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Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily)

Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817
in Plants

I have just received an order of 5 alstroemeria 

What has come isn't quite what I was expecting, though not sure what they would be like.

These are long thick root typw things, bit like an eremurus crossed with a dahlia - not a good descriptionimage

Packaging says plant horizontally, however for now they have to go in pots and am unsure (totally flummoxed) what to do with them. If I lay them as dorections I will need really large pots for each one and not sure I a) have enough large one and b) can accomodate them.

All help and ideas accepted image

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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 13,740

    what i  do with bare roots like those is to put a little compost in bottom of a pot then try and spread the roots out like a triangle of the roots wirth the base of the pot as the base of the triangle and feeding more compost in between. Aim for the crown to be 2 inches bellow the surface. I have used 1 litre pots for alstromeria before. I hope this makes sense. I would draw a picture but I dot think you can do that with the tools on here.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    Yes, i have just done that.  Use ericaceous compost and water with rain water.

     

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,214

    In last house we actually couldn't get rid of 'em as they were one of the few things bunnies didn't eat! We had acid soil and it was quite rich where most of them were sited and right next to a down pipe so Marion's advice sounds spot on. Once established they seem to spread very readily (even under weed control fabric!) if happy. They also seeded around very freely as well and I transplanted some to other areas of garden.

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    Thanks all, will pot them up tomorrow - more indoor gardeningimage

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    Think I will put them in big pots as one of the many things to do when the ground has thawed is a soil test or 2.

    How acidic would they need?

  • Woodgreen wonderboyWoodgreen wonderboy Posts: 2,322

    I have friends who grow this successfully in the shadow of the South Downs, very chalky and definitely no acid in sight. They gave me some clumps in the Autumn to replant here and I am following this thread with interest.

  • Matty2Matty2 Posts: 4,817

    So for now could I pot them into MP or should I mix a bit of ericaceous in with it?

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