I started collecting Clivia Miniata plants in 1994, from the Clivia Plantation, Howick KZN. Robin Holmes delivered 500 adult flowering plants to my home in Florida Park, Gauteng. These were immediately planted in my garden and then the "bug bit".

I currently have 1300 various colours of Miniata growing in my garden, from which I harvest approximately 4500 seeds (assorted) per season. This assortment of seeds are called fruit "salad" and is distributed on the Clivia Forum through Leisl Brand.

My main focus is to import selected seeds from Belgium and the United States. We also buy good quality seeds namely "Berties Yellow " from the late Bertie Guillaume of Louis Trichaardt, and also broadleaf special Belgium hybrids from Pierre De Coster of Belgium

I also import seeds from the Monterey Bay Nursery in Northern California, U.S.A.

I have recently purchased seedlings from a reputable clivia grower, Tino Ferero of Pretoria, Gauteng. My philosophy is to purchase seed or seedlings from reputable breeders, as mentioned, allaying any fears and disputes of plant-flower colouration.

Please view my Gallery and see some spectacular plants that I have grown and line bred.

Once the seeds have been harvested, I do the following

1. Thoroughly clean seeds, disposing of any membrane or sheath covering the seed, as this invariably leads to fungal growth.
2. Once this is done the seeds, colour coded are then placed into Tupperware containers to dry.
   These are left out for 10 - 14 days.
3. The seeds are then placed into a mixture of fungicide, Bravo 720 for 48 hours. During this time I prepare the cultivation mixture, consisting of Palm Peat and Perlite. This mixture is then placed into plastic containers and micro-waved for 10 min on high to eliminate pathogens and sterilise the mixture. A lid is placed on each container and allowed to cool off.
4. The containers which are sealed are stored and labelled individually, until needed.
5. The seeds which are in the suspension (Bravo) are taken out using a tea strainer, not by hand, in order for them to be pathogen free. The seeds are now placed onto a bath towel to dry, with the seeds bearing visual signs of the fungicide. Once dry, the seeds are placed into the prepared mixture "D".
6. A fine organic foliar feed is sprayed on the seeds. The container lid is sealed and the container, labelled, is then placed into the seed incubator, at a fixed 25°c, thermostatically regulated, until the seeds germinate, ± 50 days.
7. Management During Seedling Period.
   After approximately 50 days of sowing, the first leaf will appear, and photosynthesis will start. At the same time the seedling starts it's metabolic physiological function. With time proceeding, the young seedlings of the clivia grows bigger and moves into the seedling period from the growing of the first leaf to the growing of the fifth - eighth leaf in the next year. The period from the first full year of maturing of the clivia, is called the adult seedling period.
8. Grading of seedlings during this period is advisable. A primary selection can be performed and the seedlings not in good growing condition are discarded.
9. The mixture that I use during this period is the same mixture of Palm Peat and Perlite. Seedlings are placed into plastic crates, 45 seedlings per crate, and are labelled and stacked in a temperature controlled room till early spring, September - October, when they will then be placed into the hot house (shade houses) until blooming time.