Heliconia Rhizome Care

Congratulations on your purchase of Lush Tropical heliconia's. Please read through our instructions for care for your new Rhizomes. 

Rhizome Establishment

Heliconia's should not be planted too deeply; only the roots and the base of the plant should be covered with light soil and watered in well ensuring the soil layer still covers the base of the plant once watered in. This is an important part of the process as if the Rhizome is planted too deep it may rot before it has a chance to grow through the soil layer and if planted too shallow, will not have strong support in the ground as well as possibly drying out the Rhizome. They should be kept moist, but never waterlogged, at all times.

Whether they are planted in the ground or in a pot, rhizomes should not be disturbed, as the new roots and shoots that develop at the base are fragile. It is normal for the old stem to wither and die, and a new shoot will emerge from the base of the rhizome. This process may take several weeks to several months. Please be patient and do not try lifting them out of the pot or ground looking for growth, as likely this will damage the new shoot emerging and slow or stop any further shoots growing.

Planting out

In nature, heliconia's grow on mountain slopes in tropical rainforests, where they have abundant moisture but perfect drainage. In the garden, they should be planted in a good soil with abundant organic matter and excellent drainage. A heavy, poor soil can be improved by the addition of river sand or perlite to increase aeration and drainage, and by incorporating compost or peat moss to increase organic matter content.

Whatever the quality of the garden bed you plant them in though, will be the difference between a lush robust flowering Plant that fills the space, or one that is slow growing with straggly stems and minimal flowers. So please ensure you give a good home to your new plants, and they will show you their appreciation. 😊

 

Many heliconia's prefer part shade, and should be planted near large trees or palms, or near a building or other structure, where they receive partial shade, or direct sun only in the early morning or late afternoon, though many can also tolerate full sun and will flower well there. See conditions on individual plants for optimal growth. Wind can also damage their large leaves so they may look their best in protected areas and provide a great contrast of colours with other settings such as against timber structures.

 

 

Plant Care
Heliconia's contain a lot of water, and once established, are somewhat drought tolerant, although growth will be slower under dry conditions. A recently established plant should be watered well once or twice a week if it is not raining regularly. Once the plant begins active growth, it can be fertilized every 3-4 months, although fertilization may not be necessary in a fertile soil with abundant organic matter. Fertilizers may be water soluble, granular, slow release or organic, but should be used in moderation. Heliconia's do love a good feed of Dynamic lifter and hay mulch or other light mulches to provide nutrient and help build up good soil health. This encourages microbiology in the soil which creates healthy plants. Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants

Here at Speewah Gardens we believe in good soil health for strong productive and healthy plants so. We also give foliar sprays to our plants for added flower production as we sell the flowers commercially, and the plants will be happy for light fish emulsions or seaweed sprays when you can.

 

Heliconia's are quite resistant to insects and diseases, especially if they are growing in a well-drained soil with adequate moisture and available nutrients. The only maintenance required to maintain a heliconia clump in good condition is to cut and remove old stems at their base after flowering. This may be done with a small machete or hand pruner. Only old stems should be removed, as the newly emerging shoots will be the next ones to produce flowers. The old stems and leaves may be cut up and spread out as mulch around the base of the plant. Once a flower is cut off, that is the end of that stem. If you see a new stem coming up from an already cut stem, then you need to cut that old stem lower to the ground to promote new rhizome growth underground, as the old stem will only make a weedy looking plant otherwise.