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| Achimenes | Common name; Hot Water plant |
Achimenes originate from Central and South America, and are related to African Violets and Gloxinias and are mainly grown as summer-flowering house or greenhouse plants.
The profusion of funnel-shaped flowers resemble pansies or petunias and grow from 25-75mm (1”-3”) in diameter.
They come in an array of colours including white, yellow, scarlet, salmon, pink, blue, lavender, or purple, and bloom from late spring to autumn
They prefer daytime temperatures of around 24°C (75º F) and night temperatures of 16°-21°C (60º - 70º F) and should never be allowed to go below 10°C (50º F).
Grow them in bright, indirect light sunlight, in pots of well-drained, humus-rich potting compost, and pinch out tips as necessary to induce bushy habit.
Keep the compost moist and fertilise weekly during the growing season.
When the flowers begin to fade, reduce watering, and this will cause the plants to go dormant and begin to form tubers.
Once the leaves have fallen, the fragile tubers can be gathered and saved for replanting the following season.
Store the tubers at around 10°-21°C (50º- 70º F) in boxes/pots sphagnum moss, or vermiculite.
alternatively ; leave them in their existing pots and store at around 10°-21°C (50º- 70º F) for dividing the following season
Week 6; Sow seeds in a fine well drained seed compost and grow on at a temperature of around 21°-24°C (70°-75º F)
Week 11; Re-pot up the tubers in pots of well-drained, humus-rich potting compost, and start into growth in a heated propagator or warm room indoors.
Increase stock by removing the root ball from the pot, then tease out the tubercles (these resemble small white fleshy catkins) and divide the plants
Space out tubers, say 6 to a 150mm (6”) pot and cover with 25mm (1”) of compost.
Maintain a minimum temperature of 16°C (60°F) and water cautiously until growth gets underway.
Week 27; Take tip cuttings of young shoots.
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