Question
Hello,

I found an answer you gave in 2006 about a Bromelia (Guzmania Bromeliad). You said that by putting diced up apple on the soil and sealing it in a plastic bag, you can make the plant flower again.

I have the same plant and have just tried this, so fingers crossed.


Before I found your answer, I cut off the dead flower stalk. Was this the right thing to do?

I also wondered how important it is for the bag to be completely sealed (since most bags have holes in them to prevent suffocation). Should I cover up the holes with tape?

Many thanks!
Laurence

Answer
Laurence,

I don't beleive that I am the expert that made the previous reccomendation because it is not accurate. The plant that has bloomed will not bloom again. It will die. This death may occur slowly, but during it抯 passing your Guzmania should produce between 1 to 3 pups or offsets you can separate and grow on to flower again, given the right conditions.

Does the plant have pups? If so they probably are growing larger!

These pups can stay on the mother plant but it抯 usually best to remove them once they reach about one-thrid to one-half the original plants size.

Once removed pot the plants up individually. Of course the next question is ?how?

For starters, where the pup attaches to the 搈other plant?remove the soil. Once a pup reaches one-third the size of the original plant a gentle pull or tug is all that is needed to separate the two plants. If the offset does not pull away easily cut the pup where it attaches to the mother plant. Before potting your new Bromeliad, let it sit in the open air (not in the sun) for a day. This allows the cut area to dry.

Using a mixture of peat moss and perlite pot up the bromeliad cutting into a small pot. Keep the soil mix damp and put the plant in bright light ?no full sun or direct light. Keep the temperature over 65 degrees if possible.

Don抰 expect the bromeliad to flower right away. It can take a few years for the plant to reach mature blooming size. Once the plant reaches maturity you can force the plant to flower by placing the plant in a clear plastic bag and throw a ripe apple inside the bag for 7 to 10 days. The ripe apple will give off ethylene gas and will help force the plant to flower. By the way that抯 a great little plant science experiment for kids science class.

Don抰 over pot the plant, give it lots of bright light and water regularly, Bromeliads are easy to care for.

If all the potting and work sounds too much to handle. Do nothing and enjoy the plant as is. If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene