Gloxinia Bulb Planting

Gloxinias are quite specific about what they want in the way of growing conditions and will be quite quick to announce their displeasure if you don't provide them with it.

When growing gloxinia the tuber should be right at the surface of the soil not buried deeply just lightly covered.

The problem with growing gloxinia is the plants tuber is often difficult to tell which end is up, the solution is easy.

First look at the gloxinia tuber carefully. Look for a small bunch of tiny points, these are the growing buds, they can be on the top or they can even be on the side of the tuber next to roots. Plant these points as the top, if you can't find the points of the gloxinia then plant the tubers on their edge in a vertical way so that both sides are straight up and down. The growing points will emerge and head for the surface.

This is one of those plants that need as much sunlight as it can get from you, but not direct sunlight, just lots of indirect light. You will be unhappy with your gloxinia if you try to grow in a low light area. If the leaves start to stretch out, it is not getting light and needs to be moved to a new place or use artificial light.

Water your growing gloxinia regularly and water thoroughly, allow to dry out between watering. To check touch the soil on top if dry then water. Don't keep it damp but also don't let it dry fully out, or you will lose your gloxinia. This is a relative of the African violet and should be treated just about the same, except this plant loves light. Here again the best way to water is add the water to the plate or saucer you have it on, when the water is soaked up water again, after about an hour dump any water left on the plate off. Again use warm water.

When your gloxinia is in bloom keep the temperature between sixty and sixty five degrees. Don't let the plant in a temperature below sixty degrees or it will suffer.

When they go dormant after blooming, place where the the temperature will be around fifty degrees. Gloxinia like African violets like high humidity, but don't spray them with water or the blooms will blotch and disfigure. Using a humidifier is the best solution.

Fertilize with a good general house plant fertilizer, one that all the numbers match, Twenty, twenty, twenty. Fertilize Regularly while plants are growing strong and blooming, but stop as soon as it is done blooming so the tuber can go dormant.

Use a good quality artificial soil for growing gloxinias. You can use the same mix that is used for African violets, just be sure it drains well.

It is best to re-pot your gloxinia every spring or when it go's dormant, so the new growth will be  in a larger pot with new soil.

Gloxinias need pruning, remove the spent flowers by carefully cutting off at the base of the stem. Watch the leaves though, they are quite brittle and won't tolerate abuse without going brown and ugly. Start new plants with a leaf cutting as you do with African violets, take off a leaf in spring plant in fresh soil mix water and it should root in a few weeks.