Grow Well Guides

Gloriosa

If you have a bare trellis or a wall in your garden that needs spicing up, plant Gloriosa and prepare yourself for the compliments that are sure to come your way! For anyone who likes dramatic flowers, this flame lily fits the bill with its scalloped yellow edges and swept back petals. Add a touch of the tropics to your garden.

Planting Calendar

Summer
Autumn
Winter
Spring

The ideal time for planting Gloriosa lily is late spring (Oct - Nov), when the soils have warmed up a bit and those late frosts have passed. Gloriosa are sold as dry tubers.

Prepare

Position

Gloriosa is a climbing perennial that likes to grow up a tree or trellis. It can get tall up to 3 m depending on its position. Ideally, Gloriosa prefers being in a sunny position but can tolerate dappled light or part shade. It is not vigorous like other climbers and can grow between plants.

Soil

Gloriosa grows best in well draining soil with plenty of organic matter. If planted in heavy soils, add King's Organic Compost, Sheep Pellets and Gypsum Clay Breaker to improve drainage. When planting in pots, use Kings Potting Mix.

Plant

To prepare soil for planting, fork up the ground to a depth of 20 cm and mix a generous amount of King's Organic Compost into the soil, mix in the required amount of Kings Bulb Food and some Sheep Pellets. Place a trellis securely next to the place of planting Gloriosa tubers.Plant the lily tubers approximately 10 cm from the trellis. Dig a hole to the depth of 5 - 10 cm and lay the tuber on its side in the hole. Space the tubers approximately 50 cm apart to allow room for the mature plants to grow. Cover the tubers and gently press the soil down to remove air pockets. Water at the time of planting to get the tubers started with Aquaticus Garden Booster.

Care

Watering

Watering must be done to keep the soil evenly moist till leaves appear. Then watering can be reduced to alternate days in summer. However, if there are longer dry spells, water regularly to keep the soil just damp. Too much water can cause the tubers to rot away.

Feeding

Feed Gloriosa plants with Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster once every month. A sprinkle of Kings Slow Release Bulb food once during planting and once in the growing season is also helpful.

Protecting

Protect against Slug and Snail attack with Slug Bait. If you have pets use Tui Quash.

Mulching

Mulch around the base of the plants (make sure that the mulch does not come into direct contact with the stem of the plant) with Living Earth More than Mulch. Mulching helps to reduce weeds as well as aiding the soil to retain moisture.

General Care

After flowering, Water should be withheld once the foliage begins to turn yellow in autumn. The tubers are prone to rot under moist conditions during the winter months. Tubers can only be lifted and split during the dormant period. Cut the vines back. Tubers can be lifted and stored in moist peat moss in a cool, dark place for the winter and replanted in the spring. Alternatively, they can be left to dry out on their own then re-planted.

Expert Tip

Gloriosa Tubers are very brittle and must be handled with care. All parts of the plants, especially the tubers are poisonous.

Tip

When using sprays, chemicals or fertilisers always read the label and follow the instructions. Apply sprays in the evening to avoid harming beneficial insects.

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