity of composted porosity than similar sized particles coarse mixture of pine bark (0.5mm- of other materials due to the porosity Normal watering is usually sufficient 5.0mm) is approx 48%. of the material. This can be used for to settle the mix and stabilise the Clivias but other materials are plant. Water released from the same course cheaper. mixture of pine bark (0.5mm – Garden soil, compost and other 5.0mm) is around 3%. Coarse grades of perlite: organic and animal fertilisers are not - increase air filled porosity and desirable in potting mix. They Add sand at a ratio of 2 parts bark to decreases readily available water quickly break down into small 1 part sand particles reducing air filled porosity - the air filled porosity is approx. 15% Finer grades of perlite: and causing drainage problems. - water released is approx. 20% - decreases air filled porosity and Often pathogens in the soil which are Using very fine sand increase readily available water. under control in the ground become a - - reduces the air filled porosity to problem in containers. around 7% Particle shape of different materials - - reduces the water released to varies so the way they sit together References: around 13% also has an effect. Growing Media for Ornamental Using very coarse sand increases the Plants & Turf air filled porosity to around 28%. Mixes with a good balance between - - reduces the water released to air filled porosity and the ability to K. Handreck & N. Black NSW around 13%. supply readily available water will University Press revised edition 1989 have approx 20% fine particles (0.1 – Add sand at a ratio of 10 parts bark 0.25mm range). Higher proportions Cultivation of Clivias Lena van der to 1 part sand. of very fine particles (like very fine Merwe, Hannes Robbertse, Bossie de - The air filled porosity is approx. sand or clay particles) will decrease Kock 28% the proportion of readily available - Water released is approx. 12% water.
Using very fine sand Examples of general nursery mixes - increases the air filled porosity to based on pine bark with air filled around 33% porosity 13 – 25% and readily - reduces the water released to available water as high as possible. around 9%
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