W. strictiflora is recommended for 25–30 cm diameter plastic pots, and to dedicated rock garden pockets. It is best suited to frost-free conditions, but can probably take light frost for short periods of a few hours. Although it occurs in stony clay soils in the wild, it readily adapts to well-drained, sandy media in cultivation. A suggested mixture is equal parts of coarse silica sand and finely sifted compost, with the addition of a 5 cm layer of compost, placed in the base of the pot. Plant the corms in a position receiving full sun in autumn, about 3 cm deep, and give an initial heavy watering. Once the leaf shoots appear, water heavily about twice per week throughout the winter months. Because this species flowers at the end of the growing season, it is important that the plants are kept well watered throughout spring and early summer, in order for the developing flower spikes to remain strong and not abort. Once the leaves begin to turn brown, withhold watering completely for the duration of summer. In temperate climates where porcupines and molerats are not prevalent, W. strictiflora can also be grown in rock garden pockets, provided the soil is kept absolutely dry in summer. In ideal conditions, the plants can grow considerably taller than those in the wild, reaching up to 770 mm high in flower.

When grown in enclosed conditions such as in hothouses, the developing flower buds are susceptible to infestation by thrips just prior to flowering in late spring and early summer, coinciding with rising temperature, causing severe malformation, and need to be treated while in early bud stage. The corms are not susceptible to mealy bug infestation, but the leaves are subject to attack by red spider mites, in late spring and early summer. The corms do not readily produce offsets and propagation is best from seed. Hand-pollination and isolation from other species of Watsonia and hybrids, is essential to obtain pure seeds that will flower true-to-type. Sow the seeds 3–5 mm deep in autumn, in deep seed trays, pots or bulb beds, in the same medium recommended for adult corms. If sown fresh, seeds will germinate within 3 weeks. Feeding with fertilizer of seaweed extract is beneficial in advancing corm development. Allow seedlings to remain in the same position for 2 years, and pot-up into nursery bags or permanent pots at the beginning of the third autumn. In ideal conditions, seedlings can be expected to flower in the third or fourth year.