Streptocarpus

And one more collection... Streptocarpus are gesneriads as well. These have occupied my kitchen windowsills. This in the group photo of Purple Panda, DS-Ladies' Logic, Cartier, DS-Men' Logic (free translation), Kilimandzharo Snows (free translation). There are many new amazing DS- varieties coming from the Ukrainian author.


Which compost do you pot streps in? Thanks to one good person I have found one appropriate compost so far. 100% peat based A. Bower's Traditional All Purpose Potting Compost. I tried one peat reduced, streps didn't like it, and didn't grow roots.

 

I have a Streptocarpella if that counts?

 

Yes, this counts as coming from the same family, close relative. Lovely plant!

 

Hi Alisa! I'm so sorry to dig up such an old thread, but I've completely fallen in love with Streptocarpus Ladies' Logic and can't find it for sale anywhere that can currently import to the UK without it being horribly expensive. I was wondering whether you have Ladies' Logic still and would like to do a swap or sale? Thanks so much for your time! - Anna

 

Hi, nope, I don't have streptocarpi anymore. Despite being lovely plants, I... tired of them.

 

Aww, I thought I was onto something there, haha! Thank you very much for your reply, I'll keep on hunting

 

Aww, I thought I was onto something there, haha! Thank you very much for your reply, I'll keep on hunting

 

Aww, I thought I was onto something there, haha! Thank you very much for your reply, I'll keep on hunting

 

Have you contacted this ebay seller who has various DS streps, though not listing Ladies Logic he might be able to order one for you if he orders from abroad ??
He used to have a direct selling list so worth giving him a call.




Have had a few Reds from Dibleys and him but they never seem to stay in good colour that long or be a really nice shade of red, possibly Dibleys Rubinia Red being the best of them,



This is our favourite red-ish one - DS Kalahari- though again not shown on Steve Spensers currrent list

 

Hi Ricky, thank you so much for your kind response, and sorry for my slow one (behaving true to my username, there!).

Aha, yes I have bought from Steve before and it may well be worth seeing if he can get Ladies' Logic ordered in, thank you! I'm really loving the Ukrainian, Polish and Russian varieties being bred up. Your Kalahari is looking gorgeous, thank you for sharing!

 

I love stretocarpus but have no luck in keeping them. It just has one small miserable leaf that never grows and I've had it over a year, it was beautiful when I bought it. Any tips gratefully received.

 

Assume you are talking about growing them in the house rather than a greenhouse ?

Either way there seems to be a few basic rules, avoiding strong direct sunlight, early morning or late afternoon evening sun ok if not too strong, warmth but not too hot and dry, carefull watering allowing them to go quiet dry before watering again, feeding with 1/4 strength tomoato feed when in flower and using tepid not cold water.

Lots of info on Dibleys site and various other web pages and yutubes.
How to Look After Your Streptocarpus Plants


As for your current Strep, it might be well past it or diseased at the roots etc so might suggest you remove it and purchase one or two young plug plants from Dibleys, the two in the pic below ( our own plants) are the ones we found to be the strongest and easiest to grow and keep.

Plug Streps from Dibley used to arrive in a type of fine mesh bag which they say plant it in as it degrades, but found thats not true and they do hold the plant back so suggest you carefully remove them.

Streptocarpus Plug Plants

Plug Plant Collections.

 

Thanks Ricky, I'll take your advice.

 

I love them too, Zilly.

With streps, it's almost all about the roots! I've found they're quite forgiving as long as you get root conditions right. They really like being on the dry side unless they're very young, so the compost mix and watering frequency are key.

I use houseplant compost with about 1:4 perlite to allow the roots plenty of aeration and avoid root rot, water from below (in the saucer) to avoid crown rot, and let the soil get pretty dry - almost friable - before each watering. Some people even let their leaves wilt before watering.

I've also found that, in the UK, mine do enjoy more light than some of the advice catered towards areas of the world with higher light intensity would suggest. A south facing window from about October to May seems appreciated by them, stopping the leaves from getting overly large and also encouraging flowering. Quarter strength tomato feed helps with the latter, too, as Ricky says!

If you're feeling brave you could cut off half your existing leaf and put it in soil to start again with it - now's a good time to do it and leaf cuttings are usually successful this time of year

 

Thank you Annakin, I will try adding perlite when next repotting.