Clivia Plant,
Good morning my fellow Gardeners.
I recieved my Clivia Plant 3 to 4 years. Iv never gotten it to bloom and I think I just figured out my 1 mistake.
Question is
" When I take my plant in for winter months what kind of lighting should I have on the plant ? If any???
Iv read to put it in room with temperatures around 50 ish...
The last few years I have taken my plant inside but I didnt put it in the dark!?
Now I havnt read if it should be completely dark? Partly dark or a well lite room?
Iv always put the plant near others that have a grow light on them or just plant bulbs basically.
What I was just reading never stated what light if any is necessary during these winter down times?

Also as I was just describing Iv had this plant about 4 years now. 1st year I didnt mess with it much then 2nd year I decided to look into getting it to bloom for me.
This was a gift to me. I am 3rd person to own it. So the history is vague.. but it was in an office for 2 to 3 years prior . Now I cant remember if they said it bloomed 1 time or it never did bloomed at all. ..
I Wish I could remember!!!!
So idk why, or if they didnt get it right, or is it possible this one will never bloom?????
I read when I 1st received the plant that they like to be pot bound so I did work on that but nothing else besides basics water fertilizer about every 4 to 6 weeks in summer. Thats about it. I am 6 B zone and I take it out side for summer months.
I hope all this rambling made since.
I just want to know " what kinda lighting do I need in winter months for Clivia Plant to bloom in spring??
What other ideas or tricks I can do to make this baby bloom next spring.
Thanks a million my friends. I trurly hope you all are enjoying your Gardening this year.
Iv been busy with new work and keeping up with my plants this year!!! Busy busy busy.. take care!!
PEACE , LOVE AND CHICKEN GREASE!!! ;)

Hi Pamela - Clivias indoors do best in bright indirect light - a north or east windowsill is best. Outdoors should be in a shaded location. It has spectacular flowers and is one of the few flowering plants that will bloom without direct sun.

The key to flowering is that it must be utterly potbound. Even mature plants are rarely in pots larger than 6 to 7 inches. Yours appears to be over-potted and that is the likely reason it has not bloomed for you. If the pot it is in does not have a drain hole, then I suggest you move it into a terra cotta pot that has a drain hole and is just large enough to barely accommodate the roots and enough soil to cover them. However, there are risks in possibly damaging the roots if you repot and you could lose an otherwise healthy and well-cared for the plant. The alternative is to keep it as it is but realize that it may take a few more seasons of healthy growth before it blooms.

During the growing season, from February to July, Clivias should be watered thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry. By August the plant is preparing for dormancy as leaf growth ceases. Gradually decrease the watering frequency so that from October to February, an infrequent watering or just enough to keep the plant from wilting will suffice. During the winter months, Clivias prefer a cool location where temps are in the 45 to 60-degree range. However, they will tolerate warmer temps. Keep it near a north or east window as it does not need or want toral darkness in winter, just reduced water. The cool, dry winter dormant period is what encourages flowering in the late winter or early spring.

Clivias are quite tough plants. I have hidden them in our cold garage with no lights in winter and no issues at all. My area has mild winters, so it can also stay outdoors for quite awhile as long as it is kept dry as much as possible during winter.

What it needs to trigger blooming is to feel a substantial temperature drop in Fall to winter. That is what I notice with mine. Somehow, in my area it needs to feel about a month of overnight temps in the 35F to 50F range. Ideally kept drier at this time. I bring them indoors here during late winter, so I get their lovely blooms.

It also needs to be quite matured already to do its blooms. Keep your media very gritty and coarse and well draining. It has quite thick roots that absolutely hates sitting in water.

Always position the plant in shade. Those leaves do not like direct sun at all. I love this plant, it thrives quite happily by my north bay window area. I do have one container now outdoors, but in shade, and since summer temps right now are quite hot, I can water it liberally, since it dries out very fast here with our very low humidity.

Hi, fellow Marylander here.
I have gotten some bloom, most years on my Clivia. I keep them out late into fall, move them into downstairs coolest corner for winter.

Will, thanks for the notes, I will try to move them under an eave so they start being drier as weather cools.
Yours looks great, (though the trowel stuck in there makes me cringe- roots ouch). Mine is potted mostly bark and has exposed surface roots which it does not mind.

Thanks to each of you. I appreciate the tips and tricks !!!
I have repotted this plant before. So I believe he may not mind it so much. I'd like to get it to bloom so I may repot to smaller clay pot and hopefully he will be snuggled in by winter and who knows it may bloom for me...
I can say this plants been to " hell " and back with me. I had no choice but to move 3 times in past 2 years and each time I deal with certain plants that really dont like any movement and other such as this 1 that dont seem to be bother by much of anything.
I'm so happy this plants made it through the rough times with me. It makes wanting to bloom it even more exciting.
Iv never seen this plant in bloom. It's been hiding in corner waiting for me to do the right thing!! Lol
So thanks a million my fellow gardeners.. I will definitely post any new action from this guy!!!!
;)
Updated thoughts!!!

After giving a little more thought to repotting this plant I remembered the last time I did so. I'd taken pictures """still looking for them ATM."""". but the root on this plant is extremely large = long. If my memory is correct that's the only reason I went with this large pot.
So if I am correct and the roots won't fit into a smaller pot , what should I do?
Someone mentioned " I think" the roots dont mind being exposed some????
Uhhh thinking... again I remember the roots were tall.. I'm thinking from base of plant to ends of roots it was 6 to 7 inches long of not more .. I tried putting the plant in smaller pot but it wasnt working out....
Maybe a taller pot.... IDK???
Maybe I'll take it out today show you all my issue...I'll take a pic of roots later this evening......

Updated.

I didnt wait for evening. Its 7:47 AM now so I went ahead took the plant out of the pot so I can go find a pot for it. I took pictures. Please tell me what size pot should I put all these roots in. Lol I'd say the longest ones are about 6 inches .
I will measure that later just to be sure.
I'll have to go by my storage and find me a pot for it. So I dont wanna get wrong size n have to go back again!! Anyways please anyone that wants to give me ur thoughts on this please feel free.
Should I try shove them gently into a very small pot??

Well, I can say, they don't have to be all stretched out.. mine are a tangled mass filling every 'corner' of their pot. So I would kind of cram it, some.

8 inches to 10 inches should be wide enough. Just make sure container has drain holes and make your media as gritty coarse as you can.

See mine:
Oct 2016


15Jan 2019


10Feb2019

Where is all the dirt? If it all fell off when you took it out of the pot, it had plenty of space to grow.