This post explains how I grow Anthuriums from seed up to flowering size in about 6-7 months using a tent setup, passive-hydro / constant bottom watering, and a tree fern based chunky substrate mix. The process is based on my own experience and has produced consistent growth and good coloration in my setup.
Starting Anthuriums From Seed
After I collect seeds, I place them on tree fern inside a closed small bin. This keeps humidity high and stable while the seeds germinate. I usually leave them there until they have developed their first leaf and root.
Seedlings can be kept in the box longer if needed. This slows down growth and makes it easier to work through a large batch in stages. After a few months they may look slightly gnarly, but in my experience they usually resume healthy growth once potted.
First Potting Into 6 cm Pots
Once the seedlings have developed their first leaf and root, they are potted into 6 cm pots. With larger seed batches, I usually pot them up in stages over several weeks or months to spread out their growth timeline and save space.
The substrate mix I use is:
• 1/3 perlite
• 1/3 tree fern
• 1/3 soil
The pots are kept continuously on trays with water at the bottom. At this stage the most important factor is making sure the seedlings never dry out. Seedlings are much more delicate than mature plants and take long to recover from drying out.
I usually do not pot the very smallest seedlings from a batch, such as those with multiple very tiny leaves. Occasionally, I pot up some of the smaller seedlings that still seem capable of sizing up in order to observe potential mutations. In my experience, seedlings with unusual traits often remain smaller and grow more slowly. They need to be grown for at least a few months before it becomes clear whether the trait are actually interesting.
I prefer opaque pots. In my experience they produce stronger and healthier root systems compared to transparent pots.
Early Growth and Development
In the beginning, seedlings are very small and growth is relatively slow. The first one to three leaves are usually small and show little character, although strong seedlings often double or triple in size with each new leaf at this stage. From the third or fourth leaf onward, leaf shape, texture, and emergent color begin to appear. This is where things start to get exciting!
In my experience, seedlings size up best when they are potted up relatively early. Strong light and regular water and fertilizing are important at this stage, as these are the resources plants use to build larger leaves.
Seedlings remain in 6 cm pots for three months. I label trays with the cross and date to easily track progress.
Three Month Stage and Repotting
At around three months, plants are repotted into 9cm pots with a chunkier mix with LECA at the bottom. When repotting, I aim to cover as much of the stem as possible and may remove lower leaves to position the plant correctly.
I do not clean, untangle, or disturb the roots. The entire root ball is placed directly into the new pot and filled around with substrate. In my experience, avoiding root disturbance leads to less need for recovery and better growth.
After repotting, plants return to the tent under the same lights and remain on trays with water. Watering stays consistent across all stages.
How to Support Steady Anthurium Growth
For speedy growth, consistency is key when growing Anthuriums. Maintaining constant moisture and regular fertilization allows the plants to develop strong roots, which in turn support fast growth and healthy, vibrant leaves.
In my experience, Anthuriums tend to lose some of their deep, dark leaf color if they are allowed to dry out between waterings.
Airflow is also important for healthy growth. In closed environments, plants can quickly use up available CO₂, which is essential for photosynthesis. Slightly lower humidity can improve respiration and help seedlings take up nutrients more effectively. Maintaining 100 percent humidity increases the risk of fungal infections and root rot in my experience. Currently I'm aiming for about 70% humidity inside my tents.
Algae can form in constantly moist trays and, in large amounts, may slightly harm the plants. What helps manage it is:
• Cleaning trays regularly
• Keeping trays as full of plants as possible to limit light exposure to fertilized water
• Occasionally rinsing pots if algae buildup becomes excessive
Six Month Stage and Later Growth
By six months, plants are usually large and actively growing, often already pushing out their first infloresences and roots bursting out of their pots. Even when root bound, they can continue sizing up well if watered and fertilized sufficiently. Still the faster you repot, the faster they will size up!
The final pot stage is a taller black pot, with measurements 11x11x19cm. At this size, I most often do not sell the plants, as they quickly become too large for practical shipping.
Growing Setup
All plants are grown inside a tent using:
• Amazon Basics wire shelving
• IKEA Baggmuck trays
Lighting consists of Mars Hydro veg lights:
• One 20W bar per shelf, (one bar from a 40W set)
• One 40W bar on the ceiling for larger plants (from 80W set)
Materials and Products Used
• Opaque plants pots from Led Grower: 9x9x10cm, tall big ones 11x11x19cm (I now also use 9x9x13cm pots which I ordered from the manufacturer)
• Thin Vefi plastic 6 cm seedling pots from local market
• Bark and pumice from Ecuagenera in the two largest sizes
• Tree fern and Orchiata from Besgrow
• Small size perlite sourced locally
• Soil is All Mix by Biobizz